NEW ZEALAND APPLES' AT HOME

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3198, 24 September 1917, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND APPLES' AT HOME

FAVOURABLE OPINIONS. I. ; /'.The ".Eastern Morning' News" (Hull), ' to the consignment of ten .cases of apples of l/he brands known as ' Cleopatras, Jonathans. Sturmer Pippins, and StaymairWinesaps, graw&\by Mr. F. G. Duncan, of Contra! Otago, which vere ; ; sent : fo the High Commissioner through the agency of Messrs. A 3 Muritzson and ■ . Co., of Dunedin, savs —"This industry v in: New Zealand is ofle which is develop- " ing Tapidly, and it is-fully anticipated v-. that alter the wai-'"shipments of a com-' ,/• v* jnercial nature will be made to this ■ country. As indicating its growth it i' Vi might be pointed out that in 1908 28,500 • . acres were under commercial orchard < cultivation, and by 1915 this-'had been ' increased to 45,000 acres. In 1913 and 191-i apple exports to the value of .£7OOO per- annum had been made, and :a 1915 these liad risen to oyer .620,000. This i" fruit is tho produce of a tliree-y-ear-old - orchard, and certainly bears testimony • to tne suitability of Central Otago as a fruit-producing country. In tliis district • ' there have been great developments lately in. connection with fruit. Irrigation ■ lias been' taken in hand by the Govern--inent on a large scale and also by pri- ; rate companies. The land in the fruitgrowing districts of Central Otago is, for the inost part, light; the drainage ■ is.good, and while the rainfall is small, i - there are large rivers traversing the . . whole district, which makes irrigation^ • ' practical' possiblity. One company—the v .'■■■ Cromwell Development Company—has a scheme in hand which cost ana V '-will irrigate an immense tract of land. The cold winter. weather experienced in this lias, E.oreover, a nood effect, reduces greatly the possible ravages'of, fungoid disease, and insect pests." ■••V -writer in "The Financier" says:— >"What can be done in. the . vay of fruit cultivation in New Zealand 1 been amply demonstrated within the.iast ''■•'/few yeais- This is the newest industry , _ . of the Dominion, and it. promises to be one of the largest, and certainly not the /' least remunerative. It was started Sir Thomas Mackenzie,' the pro-' High Commissioner, was Minister -/. of Agriculture,*" and he gave it every en''■.'.'•■■.coursgemeiit. Trial shipments of apples . have been mado to this country, and. the '.-■fruit has invariably arrived in as ; sound a condition as when it was picked

VVfrom. the tree. Up to.tlie present the "* demand froni South America 'has been ' 'so/' considerable that nothing is to be gained, from a commcrcial point of. view, "U .byl'sending tho fiVit to this country, but •with. the. extension; of the industry,, not only '''theßritish,—but the Continental ■' ■ markets could be,supplied, while 'the- ■ opening of' the Panama Canal will give ■' - - quick,' direct transit" to--the immenso population of the Eastern. States of the United Slates -af. America. . In. ronnec- :' tion. with, this industry, it should be j remembered thjt tho fruit .season ju the Northern. Hemisphere is-'tlie opposite to fhat in New Zealand; consequently the i /markets of Great Britain cbulil be supplied' when they are ' bare * _ of homegrown supplies. Apple-growing for export has long since ;bccomo a staple in- .- dustry in Tasmania.' "' It has also lieen ? : profitably undertakem'iii Victoria,' South . ' Australilt, .and New South Wales,'and ; .• -more recently » .in Western Australia,' .which promises fo become one of the -vv largest exporting States of the Common'.wealth.,-' But thero will'-be plenty of room for Now Zealand, to .enter the London -market afteivthe war, and tho fine „ quality of the fruit is bound to.ensure for, it a'Tcady sale." •„. ■ ~ i - J ; Regarding the consignment above mentioned. .the writer, in "The* Financier" says: "The apples, which arrived by the . J- —, have been.reported upon by Messrs. Itidley, Holding,: and Company, fruit ' salesmen, of .Coveiit'■ Garden; who have. made certain suggestions';, which if ear- ' Tied out, should-add to-tho "commercial ■ - Value- of the fruit. :Each apple was wrapped in tissue paper and tlie top and bottom of the cases were .lined. wit,h / -wood-wool. '. But this is not sufficient. The 'sides should also have been lined, find if wood-wool is not available corru- > gated paper should be used. The inijortanco of grading is dwelt upon,.and, "'-'--'.■ generally speaking, care'should be exer- ' ■ -. cised in:.the. packing. The size of apples recommended for ■■ export is from 2in. to . 2-lin.; those.from 2^ip.".up, to 3}in.-do '- not carry well, 'ind,'| moreover, are not . in such demand. " As indicating the rapid '.. development of the fruit : iridustry m New • " Zealand, it may be pointed out that in ' -'■;190S, :'8,500 acres 'were under commercial • orchard cultivation, and by 1915 this'had ' \ been increased to' -15,000 acres. In 1913 ■: and 1911 : apple exports to , the value of • .£7OOO per annum had been made, and in 1915 -these had risen'to 0ver".620,000. The fr.uit just to hand is the produce of '. a three-year-old orchard, and certainly ■ " -bears testimony to the suitability of Central .Otajo as a fruit-producing country. , ' In this district there have been great de- • velopmenls' lately in connection with fruit. has been taken in hand " ■by,the Government on a*large scale, and " alsb by private companies. One company . —the Cromwell Development Companyhas a scheme in hand - which wilL cost ' - -£15,000,r and will irrigate an immense tract of land. Central Otago, however, . lis not the only'district in New Zealand '• in which' fruit' cultivation is carried on. Jtagnificent apple lands have been opened lip in the Nelson district, where the .... clear sunshine record is'over 3000 hours perannnvp, equal to 81 hours of sunshine : every day. It is thejiright shnshine, of ■ ' course, that gives the apples their rosy apnearance, which jnakes them-so attrac-

tive for the table and adds to their fine flavour. The fruit industry in New Zealand and Australia is one which should appeal to many of the young fellows now at the front who are oil the look-out for a congenial and healthy open air occupation rffter the wai, for apple culture does nflt take all the orchardist's time. ■Poultry, pigs, strawberries, vegetables, for all of which there are abundant markets hear at hand, form valuable sidelines for tile appio farmer."