FRUIT FARMING IN NELSON

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 11

FRUIT FARMING IN NELSON

Sir, — I recently visited a fruit farm in the Nelson province, and if you will kindly spare me a small space in your paper, I would like to tell the people of New Zealand something about it. This picturesque little farm, which is wonderfully productive, is situated in the Riwaka district, thirty miles from Nelson. Here we find growing to perfection, all kinds of fruit and vegetables, and the climate being semi-tropical, and the soil rich, loamy and well-cultivated, the large size of the produce would be an eye-opener to anyone not having previously visited this fertile valley. For instance, I have seen vegetable marrows growing there a yard long, with a girth of the same dimensions. At this season of the year the lemons and passion-fruit, which ripen to perfection, make a picturesque display. The owner of this particular farm specialises'in apple-growing, and exports large quantities every season to the United Kingdom and America. At the present time the farm is a hive of industry with apple-pickers and packers preparing the fruit for the overseas market; the Delicious, with their rosy cheeks, and the Sturmers with their russet complexions, which hang from the trees like huge bunches of grapes, are a sight to behold. The owner of this farm was the pioneer tobacco grower in the Nelson province. This is now a profitable and growing industry in the district, many hundreds of people at the present time being busily engaged in harvesting the tobacco crop. , Large quantities •of grapes are also grown, the vines on this farm being imported from Syria, and that they Fike New Zealand soil can readily be seen by the way they grow and flourish out in the open on the Riwaka farm I This is the luscious grape from xwhicn cnampagne is made. They are very sweet and are delicious to eat, better in flavour than any I have tasted either here or in Australia. From the experience the owner has gained from the sale of these grapes, he considers that a profit of £6OO per acre should be made from them. 1 am, etc., MABEL SYGROVE. Wellington, April 19.