THE FRUIT CROP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 6 December 1940, Page 4

THE FRUIT CROP

PROSPECTS FOR THE SEASON APPLES AND STONE FRUITS DOWN PEARS SHOULD BE BETTER “Sumer is icumen in”—and so is the fruit. For some time past the windows of fruit and vegetable shops have contained juicy strawberries and fleshy cherries. They are in mid-season now, and many of them from the Nelson district have been sent to metropolitan markets. Gooseberries have been plentiful for quite a time, while increased quantities of raspberries are now making their appearance. The raspberry crop is now much more important to the district that the other small fruits. It promises well this year. The canes are in good condition, and there has been enough moisture to keep them growing well. For the first time this year growers will market the fruit under a co-operative plan. Contracts with the canneries will be negotiated by the Growers’ Association, but this will not apply to the private sale of fruit. Boysenberries are as yet something of a novelty. A few people on the apple lands have been successful with them, but they are being troubled this year with the raspberry bud moth. TOMATOES LATER It has often been the subject of mealtable discussion whether the tomato is a fruit or vegetable. The dictionary doesn’t help much because it says the tomato is a fruit highly esteemed as a vegetable. Doubtless the experts can settle that, but it is true that it is highly esteemed. In the kindly climate of Nelson tomato-growing has become an important industry. Larger centres of population look forward eagerly to the Nelson crop, while the canning factories find new and acceptable ways of serving the tomato to meet the varied tastes of consumers. Growers report that the crop promises fairly well. Hot house tomatoes are bringing prices well up to the average. The main crop, which comes from the outdoor plants, will be later this year than usual, and there does not seem to be much pros- ! pect of it being available till early in the New Year, though a few outdoor tomatoes have already found their way into the shops. PEAS AND BEANS Green peas are in fair supply as well as in good demand, both locally and in Wellington. Hundreds of acres of peas in the Waimeas are now grown on contract for the canning factories. Along with other tinned fruits and vegetables they are becoming more and more popular with the housewife, especially when they are out of season dishes. Beans are also grown in the Waimeas for preserving. STONE FRUITS LIGHTER A survey carried out by the Horticultural Division of the Department of Agriculture indicates that the stone fruit crop in the Nelson district will not be so good this season. For this there does not appear to be any particular reason except that the settings of peaches and plums were light. Advance pickings of some of the earliest stone fruit have reached the markets. APPLES AND PEARS Last year’s output of apples will not be maintained this, but some of the pears should be improved. The acreage in apples has been slightly decreased by certain land in the Riwaka district having been turned over to tobacco. The settings of apples have not been so good as last year, but this may be compensated for by an increase in size due to exceptionally good growing conditions, resulting in the trees being well foliaged. Theoretically this should be an “off year” for Cox’s Orange, favourite of the early varieties, but though the crop is patchy, the return should be fairly good. The main varieties should pack out much the same as last year, except Delicious. There has been much dropping of the small apples on these trees just recently. Thfe lesser varieties, like Ballarats and Statesman, may also show a reduction. Last season was a light one for pears, but this year they should be up to average. ORCHARDS WELL MAINTAINED Despite the position the fruit industry is facing because wartime conditions make the usual export trade largely impracticable, growers in most instances have maintained their orchards in good condition. Fruit pests, including black spot, have not so far been troublesome, while the usual proportion of the grower’s return appears to have been put into maintenance, such as manuring and cultivation. There is hope that the return per case for the coming season may be slightly better than for 1940 under the Government’s price plan. SHORTAGE OF PACKERS One problem of the coming season is going to be labour. Though the casual workers required may be available, Mr N. J. Adamson, District Supervisor of the Horticultural Division, thinks there will be a shortage of packers. It is his experience that there is always a wastage of packers from season to season. As the occupation is largely a seasonal one they seem to go into other callings. Anticipating this shortage, he has arranged for classes, which have been going on at Wnimea West, Stoke, Motueka. the Central fruit districts, and at the Technical night school, where there is a class of over twenty men and women.