SWEET POORMAN ORANGES

Evening Star, Issue 22720, 6 August 1937, Page 2

SWEET POORMAN ORANGES

FORTUNE AWAITS FINDER The Citrusi Growers’ Federation of one of the Australian States has emphasised in its annual report the great value of the New Zealand sweet orange market to Australian growers. Not all —less than half, in fact—of New Zealand’s sweet oranges come fx-om Australia. This statement is sufficient to indicate how valuable an asset would bo a really good New Zealand sweet orange capable of withstanding our climatic conditions, and yet able to produce fruit equal to tho .oranges of Australia, California, and the Pacific Islands (states tho ‘New Zealand Herald’). To expect that such an orange can, bo developed seems unreasonable, but is not. The sceptics of 50 years ago never deemed possible the wonderful improvements in citrus fruit since their day and even now the men who are seriously searching for a sweet orange to meet our requirements are making headway, though these searchers are regrettably few in number. Actually, the co-opera-tion of all growers will have to be enlisted before the search is likely to achieve its object. Experienced citrus men have at least decided where the search must begin. They believe that the starting point is tho poorman orange, or “ New Zealand grapefruit.” Here are the qualities that must be expected of an orange able to replace the imported fruit; it must bo hardy, prolific, and quick-maturing that it may be economically successful; it must bo smooth and largo and handsome, that it may catch the buyer’s eye ; and it must be thin-skinned, seedless, or nearly so, well-flavoured, -and sweet for obvious reasons. Tlie poorman is all this excepting the last. It thrives in our climate, is and prolific, but it is not sweet. Tho search is for a sweet poorman.