Sun-Kissed Acres of Blossom and Mellow Fruitfulness

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21647, 13 November 1933, Page 25 (Supplement)

Sun-Kissed Acres of Blossom and Mellow Fruitfulness

t —rrVlo orchard bloomed under a kindlier sun than the orchards which blossom be* fftj | ncath Now Zealand skies. No juicier | 5 • I'niit ever graced a feast than the fruit which prows on New Zealand trees. Kuddy apples, mellow pears and plums j that hang in rich delight; velvet '—- — peaches, purple grapes and golden aprints- oranges and nectarines and scented passion fruit - all this bounty and much besides spring* l i'riuii New Zealand's favoured soils. There are more than 6000 commercial . ,|,. in |s in the Dominion, and thousands of j.fivate orchards as well. Almost every subur|.iu "anion has its fruit trees. Year after the rich harvest is gathered, yet only tl' . friii' e ul the possibilities has been touched. The (lain cow and lamb still reign supreme, 'hut N<' Zealand holds within itself the iici'tv for beeomiiig the orchard of tho world. C V'e,i"Vaphical position has done much to mike litis Dominion so prolific in its variety I' fruit. It is this factor, allied to tho forma- ?• 0 [ the country, which enables tho fruits ]!( ■! moderate climate to be grown to porl'ecti,n if one part, while the fruits of a subIronic land are grown with equal success in 'ther as in Auckland. Oranges and lemons, Chinese gooseberry, the South American ° - i -ind the Tangsiii cherry grow sido by "iile 'with fruit that "is familiar in an English orchard. . Amid i'l the diversity of tree and vino, tho *„| o remains king of tho New Zealand i -i,-i li■ Is' realm. This is not becauso other w iil net grow to equal perfection, but

j r r HE quantity of apples exported from New i J- Zealand in the year ended June 30, 1933, was equivalent to nearly 351b. for every man, woman and child in the Dominion. The retnrn was equal to about 8s 6d per head of population. The total quantity sent overseas was the produce of orchards covering about 30,000 I acres.

•it arises from tho development of a, healthy apple export industry. To tho local market all the great variety of orchard products finds its almost solely to the local market. The attack on overseas markets has been confined'mainlv to apples and pears, and of these exports the United Kingdom takes by far the largest share. In the year ended June 30, 1933, the quantity of New Zealand apples exported was <>l Vo 1001b., the revenue received from this substantial output being £649,553. Although the largest proportion went to Britain, ship-

monts were made also to Germany, Holland, Canada, Argentina and Brazil. The shipment sent to Holland was intended originally for France, but before it reached that country the French Government banned importations, and it was diverted., An indication of the distribution of New Zealand fruit overseas is given by the export figures for tbe year ended December 31, 1932. The amount of fresh and dried fruit exported was 60,443,2361b., valued at £800,234. Of this quantity the United Kingdom took 55,667,2701b. of fresh apples, for a return of £696,161, and pears, which realised £43,057. Exports to Germany totalled 1,572,6401b., and to Franco 1,129,9001b. More than £7500 worth of fruit was Bent to Canada in the same period. This creditable performance for a young country primarily concerned with pastoral products illustrates what could bo done if largescale efforts were made. The greatest impetus to the planting of fruit trees was given by the discovery, about a quarter of a century ago, that tracts of land, principally in the Nelson district, which formerly bore nothing but stunted manuka and were looked upon as practically useless, wore eminently suited for growing fruit, particularly apples. In tho process of time considerable areas of this and other land were added to the Dominion's orchard area, a serious beginning with the export industry being made about 10 years ago. In its golden lemon groves this land of sunshine has a wonderful asset. The splendid climate grows fruit as good as can bo grown anywhere in tho world. In many parts of tho North Island tho lemon is found to flourish, tho plantations in the Bay of Plenty, to name but one place, being a feature of tho district. The thoroughly organised industry of tho citrus fruitgrowers is an example of what might bo done on a greater national scalo, for New Zealand hi capable of supplying all its needs. The supply of lemons as a fresh fruit far from exhausts the possibilities of this industry. There remain such products as candied peel, limejuice and essence of lomon. Candied lemon peel is usually made in England from a variety of Sicilian lemon distinguished by _ its thicker skin, but an equally useful lemon is grown in tho Dominion, a thick-skinned New Zealand lemon being used in Auckland in the manufac* .turo ot : a high-grade candied peel.

While few oranges are grown commercially in New Zealand, it is confidently anticipated that before many years there will bo no need tor any great importations of oranges. Thousands of private gardens in tho North Island contain one or more orange trees, though lemons are commoner in tho suburban gardens of the Auckland district. A largo volume of data bearing on citrus culture has been

LUXURIANCE OF O

assembled by the Institute of Horticulture, and tho fact has become apparent that there is no need to go overseas for grape fruit or mannalade oranges. A useful sweet orange can be grown that should before long considerably reduce importations. Tho prodigality with which peach and nectarine trees thrive in New Zealand is amazing, and many an Auckland householder draws

Jiis supplies of this fruit from his own garden. Passion fruit, too, a familiar and popular garden product, lias for some time been grown commercially for tlio New Zealand market, and of recent years an organised industry has been developed 'at Kerikeri, where packing and grading sheds have been erected by the growers, hi the search for a wider market experimental shipments of passion fruit have been made to Hriiain Jii other directions also has it been sought to extend overseas the market for New Zealand fruit, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research having made several experimental shipments to Britain of soft fruits, such as peaches and plums. The two fruits named have been found to withstand shipment and to arrive in a satisfactory condition. In view of this an official statement was mado recently that the possibility had arisen of exporting soft fruits, and thus increasing tho Dominion's revenue. A picturesque side of New Zealand's varied fruit production activities, and one with a certain Continental charm, is tho growing of grapes for both table and wine-making. Tho visitor to any Auckland vineyard where wine is made may well imagine himself in soino older land, for about this ancient industry is an atmosphere that clothes it even in this now land under southern skies. A modern Omar Khayyam could find his inspiration in tho perfume'from an Auckland wine press. Grapes will grow in most parts of New Zealand and produce varieties of wine of firstgrade quality, but the majority of New Zea-

rHE fruit of more than 3,000,000 strawberry plants will be a sed to provide Aacklanders with strawberries this summer. In Auckland it is the practice lor the entire plantings to be renewed each year, in marked contrast to the method in southern areas, where plants are cropped for at least two seasons. The system is dictated by climatic conditions.

landers at present aro interested in the grapo only as a luscious purple fruit, to bo eaten with delight. Its wine-making properties obtain only secondary consideration. In a largo vineyard in tho Auckland suburb of Henderson can be seen from CO to 70 varieties of grape growing vigorously. Among them is a certain variety of French grape, the only one of its kind that will produce a true claret. Grapes to produce all tho varieties of European wine can bo grown in tho Dominion, with tho exception, perhaps, of some of the kinds grown in the Mediterranean belt. Tho

production of French, Gorman and Spanish types presents no difficulty. Tho culture of grapes in New Zealand has not .so far led to tho production of raisins, as it is stated that tho atmosphere is not of tho required dryness and that conditions militate against tho growing of a grape with a high sugar content. Opinion is not dogmatically against the possibilities that await investigation, and it is interesting to note that last season grapes grown at To Kauwhata had a greater sugar content than normally. Fruitgrowers are always trying to find a new fruit that can be grown for profit, and to this end many experiments are made. A few Chinese gooseberries find their way to the market in season, yet, although they grow prolificacy and ripen in' winter, their possibilities have still to bo realised. The size of an egg and uninteresting in appearance, they have, when peeled, a soft juicy flesh with delicious flavour. This year a number of hazelnut trees of a new Continental variety have been planted in tho Poverty Bay district, with a view to ascertaining their commercial possibilities, and next year trees of another variety of hazelnut will bo planted. Many other varieties of edible nuts, such as walnuts, peanuts and filberts, aro found to flourish in New Zealand soils, and almond trees thrive throughout tho length and breadth of the country. Almonds are not grown commercially in the Dominion, but it is considered that orchards might well bo established in the Thames district, whore apricots and other stone fruits thrivo so well.

With such favourable climatic conditions aa New Zealand provides, it is not surprising that strawberries, loganberries, raspberries and black and red currants should grow to such perfection. The eager demand for strawberries has been responsible for planting on a largo scale and in the Auckland suburban areas alone more than 3,000,000 plants were set out for this season's crop. Of this number 2,000,000 wore of the Marguerite variety, the Captain Cook variety being next in favour. Small numbers of imported kinds representative of Great Britain, the United States, Canada and Holland were planted as an experiment. Rich indeed is this land of the Southern Soils, whore life leaps eagerly from the soil to blossom and fruit in abundant fullness.