GLASSHOUSE CROPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20690, 9 October 1930, Page 10

GLASSHOUSE CROPS.

LARGE AUCKLAND INDUSTRY EARLY TOMATO SUPPLY. THE SEASON'S PROSPECTS. Steady expansion has taken place in glasshouse production around Auckland during the past eight or ten years, and it is the opinion of a leading authority upon this branch of industry that in proportion to population Auckland has much more glasshouse production than any other city in New Zealand, or in Australia.

The chief crop is tomatoes, although there are some glass-grown grapes and a, few minor crops such as beans and cucumbers. Only to a very limited extent is artificial heat used. The aim of the indoor tomato grower is to get the, bulk of his crops on the market before outdoor fruit is ripe. There are some glasshouses at the moment which have a little fruit that is beginning to show colour, but the main supply will appear in the first or second week in November, from which time until after the Christmas holidays high prices should be obtained for good quality stuff. There have been seasons when Cook Island tomatoes, though not to be compared in quality with the glasshouse fruit, ha\ e been in competition and have taken the cream off the local growers' returns, but this season the island crop is not large and there will be no more direct shipments to Auckland, the remainder of the output being due at Wellington by mail steamers. The position is therefore encouraging provided there is not overproduction. Naturally there is a limit to the possibilities of the market for early tomatoes at luxury prices, but there is not yet a sufficiently large area under glass to bring about such a position. A Trade to be Learned. Some specialist knowledge is required for successful glasshouse industry and numbers of the Auckland growers have learned their trade by experience, sometimes costly. But the general standard of skill is on a good level, thanks in a measure to the example of one or two very scientific growers, one of whom not only produces .fruit that is the pride of the market, but also has developed a fine strain and supplies plants in large quan« tities. i

The maintenance uf the fertility of glasshouse soil is a problem. Some men grow a.type of horse bean in the off season "which has the virtue of absorbing certain deleterious elements which the tomato plant leaves in the soil. Others have found it a sound practice frequently to renew the soil, using turf for the purpose. The tomato flourishes in a decaying grass* turf. Where artificial heat is not employed the amount of sunshine and the average temperature have a grcal bearing upon the progress of a glasshouse tomato crop and probably the cold weatner of the past month will have retarded many. There are cases where a remarkable difference is to be observed in the growth of crops in two houses of the one owner. Where growth has been most rapid the reason is attributed to & more sheltered and " cosy " position and not to extra precautions in the matter of ventilation, which must be carefully watched. Open doors and ventilation panels must be avoided when a cold breeze is blowing. Double Crops Secured. Some growers have followed their tomato crops with une of dwarf beans planted at a time to bring the vegetables on the market entirely cut. of season. Exceptionally high prices have been obtained. Others have successfully produced an autumn as well as a spring crop of tomatoes, but soil thus do ng " double duty " must receive added attention. There are some growers who own several glasshouses,, but—the majority have only one or two and combine this work with market gardening so that all their eggs ate not in the one baskef.

It is a matter of some interest that the Chinese market gardeners have not been attracted to glasshouse production. The industry is practically entirely European One reason why the Chinese have not taken to it is that usually they cultivate used land and by the time they are finished with it its heart has been cropped out of it. 'I he man who gave this information added that Europeans who specialised in a certain vegetable could always produce belter stuff than the Chinese. I here were Europeans who were supreme for quality in cauliflowers, cabbages and celery. The conservatism of the Chinese was the reason why the skilled specialising European could beat them. They carried on in the old traditional wav. using tin; same type of fertiliser when the European more quickly applied the lessons of science.

" A considerable amount, of capital is invested in glasshouses around Auckland." he added. " They mean permanence because |io one would dream of erecting such a valuable plant on leasehold, and this fact is an added reason for keep« ing marketing arrangements in European hands."