Eating Apples Important Part Of Research Work On Fruit

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28793, 14 January 1959, Page 7

Eating Apples Important Part Of Research Work On Fruit

"The Press'- Special Service

NAPIER, January 13. Small boys would like one ot the jobs at the State research orchard at Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay. It is to test by taste the hundreds of varieties of apples growing there. The orchard staff say that tasting so much fruit does not dull their enthusiasm. They feel it is the practical part of an essential and mentally stimulating job. Apple trees from many parts of the world—more than 800 varieties of them—are growing in one section of the orchard and the fruit is studied to discover comparisons that may help New Zealand orchardists,

The collection gives an important guide to national tastes in apples. Americans are said to like large, soft, sweet apples of medium flavour. In England the preference is for a small apple with a sharp flavour. Mr C. G. Aldridge, the officer in charge at Havelock North, has a battery of research projects

under his control that have as their object the discovery of methods that will help private and commercial orchardists. Experimental work is in progress on chemical thinning, trials of new insecticides, testing of materials for the control of red mite and spray programmes for the control of brown rot and the control of rust on peaches. In one part of the orchard. Dr. D. W. McKenzie is investigating the collar rot disease that in damp seasons has caused considerable loss of apple trees. He is trying to find root stocks that are resistant to the disease.

Research into improved methods of storing apples is another of the activities. Mr C. A. S. Padfield is investigating the use of storage rooms with a controlled atmosphere. To show the progress he is making with his work he has trays of last season’s fruit that are unwrinkled and still edible.