FRUIT CROP PROSPECTS AT WHANGAREI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9711, 5 January 1895, Page 3

FRUIT CROP PROSPECTS AT WHANGAREI.

[by l. KANLON, WHANOAREI. ]

he remark made by an old orchardisb, ' that one could never tell what the fruib crop would be until one had it safely packed in case?," is but too often true ; yet, nevertheless growers in other districts generally read with interest what the crop prospects of their competitors elsewhere promise to be. Correspondents often ab blossoming time write about the good crops in pros-pect,-but while ib is true wei cannob have a crop without blossom, yeb we may often have blossom without a crop. For instance, the cherry plum is every spring a mass of bloom, but ib seldom produces a crop here, anil this season is no exception to the rule. European plums generally have about twothirds of an average crop, some sorbs, such as Pond's Seedling, are very full of fruit; Diamond also. This is one of the most reliable varieties any one can plant. Japanese plums on light soils are carrying a full crop with the exception of Botan. This variety, judging from the experience of all whom I know to have tried it here, is an unprofitable sorb. The tree seems to be of a dwarf nature, and although ib blossoms freely, ib never bears a crop. On heavy soils the Japanese plums are nob in favour. For some years past they have failed, and this season also. Pears are very scarce, almost none in many orchards. The only grower who has any quantity is Mr. A. Hoey, who has about 100 fine Bon Chretien trees, carrying a fair quantity of fruit. Benrre Diel and other sorts were a mass of bloom in the spring, bub now ib is difficult to find a fruit.

Poaches are uneven, in some places they have good crops, in others bad. Briggs' Red May for years have done badly, and was condemned aa worthless, but has saved itself with some of our growers this season by producing a fair crop, now ripening, about a fortnight later than usual. It is only on trees of four years old and upwards that a crop can be found. All young trees of this variety failed to hold their fruit buds, hence growers who have recently planted are disappointed. Early Rivers for years has failed, and again this season, hence the saw has been used very freely cutting back for budding over in the autumn. Midseason varieties have good crops in most places. Early York, American White, Noblesse, Royal George, and Duke of Edinburgh, and other old varieties, being very full .crops ; but late kinds, such as Lady Palmerston, Sea Eagle, Hobbs' Late, Salway, etc., while promising fairly earlier in the season, have lately dropped most of their fruit.

Apples, the mosb reliable of fruits, are bearing a full crop, except Northern Spy, which never seems to do much in the bearing way in many places. Of course, it is generally understood that ib is some time in coming into bearing, but when numbers of trees from 15 to 25 years old fail to bear more thon SO to 50 apples each, year after year, the owners may well despair of their ever doing any good. Tho little bronze beetle is having a glorious time amongst the heavily laden apple trees, doing immense damage. Bad as the codlin moth is, some of our oichardists consider the beetle ten times as bad a pest. One man told me the other day he should have no apples to sell, as the bronze beetle was destroying his entire crop. Undoubtedly this native insect has become one of the most formidable enemies the northern fruitgrowers have to contend with. Captain Broun has here a grand opportunity to hunt up its natural enemy, and afford us relief.

Grapes under glass are carrying an average good crop this season, ami forced ones have been going forward for some time, and realizing good prices. Mealy bug, that most vexatious plague of the grape growers, seems to have at) length met its match in the fumigation remedy. The practical demonstration of its value in the recent fumigation of one of the largesb and mosb infected vineries in the district has proved this discovery to be an immense boon to grape-growers, and will enable them in future to keep the mealy bug under almost without labour, and at comparatively trifling expense. Grapes out of doors aro carrying an excellent crop, nob only the American Isabella, bub Black Hamburg, Golden Chassalas, and others. The other looking at a Golden Chassalas, trained Guyot system, and four years old, I wondered how many bunches it had, and counting them found there were 75. Verily that little vine was a mass of fruit a foot deep. Should the weather be suitable ab ripening time, out-door grapes should pay well this season.

Persimmons are showing a good crop. Apricots, as usual, are nowhere, and the trees are looking bad with shot-hole fungus. Oranges have blossomed freely, and set a good crop. Trees which gob damaged and lost their blossom by the September frost have pub forth new growth and a fair sprinkling of blossom, which is only now expanded. This late bloom should produce fruib ripe late this season, and hence much more valuable than early fruit.