THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

Grey River Argus, 23 March 1914, Page 6

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

ITS PROGRESS -.ON'. THE COAST

SOME INTERESTING DETAILS

Mr. W. J Courtier, the Government Orchard Instructor, is at present on one of h'is- periodic visits to the Coast In conversation wVvV> an Argus reporter he save some" interesting details with reference to the fruit industry on the West Coast. . - During his present visit he ' had made a collection' of fruit from the various Government "Test Acres," in this district, and the fruit is now shown in the window of Mr Trusjcott's premises. Each' variety 01 fruit is marked, and also it is seated whether it is of a: variety . suitable or unsuitable for growing. on this side of the Alps. . t The great enemy. of the fruit grower here is "black spot," a disease, how.---l «wer., which can be $ouri eradicated if the proper variety of fruit is grown, and- judicious, spraying indulged, <in. The fruit, however, must be grown on dry land, and not in swampy land. As the results of his observations the . following, varieties of apples - thrive splendidly, in this district:— ,Apples— Worcester pennain, rennett <2u, Canada, Adam's permain, Emperor Alexander.. Murvey's favourite Prince Albert. . . Pears— Winter Colo Keefer's hybrid Napoleon, Gavber's hybrid. He is at present on ins quartely visit to the tost- acres which ate at sent situate at Mr: J. Keller's, Gladstone Siding-. A. Wheeler's, ' Rotomanu, and A. Blaxsham's Reenon. He hopes soon to have test acres at Hokitika and Westport. .He found the present plots doing well and the tree.? planted last year were thriving. There was a growth of three, feet since last year. The object of these plots i s to show the most suitable varieties, and to teach the orcha rdi <?t c the m O3t up-to-date methods of spraying and pruning-. ' ~ . - Two of a kinK «f trees ate planted in each plot a^^there 134 trees to the acre. Out of the Tot there may be found to be only twenty that are suitable for the district. He is very anxious .*. 'chat tb c pub] i c should visit tbes'-- slots'- »md see for themselves. The best jtime to go, however, is in y^ir. 'yhen he is doing the winter pruning. There is a good future for the Coast, he said, a-= aj; ?,iyple growing district, The ;-olou.i jf : the apples grown here is especially fine, and that of some specimens of Worcester permains was almost perfect arid better than what was seen ;in Nelson^' | ■ -'Stunner pippins, which, are regarded as the finest apples in New Zea--land-, have proved in tliis district to be absolute wasters. Speaking for.the :domiriion as a whole, he said *np< '•rrn apple industry was 'never so flourishing" as at present. A firm in Monte Video had offered to take the: whole of the New Zealand output for 15 years, at is 6d to 2s 6d more than was paid^for Tasmanian apples* i .

Kxpprtur.s must, .however, take cure to send nothing- lyit- first-class fruit,, in that way the fruit industry would soon grow in the way our frozen meat trade had expanded.