"WONDER BERRY"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23222, 16 December 1938, Page 15

"WONDER BERRY"

NEW FRUIT IN SHOPS GROWN- AT PANMURE Similar to the loganberry and the blackberry, the new American Boysen berry has been successfully grown in New Zealand this season. Tho first chips of this new fruit, which will bo known in New Zealand as tho "wonder berry," appeared in Auckland shops this week. Tho fruit, which was grown at the orchard of Mr. W. Andrew, at Panmure, is similar to the loganberry, but larger, and has a delicate flavour reminiscent of all its parent stocks, the raspberry, the loganberry and the blackberry. It is dark red, juicy and has few seeds. The first grower of the berry was Mr. Rudolf Boysen, a Californian, who, about four years ago, crossed the three berries from which it was derived. He saved only two or three of tho plants and had them growing, neglected, on tho edge of his citrus orchard. Other fruitgrowers noticed the berry, and the attention of the Department of Agriculture was drawn to it. It is now the mainstay of a large canning industry in the United States. Altogether 15,000 of the plants were imported into New Zealand by the Southern Cross Investment Society, of which Mr. Andrew is chairman of directors. Theso plants are to be grown by settlers under the society's North Auckland scheme. Tho crops in North Auckland will bo later bearing fruit than those at Panmure, aud will bo used mostly for canning.