DAMAGE BY HAIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23542, 30 December 1939, Page 6

DAMAGE BY HAIL

OKCHABDISTS' LOSSES GISBORNE VISITATION DISEASE IN BRUISED FRUIT [BY TELEGRArH—OWN* CORRESPONDENT] GISBORNE, Friday Orchardists who suffered loss in the most disastrous hailstorm, in the history of the district have commenced work stripping the trees of the damaged fruit. The removal of the fruit is considered necessary, not only to preserve the vitality of the trees for next season's crop, but also to prevent disease in stone fruit. The present weather is favourable to the development of brown rot, a condition which will become more rampant among damaged fruitThose who at first believed that their damage had been slight have been inspecting their trees carefully, and will keep a close watch on them for some weeks to detect any signs of damage. In the case of only slightly bruised fruit, the damage might not become apparent for some time, but it is none the less real from the marketing point of view. In the Patutahi area, the hailstorm was so severe that even young oranges and lemons were cut, most of them so badly that in one orchard entire crops have to be removed. Small fruit were pitted right to the centre, and it would he futile to leave such specimens on the trees. No attempt lias been made yet to estimate the damage, but it must amount to many thousands of pounds. The loss in one orchard should run into £6OOO or £7000; and, as four plantations are seriously 'affected and fruit in many other orchards and vineyards is damaged to some extent, the total loss is expected to reach a high figure.