THE FRUIT CROP.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15770, 11 December 1916, Page 3

THE FRUIT CROP.

PROSPECTS OF THE SEASON.

Officers of the Horticulture Division of the Department of Agriculturo report as follows regarding tho condition of the fruit crop at the end of November ;—

Christchurch and Suburbs. —Apples: Fair crop. Apricots : Good. Cherries: Fair to good. Gooseberries: Good. Lemons: Not grown. Nectarines: Poor. Peaches: Poor. Pears: Good. Plums: Very light crop. Plums (Japanese): Very light crop. Raspberries: Good. Strawberries: Light crop. Tomatoes : Indoor, good; outside, too early to quote. Walnuts: Good. The past month has been very dry, and red mite on the apples is very prevalent. The black and preen aphis has wrought havoc among the peaches and nectarines. There was a iieav y _ frost in some parts on the night of November 29th, but cannot say yet what damage was done. Bronze, beetles have done considerable damage to many cherry and plum trees.

North Canterbury.—Apples: Fair to good crop. Apricots : Good. Cherries: Good crop. Gooseberries: Good crop. Lemons: iNot grown to any extent. Nectarines: Good crop. Peaches and pears: Fair crop. Piums: Medium crop. Plums (Japanese): Inclined to be light. Raspberries: Good crop. Strawberries: Inclined to be light. Tomatoes: lns.de, fair to good crop; outside, too early to suggest. 'Walnuts: Good crop. At the present time there is every promise of a good all-round fruit crop.

South Canterbury.—Apples: Crops not so good as expected. Moist humid weather rather favourable for black •spot. Apricots: Very fair crop. Cherries: Fair crops generally. Moist weather causing fruit to crack slightly. Gooseberries : Fairly good crop. Nectarines : Fair crops. Aphis rather prevalent in peaches, otherwise fair crops. Pears: Fairly heavy crops generally, black spot rather prevalent. Plums: Fair crops generally. Plums (Japanese) : Good crops; black aphis has caused a good deal of damage. Raspberries : Light crops. Strawberries : Fair crops. Tomatoes: Crons under glass very satisfactory. Outdoor crops making very little growth.

Stone-fruit will probably be scarce in Auckland this season (says Friday's Auckland "Herald"'). -The fact has come somewhat as a surprise to those in | the trade, since, in the spring, blossom was profuse and everything at one time pointed to "a plentiful supply. The rainy weather, however, upset all calculations, having pre vented.,much of the blossom ~on peach, nectarine, apricot, and plum trees from developing. L'sually an abundance of apricots reaches tho Auckland market from tho Thames district. This year there will be a great shortage, according to reports, which indicate that growers in the habit of forwarding hundreds of cases for sale will this season bo able to send only small consignments. Indeed, so rare are apricots expected to be .that one grower in forwarding a few cases, suggested to the auctioneer that the contents ought to be sold by the dozen. Henderson is a district from which a good supply of stone fruit is generally forthcoming, but this year a great scarcity is reported. The late coal strike in Australia has prevented the arrival so far of any Australian cherries. There is none of this fruit yet in the Waikato, though in that district nectarines are reported to bo more plentiful than elsewhere.