PUKEKOHE LAND

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 174, 20 April 1937, Page 13

PUKEKOHE LAND

Where Early Potatoes Are Grown FREEDOM FROM FROSTS For its size, Pukekohe enjoys greater fame than any other area or district in all New Zealand. This it owes to its early potatoes, which have become accepted as harbingers of spring throughout the Dominion. To all those who grow, or have grown, potatoes or onions, or even the humble cabbage, "The Hill” at Pukekohe is recognised as one of the most intensely cultivated areas in this country. Yet the area of “The Hill” is but a square mile, about 600 acres. With the surrounding plots and slopes, the Whole area cultivated is but 1000 acres. Pukekohe is a fair-sized little town on the Main Trunk railway, about 30 miles south of Auckland. It is off the main highway, and to reach it by road one must detour westward for about three miles over rolling country. "The Hill” itself lies about a mile westward again of the town. After making myself known to some of those engaged in the produce trade and being furnished by them with information and directions, I set forth to see the cropping areas. Valuable Land. During the 1920’s land was sold at up to £2lO an acre. Recent values have ranged from £B5 to £l3O, depending on locality and improvements. On "The Hill” areas held are mostly 10 to 15 or 20-acre lots. On the slopes at the foot areas of from 10 to 50 acres are held. This area is renowned less for its fertility than for its freedom from frosts. Last spring frosts were experienced, the worst for 25 to 30 years. There were three frosts, spread over a fortnight. The result was disastrous to most growers. Pukekohe’s speciality is the growing of early potatoes for harvesting in September and October. Theirs are being dug as the main North Island crop go in. These early crops are grown during the four months of the depth of winter, having being planted in May and June. The main crop is ready in November-December, having been sown in July and early August. The second crop, for two crops a year are here obtained, was being dug during my visit just prior to Easter. This is largely considered a seed-yielding one. but a fair quantity of "tables” are obtained and sold to Auckland. After three to live crops of potatoes have been taken, the land is restored by growing a crop of mustard and ploughing this in for green manure. Sometimes cabbages or onions follow the mustard; at other times it goes straight back to potatoes again. High Costs. Costs of production are high. An early crop may cost as much as £55 an acre by the time it is put on the rail. This is made up of: Rent of land £lO, manure £lO, seed £lO, cultivation and spraying £lO, harvesting £lO. Spraying Is a big cost, as the mild climate is doubtless conducive to disease. Even in winter and spring crops must be sprayed. Manure is here used as nowhere else in New Zealand. In some cases up to £2O has been expended on an acre in one year. The early and main crops usually receive from 15 to 20cwt. and the second crop from 10 to loewt. To spend £9 on the first and £6 on the second crop is not unusual. Bonedust and blood and bone are great favourites. Super, is used to some extent, also potash and sulphate of ammonia. Even with the intensity of the farming, the early crops yield lightly, as they are dug early to catch the market. From 14 to 4 tons an acre is their yield. Thus a three-ton crop that has cost £55 an acre to produce, must return the grower 2d. a lb., or £lB/13/4 a ton, to show a return. The main later crops yield quite well at from 7 to 9 tons an acre. These are dug during November-December and into early January. From then onward the Manawatu becomes the chief purveyor of potatoes. A Grower’s Experiences. It was my good fortune to meet and have a long’talk with a former Feilding man who is now one of the largest Pukekohe growers. He had been there 16 years. On arriving he had, after some difficulties, bought seven acres at £l5O an acre, with house and buildings. In his first year he lost £2BO, but th? second returned him £640 net. This was due, in part, to one acre of onions giving a gross return of £275. Later he leased 24 acres, and in the first season cleared £l2OO from this; but £6OO of it was lost in the second season. That is typical of Pukekohe; big profits and big losses. A gamble, but those who "stick” and, work well come out right. During the depression this man bought 54 acres at £56 an acre. Recently he was offered £lOO an acre for it. He runs the business as a family concern, with the assistance of his sons. At a family council the offer was refused. All liked the life and had no wish to change.

This year 32 acres of potatoes were

grown. The early crop returns were: First acre, four tons, returned 31d. a pound. The second digging returned only Id., and the third 21d. a pound. All were sold on consignment to Wellington.

Our conversation took place in a field where a second crop was being dug. This was a fair crop, yielding seven tons, a good sample; these potatoes were making £5/10/- o.t. A little lower down this man had an excellent crop, yielding 14 tons to the acre. No less than 25cwt. an acre of fertiliser wont on to the first crop, and the second crop had Gcwt. A paddock of an acre and an eighth of onions hail just been harvested for a yield of 700 bags (561 b. each). That yield equalled 174 tons from the paddock, equivalent to 154 tons an acre, worth £7 a ton 0.t., a return of over £lO5 an acre. This crop had one ton of pure bonedust, costing £9/10/-. The ’Soil. The soil is very friable, a chocolatecoloured, sandy loam. On “The Hill” it is but Gin. deep, then a clay subsoil is reached. Much deeper a richer soil Is found at the foot of the hill. This, however, is subject to greater frost risk. The roadside growth was showing prominently, cocksfoot, prairie grass, and clovers. Some excellent pastures were seen, though to what extent manures had influenced them one could not tell. Pukekohe has some pressing problems, not of the soil, but of competition. The development of other districts in cropping is a major worry. The main crops do not secure the prices they formerly did, owing to Manawatu especially, coming in earlier. Growers feel they are being restricted to the risky early crop. Then, too, with onions, Rotorua is now competing. The land there is said to be costing only 10/- an Were in rent. Another “menace” is the Hindu grower, who will pay rents of £8 to £l2 a year for a threeyear lease. Whatever the market may drop to he can keep going. His needs are few and he spends little.

Government onion control was looked upon with marked disfavour. Growers complain that they were not consulted, and some feel it is a “Canterbury scheme” that bodes them no good. ‘ About Pukekohe are numbers of retired people who have made their modest fortunes on “The Hill” and its en virons. Many have done well, and it is believed that their successors will come out successfully in the future. This little district, with its kindly climate and soil, is by no means finished.