Untitled

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 16 September 1908, Page 1

That the inventor is very much, abroad in New Zealand is plainly shown by thu report of the Patent Designs and Trade Marks Department for the past year. Of the total number of inventions 77 were in respect of dairying, sh^cD-farmiiiß, and wool and hides, and fin related to harvesting. Tiventypiiht other classes included temperature lets for bales of flax and the like, fencing, vehicles, furniture, cooking, and kitchen, appliances, heating, amuse-mr-nts. non-refillable bottles, and washine and cleaning and such. Like many other fruiting plants, the strawberry has improved immensely from year to year by careful cultivation. A few hundred years ago it was not much better than 1 any other wayside parasite. It grew wild in its native land, was small and poor flavoured. Then, early in the 17th century, some parson took an interest in its welfare, and brought it under careful and kindly home influence. It was mated with emigrants of the same breed from America. Cresswell's seedling and the Royal Sovereign, and the delicate coloured and exquisite flavoured Marguerite, are the result of the experiments of generations of gardeners in crossing and recrossing various varieties. In New South Wales, especially in the far-famed fruit-growing districts of tha county of Cumberland, the cultivation of the strawberry has during recent years developed amazingly ; in fact, extensive areas may well be termed "strawberry land." This season the area under cultivation is being greatly added to, and already there is promise of a bounteous harvest. As many as 1800 quarts have been gathered in one week from a two-acre plot. The season that this was done the owner had returned to him in solid cash £314 in 11 weeks.