FRUIT

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 146, 21 June 1916, Page 19

FRUIT

AN ADVANCING FEATURE.

Fruit promises to be one of the most important features of the PaJmcrstan Shu-*/ in tht j'csre to cunn- The fruitgtowiui;. in.4uifcry. is iiqw waging- rapid

strides, although this year it received rather . a set-back consequent, upon the shortage of shipping space. However, it is bound to make its presence felt- to a much greater degree after .the war, when many young orchards, will come into profit. There is an excellent display of fruit (mostly apples) at Palmerston this year. Although the quantity is not in excess of last year's show, the quality, shows a decided imprpvement. Such is the opinion of an expert, Mr. T. Horton (Hastings), who acted as judge. According to Mr. Horton, an improvement is noticeable in many respects, but particularly in the direction 'that the fruit/ is free from blemish of. .any sort. In previous years, to the casual observer,' the , fruit may have appeared of the best, but the expert found many : blemishes which detracted considerably from its value, especially for export purposes. Quality, .colour, form, and size, all show an improvement. Mr. Horton states that the fruit section is ca-pable of much advancement, and he advises a district competition on the lines of that, held in connection with theDominion Apple Show in Wellington recently. That, would set up" a.'friendly rivalry between the various fruit-growing province's, and would ensure large and representative exhibits from Nelson, Central Ofcago, Wellington, Auckland, and Hawkes Bay. The scheme worked successfully in. Wellington.

The Agricultural Department has on exhibition an excellent collection of apples suitable.for export and home consumption. . They are arranged in the order of ripening, but as the selection of suitable apples was mada only a short time ago, the earlier sorts are not shown. A few of. the varieties particularly suited for export to the Northern Hemisphere, samples of which are on view, are Jonathan, Delicious, Dunn's (Monroe's Favourite), Cleopatra, Rome Beauty, Statesman, and Stunner. The earlier sorts not shown are Gravenstein, Golden Pippin, Scarlet Pearmain, Worcester Pearmain, and Cox's Orange Pippin. Apples regarded as ,best for South America are Cox's Orange Pippin, Delicious, Dunn's (Monroe's Favourite), London Pippin (Five Crown), Lord Wolseley, Cleopatra,' Yellow Newtown Pippin, Rome Beauty, Statesman, Stunner, , and Dougherty. All these are shown, and the best gives some idea of what the orchardist can learn by a visit to the Palmerston Show. Pears are treated in the same way. ■

OTHER FEATURES There is an excellent showing of factory and dairy butter and cheese,, honey (in which there is a decided improvement), seeds (poorer than usual), poultry, and a few fat sheep and. cattle. These will be referred to more fully in to-morrow night's issue. The Home Industries occupy a prominent place. There are scones nicely browned, sponge cakes with the filling oozing from the sides, fancy lollies and chocolates, dainty tarts, and the like. Mosl of the competitors are from Palmerston North, and the exhibits reflect favourably their abilities.

A centre of attraction at the show is a shield, "To the Memory of Anzao Heroes," worked in butter by Miss E. Kemshall, Mangatui, Outram, South Island. The decoration is attractive and unique, and the execution of such a delicate work must have called for considerable patience and skill. The shield is indeed a work of art.

School sports were held on the Oval yesterday and created considerable interest.