Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 3,600 Copies Daily MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1911. FRUIT-GROWING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9452, 27 February 1911, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 3,600 Copies Daily MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1911. FRUIT-GROWING.

While New Zealand continues to neglect its opportunities in fruit culture, despite the efforts and encouragement of the Department of Agriculture, New South Wales, a much older country, has become even'more apathetic, and the industry is languishing to a regrettable extent in that State. Thei*e was a time when fruit-growing was an important industry in New South Wales. Up till 1898 tho fruit-growing made a somewhat remarkable advance until the area devoted to that branch of rural industry comprised something like 27,000 acres. Five years afterwards a marked falling-off was noticeable, and within a further subsequent period of Bix years the fruit-growing area was just about,'two-thirds of what it had been eleven years previously. But more regrettable still is the fact that, the acreage returns appear to have also decreased" from £l4 10s per acre in 1904 to just about half that amount five years subsequently. As it has beeii ascertained by statistics that at least fivo thousand acres of the total area under fruit- in New South Wales return about £IOO per acre, it is apparent that the great bulk of the New South Wales orchards must bo almost worthless in so far as remunerative industries are concerned. Fruit-growing, under proper conditions, ought to be one of the best paying industries in New South Wales, though it is apparent that it is sadly neglected, and much of what is being carried out is evidently producing no adequate return.

New Zealand, with its line climate, is particularly suitable for fruit-grow-ing, and the business, if properly conducted, could be made a profitable one, but of all rural occupations i\ appears to receive the least attention. The Frimley orchards in Hawko's Bay furnish a striking object-lesson as to the possibilities of tho industry in the Dominion, and if other provinces were similarly active less money would bo sent away from New Zealand for the benefit of other countries. It may not be generally known that in 1909 the laltest year for which statistics are available—New Zealand imported fresh fruits of the value of £165,469, and of this amount growers in the United States of America received £13,589. A considerable portion of the imported lines could he produced in the Dominion, and in view of tho large number of men that would he

employed, and the benefits to be derived by keeping the money in circulation here, the authorities should spare no effort to secure, if possible, a rapid development and extension of the industry. Medical men the world over recommend fruit as an article of diet.. 1 In New Zealand prices the greater portion of the year cause fruit to be prohibitive, and people are denied a small luxury which could be brought within their means if the capabilities of the soil were put to the test. From a commercial point of view alone fruitgrowing is worth attention, since it could be made an important rural industry in New Zealand, while there is the additional fact that as an article of food fruit would materially assist in preserving the health of the community.'