MOTUEKA FRUIT PROSPECTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1615, 5 December 1912, Page 8

MOTUEKA FRUIT PROSPECTS.

. A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS. ' A recent visitor to tho Motueka district states that the prospects of the genwal fruit crop are omy luir, and tliere arc a number of causes for tnis position. Although the Iruit formed well, in ninny enses it has not matured. l'hims havo .dropped off heavily, and the anticipated crop this year, as against last year, : only about 30 per cent. Peaches are said to l>e badly altected by leaf-curl, and tlie crop-is expected to be only übout. half as heavy as last year's. Apricots are cieiui but not as heavy as last year. Tho crop of gooseberries is good generally, but tile weather has been very much against strawberries. There is a fair crop, but quite a large quantity of the fruit, is fading its way to the jam factories. The raspberry canes are looking very wen,, and the yield should be about the same as last- year. A fair amount of black-spot has appeared amongst the pears, and ti.-> crop is generally light—about 70 per cent, of last year's. Apples also are affected with black-spot, but there is very little codlin moth this season. The crop should be a fairly good one. Owing probably to the high prices ruling for hops last year, a very large an lias been planted this season., and although it is early to predict yet, good .. turns are looked for. It is stated that since last season quite 250 acres of orchard have been planted or are being planted.