DAMAGE TO FRUIT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 58, 5 February 1938, Page 13

DAMAGE TO FRUIT.

FEARS OF GROWERS. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Feb. 4. Severe losses, particularly of stone fruit ; .are expected by many orcliardists in .the Henderson, Huapai and Kumeu districts as - a result of the storm.

J • Further afield at Te Kauwhata grow- ' ers are also apprehensive and there is a general fear that, unless conditions improve substantially, the apple crop will also be adversely affected. The experiences of growers in the vicinity of Henderson and Orntia varied substantially. In some instances it was reported that the whole of the remainder of the stone fruit crop, particularly nectarines, peaches and plums, was ruined; but at other orchards the only sign of the storm was a slight increase in the normal number of windfalls. Growers of stone fruits expressed the fear that fruit that was spared by the wind would fall a prey to brown rot, and, in either case, would be a total loss. y ; A meeting of orchardists was held in Auckland and, as a result, few of them reached home while it was still light enough to inspect the damage done. \ i 1 ' * • ’ - Y- v- -

“We expect a scene of .devastation in the morning,” a leading grower said, when interviewed by telephone. “1 am afraid that it will be fairly serious, and that it will finish the stone fruits altogether. Apples are also at a stage where they are particususceptible to damage and there are indications that this crop will suffer also.” Similar views were expressed by the majority of other growers in.the district although some of them suffered less severely. They agreed that fruitgrowing areas as a whole would suffer severely, and there was complete unanimity concerning the loss of the remainder of the stone fruit crop, which was nearly ready for marketing. ‘ Between 200 and 300 cases of pears and apples were strewn bn the ground in one orchard alone at Te Kauwliata.