ON THE LAND.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 57, 3 March 1909, Page 3

ON THE LAND.

HENDERSON FRUIT LANDS

A GOOD SEASON

(By Rata, in the N.Z. Herald.) The development of the fruit industry in the Henderson district during the last decade has been very marked, and judging by its present rate of progress there can be no doubt that a very prosperous future is in store for the orchardist there.

Much remains to be done in the way of organisation where the marketing of fruit is concerned, and it is only reasonable to assume that as >the output of fruit "yearly increases the matter of prices and profits will by force of circumstances become better adjusted. At the present time the industry is still only in its infancy, and we must expect it to go through periods of hardship just as it did in California before it reaches its full development. Henderson in the past was looked upon as a real "hungry" district, and those who knew it only by repute were under the impression that even the homely cabbage could not be grown on such soil, and it was openly stated that there was not enough feed in the district "to carry a Avooden hen to the square mile." Certainly the approach, either by road or rail, is not remarkable for scenic beauties or rich cultivations, and visitors are invariably surprised when they see the really fine orchards which now exist even quite close to the railway line, but are hidden by belts of shelter trees which surround them.

VARIETIES RAISED

The soil and climate seem to be suitable for most varieties of fruit, but peaches, .plums, nectarines, apples, pears, lemons, oranges^ and grapes, are generally looked upon as being the most profitable. The fruitgrower of to-day, though perhaps he does not always recognise the fact, owes much to the pioneer orchardists, for it took time and money, and needed a great deal of faith and endurance to continue experimenting with the different varieties of fruits until they found those which were really the most suitable. Carriage by rail, too, was very different to what it is to-day. Henderson was then a flag station, and the grower waited with his produce, for one of the three trains per day, and the combined output would find ample accommodation in the guard's van. To-day there are covered fruit trucks waiting on the siding, and on Monday and Thursday afternoons, and on Tuesday and Friday mornings before seven o'clock the loaded carts, drays, and waggons, are driven up to the vans to unload, and a courteous staff of officials are there to take delivery.

TWENTY TONS OF FRUIT A WEEK FROM HENDERSON.

At the present time over twenty tons of fruit' are sent away from Henderson station each week, and the bulk of it is for distribution in Auckland A considerable quantity is sent to Wellington, but until the new train service has settled down into regularity there is a great risk of delay, and those growers who are sending their fruit South prefer steamer transit on account «©f itscertainty. No doubt by next season things will be different, and growers are anticipating that a good train1 service will make a great difference in their favour, for a sure and rapid transit of fruit to a good market like Wellington must relieve the congested markets here, and better prices will be realised in Auckland, while the lower cost of freight by rail will allow of a slight reduction in prices obtained at Wellington, and still leave a fair profit.

This has been a record season for most fruits, though pears and English plums are a light crop.

VALUE OF SPRAYING

It may be said with certainty that the heavy crops this year are not due entirely to climatic conditions. One of the reasons is that growers are working their trees in a more systematic manner than formerly, and spraying both for codlin moth and the fungoid disease has become routine work.

The results which have attended the spraying with arsenate of lead this season are most gratifying. It is very encouraging to see the apple trees, some sorts with branches weighed to the ground with fruit, and only about 5 per cent, motlry. The cost of the spraying is very handsomely recouped by the increased profit per tree, and the vexatious waste of fine fruit is done away with. The arsenate of lead undoubtedly burns the leaves of the trees in many cases, but the damage to the foliage is slight and not worth much consideration when the benefits are taken into account.

Such varieties of apples as Lord Wolsley, Red Astrachan, Rome Beauty, Edmund Jupp, Adams' Pe,rmain, Scarlet Permain, Symonds 1 Winter, Cox's Orange Pippin, and Summer Russet, seem to be well suited to this district, but one variety of apples may be doing well with one grower and yet not worth handling by even near neighbours. The prices of all fruits are lower Mi is year than they were last season, but that is only natural, as the crop is heavier.

YIELDS FROM HENDERSON ORCHARDS.

Plums are largely grown—particularly the Japanese varieties—Burbanks, Ogons, and Satsumas holding chief places as reliable bearers,. According to one grower, who has made a reliable estimate, reckoning 100 cases to a ton, and while making some allowances for trees not yet in full-bearing tlio yield of Burbanks is about six tons per acre. This year

the factories were paying £7 per ton.. But, of course, in speaking of the yield per acre so much depends upon the distance the trees are apart, i/or instance, another grower.-.whoso trees are 16ft apart—which equals 169 trees per acre, has this season taken 750 cases of Rurbanks, which, sold by auction at an average of Is 9d per case, , brings the yield per acre much higher. The same- grower has a total of .1100 trees, 360 of which are yearling peaches, and 300 are three to five-year-old peaches, the- balance (440) being mixed peaches and plums, wellgrown trees, and from the whole he expects to pick at least 2000 cases of fruit, therefore it may easily be seen that fruitgrowing on up-to-date lines is profitable work, and the. man who buys a well-kept orchard at even £100 per acre has got good,value for his money.

• It would be difficult to name all thevarieties of peaches grown in-the district, but the following are co ram onlyfound:—"filberts, Brigs;s' lied May, Golden Eagle, Hales' Early, Kia Ora, Paragon, Sea Eagle, Sneed, Triumph, and Wheatlands. There are many new sorts which promise well, but it. present are only on trial. Pears are a light crop this year, and selling at lower prices than usual; but under ordinary good conditions the pear tree at full bearing; age yields a noble return per. acre.

The lemon trees in the best orchards are well worth a journey to see. Some of the trees yield 10 cases per tree at prices ranging from 6s to 10s per case. It was a Henderson grower who secured the prizes for lemons at the Auckland Agricultural Show this season.

Outdoor grapes are now admitted to be qujte suitable for this climate' aad locality. One vineyard of six acres is looking remarkably ■well, and the owners are expecting to gather twenty tons of grapes from the six-year-old vines. There are over 40----acres under grapes at the present time between Henderson and Waikumete, and several hundred acres under mixed orchard.