ORCHARD DAMAGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20136, 4 January 1940, Page 6

ORCHARD DAMAGE

EFFECT OF THE HAIL HAVOC AT PATUTAHI VISIT OF INSPECTION MEMBER FOR DISTRICT A visit of inspection of a number of Patutahi orchards was paid yesterday by a party which included Mr. D. W. Coleman. M.P.. and Mr. J. D. Kennedy, orchard instructor, to view the damage done by the disastrous hailstorm that swept that part of the district on Boxing Day. In the party were a number of orchardists and others interested in seeing the havoc that had been created, and those present were astounded at the immense amount of damage done, not only to the fruit but also to the trees. The necessity of taking the damaged fruit from the trees was stressed, and estimates were made of the expenditure involved. In more than one orchard the crops represent a total loss, and the removal of the fruit was held to be necessary to save the vitality of the trees for next season’s crop. Pitted and Cut Specimens of fruit were shown to the members of the party, many of the pip fruit, as well as the softer stone fruit that would have been ready for the market shortly after the storm, being pitted and cut, whole sides of some of the apples and plums having been sliced off with the hail. In one orchard no sound fruit was left. The urgency of dealing with the trees was emphasised, particularly in view of the fact that brown rot was prevalent in the district at present. Damaged fruit provided a fertile field for the development of the disease, and urgent measures were required for the stripping of all fruit from the trees. Four orchards -in the area were severely affected, and it was noted that other orchards a few miles away escaped with little damage, only a small proportion of the fruit showing damage by bruising.