RETURNED SOLDIERS AND ORCHARDS.

Evening Star, Issue 17394, 2 July 1920, Page 8

RETURNED SOLDIERS AND ORCHARDS.

TO THt EDITOR. Sir, —As a returned soldier I think it is only fair to give my comrades the benefit of my experience. 1 hear of so many soldiers who are contemplating the purchase of orchards that i. feel this note of warning is called for. Orchard work certainly has something to commend it if fresh air and bright sunshine are considered]" but I take it that'the average soldier wants something more than fresh air and sunshine. We will take the case of a soldier inquiring lor an orchard. A beautiful picture is conjured up before his eyes —long, leafy lanes of tiees with their heavTiy-laden branches of luscious fruit, a beautiful bungalow, and everything that goes to make life worth living; but the dark, dreary .side of the life has not been put forward. The piospeetive buyer is never told of the expense attached to "the work. It is here that the Digger needs a friend. Let me inioim him that his orchard has to Ee pruned, ploughed both ways, and the ground dug round the roof's; then there is incessant cultivating. The trees have got to be sprayed with costly materials not oiKe, but many times a- year, according-to the conditions and the district in which the orchard is situated. The trees are spiayed in the winter with, red oil and Bordeaux mixture; but that ia not all. After the Iruit trees have set the spraying is continued periodically with arsenate of lead as a protection against the codlin moth. In some districts this is necessary every 10 or 14 days, and 1 might say leafy trees take some spiaying. But that is only a detail, and one would not mind it so much if a sure crop and good prices were assured. But are they? Well, there are frosts to contend with and drought, and if the irosts are kind to the poor grower he still has the wind, whiui accounts for a great deal of Ins crop. Allowing that our Digger .has successfully piloted part of his crop to the picking stage, this is hard, trying work, but pleasant, in view of the contemplated cheques. But hold on. The iruit has to be graded and packed—no small job—and there are still a- few outsiders to take a nibble at the profits. The Mm'ucr merchant who supplies the case timber—what of him? And the cartage to the railway and the raliway charges, and the auctioneer with his 10 per cent, commission. The- foregoing is not the view of a confirmed pessimist, for I took the business up from sheer love of the work and in face of the advice 1 am now offering to others. There is no more delightful hobby than growing fruit, but as a business proposition it is a " dud." I know of several ex-orchardists in Dunedin who are glad i to be out of it, and I know they would gladly add their testimony to mine in order save the Diggers from disaster. I will not deny that there are a few growers who have made it pay, but the majority are living from hand to mouth, and trying their hardest to sell out. I have been associated with some of the most experienced growers in the Dominion, and personally know a number of Australian growers," and few of ihem are making money. Thev stick to it'iust a-s did the old-time gold miner, who was always expecting to strike it rich, but never did. Trusting this will be a warning to my Digger iriends, —I am, etc., July 1. Ex-Diug>;r.