THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

Evening Star, Issue 15916, 23 September 1915, Page 4

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

RIPPONVALE, CROMWELL

This is the first in Otago of the large plantings and orchard subdivided areas made ready for settlement. Some others are just on completion. Ripponvale, at Cromwell, is especially interesting, for it is the first completed effort of that b'g development project which has been undertaken in the vicinity of Cromwell. Iho opening function of the development work was held in May, and was graced by the presence of a Minister of One Crown, who turned the first sod.. That was the commencement of work of a largo irrigation scheme to deal with between 5,000 and 4,000 acres on Cromwell Flat, all which is being sheltered and fenced to be subsequently broken up, subdivided, cultivated, and watered for orchards.

The company by whom the large scheme is being developed have subdivided a 200-acre area at the foot-hills across the flat from Cromwell, and have called the subdivision Ripponvale. These foothills are watered by races brought from constantly flowing creeks away back in the ranges, and the detritus of aces has left a deposit of soil on the foot-hill slopes rich in humus and permeated with the fine desiccated schist, which is peculiarly fitted to horticulture. The idea of the Development Company in opening out this as their first settlement at once was to initiate as quickly as possible the progressive movement of expansion they had in view. This land had hitherto been devoted to agriculture, and had produced unrivalled crops. Cosily situated as it is, at the foothills, lying well out from the Cromwell Flat, it escapes prevailing winds and drift, and is so placed that the ranges, which stand between it and the morning sun, break the effect of any frosts. It has taken nearly two years to bring about the transformation scene which now presents itself. New fences, absolutely rabbit proof, have gone up; water race's have been diverted; areas ploughed, harrowed, and cultivated. Then the planters came. Trees had been assembled from Victoria, 25,000 in all. The planting ,g an g took possession. They were daylight-to-dark men, because time was of the essence of their contract. Main lines were quickly thrown out, reaching from boundary to boundary; subdivisions were checked, and the wires stretched for pegging. _ Six thousand laths were used for pegging, and true alignment was obtained in every line—not an inch of variation allowed. Six weeks were permitted to the planters in which to begin and end their task, and they did it. Competent critics say that for accuracy, despatch, and all-round completeness the planting of these 25,000 trees on Ripponvale stands unrivalled. It is so far a record for Otago. The company were fortunate in securing the services of Messrs F. G. Duncan and J. Huntley, of the 'Sunnyvale Orchard, Island Block, who took on the planting and personally engaged in the work with their gang of skilled men. Their duty consisted in marking out, pegging, planting, and pruning; and contemporaneously and as part of that work they inspected the trees to be planted^

rejecting every tree which showed thft slightest sign of fault. In this .they were more drastic than any Government inspector, for a good many trees which had passed the inspector were rejected by them ; and by this exceedingly strict process of inspection upon inspection the company are enabled to say .that not one diseased or faulty tree has been planted on Ripponvale. Messrs Duncan and Huntley commenced their work in the early part of the month of July, and completed the planting on August 28. The hulk of the trees planted came from the famous nursery orchard} of Nobelius Emerald, Victoria, and wex* obtained through Mr Harry Clarke; ano Mr Clarke says of these trees that it wa} & joy to handle them, and that he ha< never seen finer or cleaner trees in hit life.

The ploughing contracts were carried Out by Messrs Treaoy Bros., of Evan* Elat and the fencing contracts were in the hands of Mr Bernard Anderson, who was eq pleased with the soil, climate, and situation, and the orchard planting accomplished, that he secured a section, brought his family to the spot, and has settled down there.

But it is not with the planting that an orchard subdivision work ends. An organisation has to be instituted for cultivating and tending the orchard lands i?" a . &ei years for the purchasers, who, for want of plant or tuno or owing to absence, cannot themselves attend to it. The Development Company intend that Ripponvale shall be the model for the district, and accordingly they have established an organisation lor cultivating and tending the orchards for any number of years which may be reqifired. Thus Bipponvale is added to the list of places of resort and retreat where one may combine healthful and pleasing occupation with profit under the best possible surroundings.