GRAPES RIPENING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 41, 18 February 1943, Page 4

GRAPES RIPENING

A MEDIOCRE SEASON

VITICULTURISTS BUSY

Ripe, luscious grapes are festooning vineyards at Te Kauwhata, Henderson, Birkdale, and other districts in the province where the new season's outdoor crop is fast approaching maturiay. . In some respects it is a disappointing cr °P> especially in the Waikato, where the yield is down by about 25 per cent owing to the dryness and humidity of the weather in recent weeks. Moreover, the quality is not quite so good as that last season. Elsewhere in New Zealand climatic conditions have been more favourable. In Henderson, for instance, the crop will be about normal, while in Hawke's Bay a good season seems likely. On the other hand, a drop in the yield is expected in East Coast areas, including Tauranga. The main outdoor grape now coming on to the market is the Pierce, originally an American variety, which is incorrectly known as Albany Surprise. Harvesting Commences ■ Labour difficulties, as in every, other form of husbandry, . have troubled growers. Picking is tne main problem. While the industry is not classified as essential in the sense that dairying and woolgrowmg are essential, some growers who have been called up have been granted exemption from military service during the harvesting period. Vineyard owners are hoping for nne weather during the next 'five weeks, when the bulk of the crop will be garnered. The greatest menace during this period is the cyclonic storm, which in some past seasons _ nas wreaked havoc among the vines. The damage inflicted by salt spray at Te Kauwhata during exceptionally stormy weather some seasons ago will not be readily forgotten. _ Handmaiden of the grape-growing industry is viticulture, and Mr. B. w. Lindeman, wine expert of the Department of Agriculture, states that new areas have been planted for wine and table grapes, but the fruit will not be ready for picking for another season or two. The estimated production of wine, cider and fruit wines throughout the Dominion this season is 240,000 gallons, about the same quantity as last season. Sugar Rationing Referring to a suggestion, in a recent Press report that vintners could obtain ample sugar requirements, Mr. Lindeman said this was not so. All wine-makers were rationed, and were getting considerably less sugar this year than last. Some were getting a larger ration than others, depending on the proportion of their crop which was devoted to wine-making as against table requirements. The decrease in wine output as a result of the sugar restrictions was compensated by production from new so "tlicit. th£ totcil win.6 'output showed little variation on that of last season, said Mr. Lindeman. If the same area of grapes for wine manufacture had been under cultivation this season the saving in sugar woulu have been approximately 200 tons.