ARGENTINE FRUIT

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 33, 8 August 1923, Page 14

ARGENTINE FRUIT

A GROWING INDUSTRY

LEAGUES OF PEACH ORCHARDS

In these days of gradual post-war trade revival it is not without interest to take a survey of the world's natural resources, and consider them with an eye that has been more delicately focussed to appreciate their industrial possibilities, writes an Argentine correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph." In the course of such a survey it is not surprising if the attention is turned more qften and more closely towards those countries where enterprise is still in a state of development and opportunity is like an ever-open door. Ranking high in this category is the Republic, of Argentina. It is. not the purpose of this article to depict in enticing colours the possibilities offered by this great south land, but to consider with an unprejudiced eye such possibilities as are to be found in the fruit-farming industry and its opportunity for development. Outside Argentina, very little has been heard of the remarkable strides made in the fruit-growing trade. Nor is this to be greatly wondered at, since so far practically no fruit lias been exported' from that country to Europe or the United States. But a start has been made on the Pacific Coast, and fresh grapes are being sent to the : UniVd States from Chile. It is' not generally known that Argentina, too, has made ventures of this kind, and will soon be shipping quantities of her fine fruit to, other parts of the world. ; The orange, and' the fig flourish exceedingly in a fertile land, that can boast of almost every variety of fruit. It is in the northern territories that the former is principally grown. Downstream, from the province of Corrientes, come the barges and steamers bearing their golden burden. In addition to the edible fruit, however, it must be pointed out that there exist lari?o numbers of trees whose product is distasteful to the- palate, and Uieir flaunting colour is no criterion as to delectability. AYhole groves of this deceptive fruit may be seen hero and there on the edge of the northern forests, where, originally planted by the Jesuits, they have reverted to a wild condition.. Tempted by the seeming generosity of Nature's hospitality, the passer-by is oftentimes tempted to pluck and quench his thirst with the brilliant fruit, and, having been so entrapped, it is a commendable kindness if he keeps his feeling to himself!

Fig tr«es grow in exuberance throughout the Republic, and this fruit is very fine in quality, many of these growths attaining to gisrantic proportions. The same may be said of the quince, and the laden groves of this glowing fruit afford a _ most entrancing spectacle. But if Argentina possesses a national fruit it may be said to be the peach, for this fruit flourishes abundantly throughout the country. One of its chief nurseries is to be found in those great stretches on the banks of the Parana. Here countless leagues of peach orchards flourish exceedingly, and motor launches and other boats ply to and fro, laden beneath masses of the yellow and crimson fruit. The Argentine takes justifiable pride in his peach production, and scarcely an estancia-, or even a rancho, throughout the country is without a grove of peach trees. The clingstone variety, being very hard in texture, is suitable rather for canning than' any other purpose. The freestone variety is of quite excellent quality, however, and it is highly probable that in course of time more a J'-->ntion will be given to the finer specs. The,fruit plantations.of the Rio Negro territory attain the important area of nearly 7000 hectares, and in these districts the apple flourishes, some of the specimens of this particular fruit being of magnificent appearance and very fine quality. ' In the north-west of Rio Negro lies the_ small inland district of Neuquen, and while from the agricultural point of view this territory has only been opened up quite,recently as a fruit-growing centre it is rapidly attaining to very considerable importance, being chiefly notable, as in the case of Rio Negro, for the apples it produces. But perhaps the province of Buenos Aires comes easily first, with its 345,000 ' hectares planted with fruit, among which the peach predominates.

Mendoza, important for its wine industry, is extremely productive as regards fruit-farming in general, more particularly the western section of the province. An estate. in Mendoza is a most pleasant sight, with its vines trained in their Ion? pergola tunnels, in between which rise the trees and shrubs of Jthe peaches, fiss, nectarines, and all the rest of the glowing produce. Desides these, the principal" fruits of the Republic, there are, of course, many more—pears, plums, nectarines, passion fruit, and dozens "of other varieties. Attention should also be called to the strawberry, which is now being plentifully grown. It does not as a general rule, attain .to the size of some of its European kindred, but it has other comparative values, and in the south of the Republic, the wild variety of this delectable fruit' grows with- such abundance that the hoofs and fetlocks of the hqrses cantering through the country are splashed red with its juice.