LEMONS RESPOND

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22585, 13 March 1948, Page 4

LEMONS RESPOND

THREE WATERINGS RECORD ORMOND CROP Meyer lemons on the property of Mr. L. Grey, Ormond, had their third watering of the season this week when the block of 75 trees on one-fifth of an, acre were irrigated with the equivalent of 7in. of rain. Mr. Grey claims to have a record crop this year, and says the lemons are ready for the market much earlier. His irrigation plant arrived late last season and he was unable to apply much water to the block. This season has been different, Mr. Grey says, and the trees have responded as the following details will show.

Last season the block of 75 seven-year-old trees yielded 350 bushels, or five bushels to the tree. Normally, the first picking is made in May. Under irrigation this season he picked 30 three-quarter bushel cases in February, 50 to 60 cases will be ready this month, and judging by the manner in which the lemons are forming up he expects to be able to pick a further 150 to 200 cases in April. In other words, half of last season’s crop total will be on the way to southern markets or will have been marketed by mid-April. Previously, none was picked until May. The Meyer usually bears only one crop, but on these trees there are excellent signs of many young ones coming on for the spring. Mr. Grey intends to feed the trees to enable them to continue bearing. His irrigation plant draws its water from the Waipaoa River, and it is interesting to note that even in this dry period the rate of flow at the Matawhero Bridge is from 10,000,000 to 11,000,000 gallons a day.