SMALLER APPLE CROP

Evening Star, Issue 25172, 11 May 1944, Page 4

SMALLER APPLE CROP

CENTRAL OTAGO FRUIT SEASON GOOD YIELD OF PEARS The yield of the apple crop in Central Otago this last season has been below the exceptionally heavy crop of the previous year, but the production of pears has remained constant. It is estimated that 144,000 cases of apples will be produced this season compared with 170,000 cases last year: The pear crop is estimated at 30,000 bushel cases, the same quantity as last year. The early varieties of apples were quite up td the standard of the previous season, Cox's Orange'showing up to advantage with good touches of colour. There was a marked absence of cracking which is usually associated with this variety, particularly at the base of the fruit. Jonathan and Delicious varieties were also above the average in colour and size, the dull brick colour in the Jonathans of some seasons being absent. A fair percentage of the better quality Delicious have been put into cool store and. from the aippe<arancc and texture of the fruit there should be little difficulty in keeping it for several months in good marketable condition. Cleopatras are well advanced and Stunner, Rome Beauty, and Statesman varieties are quite up to the average. Pears have returned a good'crop. A good percentage of the William Bonchretiens were sold privately for bottling purposes. Winter Coles have been placed in cool storage for long keeping and Winter Neiis are coming forward in good average condition. Un the whole the fruit is very clean with very little russet trouble, although black spot is shpwing up on the Winter Nelis to a greater extent than for some years as a result of the winter rains. In the stone,fruit brown rot was the prinicipal disease, particulai'ly in the Roxburgh district where there were some fairly heavy losses in certain orchards. Prices were satisfactory although the quality of the fruit was not as good as in some previous seasons.