WAERENGA'S USEFULNESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 157, 27 March 1908, Page 2

WAERENGA'S USEFULNESS.

SERIOUS LIMITATIONS. A FANCIFUL PROPOSAL. Mr. R. Nairn, a leading Christchurch florist and nurseryman, passed through Wellington yesterday, 011 bis return from 'making a holiday tour of the North Island. Mr. Nairn visited most of the chief fruit-growing districts of' tho Island, and also went over the Government, experiment station at Waerenga, concerning which, when interviewed by a Dominion representative,- lie 'passed some rather scathing criticisms. ' Successful Grape Growing. Before finding fault, however, Mr.. Nairn was careful to give Waerenga its due. " I wish to say, first," he explained, " that tho' Government have certainly proved at Wae-renga-that tlie waste lands of Auckland can successfully grow grapes, similar in character and , quality to those of Now, South Wales. They are not to be compared to those of South Australia.; to produce grapes' of South Australian standard a drier and hotter " atmosphere than that of Auckland is required." Mr. Nairn also thinks that the Agricultural Department, in obtaining such large quantities 1 of : phylloxera-resisting... stocks, 'from which cuttings are available, for private growers, js. doing a great service to tho grape industry.. '. ■« C . ' , With regard to general fruit culture, the visitor; considered;. that . peach-growing at Waerenga, in particular, has.proved an, absolute failure. The ground is much too wet and tpo exnosed to westerly winds. Apples suffer in a less degree from the same causes, and Mr! Nairn points out..that,'instead.of planting its apples and\peaches J first,and then tho*trees for shelter, the Department shouldhave' provided shelter in _ the 'first instance. Until .the ground fs properly drained and protection, from ' the; winds is afforded, the Waerenga farm will . not he satisfactory for. peach and apple growing! Tho pear orchard has flourished, despite these disabilities', and, after the grapes, pears iarc the most satisfactory product' of station:, ; Whether even tho pears will bear 'fruit so . as to' pay is' a' question only time .pari! solvp,:,.'- :, ~!• V i-

Limitation of T»st Results. .Good'work ig being done in testing trees suitable for shelter belt? and fencing, but in this connection th<y benefits will not be wideSpread., ; The climate -of. Waerengji differs very matierinlly ; from that of most other'parts 4 of Now Zealand, so that the trees and shrubs found suitable for planting there will , not necessarily bo suitable for other localities. Tho ■ knowledge-; gained from these experiments; will .be very valuable in the Auckland Province. A Wrong System. : ■ Apparently that, is the'.furthest that ' the 'Usefulness of'.Waijrcnga can extend. As' ret gprds the. experimental growing 'of' general ■fruits, Mr'."Nairn 'considers' that'.the; tests, aro beinfj made with' too' many individuals .and\tob lew-varieties; "Ho believes that the \Vaerenga. Station is far - too big'; : and that tbeso' experiment stations, 'would, be much Hioro iiscfu] if they were smaller in area,-and soattered jri greater nupibers over, a far larger district.' At present they .' are i confined' to a few stations in the North Island. ' Fruit- : growing in'.NoV Zealand, he stated, is' dis--tinctly' locali .'iNot: only: dp'.special" fruits thrivejbost. in' speoial localities,. tat .-different varieties of those fruits have also their more ■or. loss The various fruit'-growing'districts" ties',''wKot'her' , '6f °aHplei, c jfi&fo'-lor- p'cncdos, equally w?ll, .%(ft jdmcrnnt *jimd's'' arq'Jp'art ml so, it becomes, a ; necessity,'" if. experiment stations aro to' haveimucli value,, tliat their /tests should be carried on in all the'principal fruit districts. " ; The varieties that" prosper at Waercngaj for example, may be useless for other parts of the Dominion. ■

A Fanciful Proposal.- . The. suggestionof the Agricultural Department to "let portions of Waerenga. to- intending fruit-growers, Mr. - Nairn regards , as a merely fanciful.proposal. The Department is now planting largo areas in fruit trees, which it hopes to let to intending purchasers when tho/trees commence to bear. It may be that only a- few of tho many Varieties that are being! planted at,.AVaerenga frill • prove of market Value';' sojfaras present appearances go; the 1 only,/successful product .will-bo the pears, i particularly the William's Bon Cliretion varietv, better, known .to many people as Bartlett-s pear. This is an excellent fruit for canning. Mr. Nairn doubted very much whethor anyone would -take up the proposed AVaoronga leases. • '