SOME VALUABLE HINTS TO FRUIT GROWERS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1264, 21 May 1896, Page 7

SOME VALUABLE HINTS TO FRUIT GROWERS.

Some interesting remarks on tho subject of fruit growing m New Zealand were made by Mr W. J. Palmer, Government Pomologist, in tho course of a conversation with a New Zealand Mail representative.

At the Conference, lie said, a remark was made as to tho necessity of only growing those varieties of fruit which are free from disease, in reply to which Mr Palmer says insects can only bo kept under by proper management and clean cultivation, while humau beings even, and animals and plants, soon become diseased through neglect or poverty. Up to tho present time, he went on to sav, fruit culture lias boon carried on in New Zealand in a very careless and unscientific manner, at some sca.ous the supply being in excess of tho demand, the varieties grown being inferior, while at others New Zealanders have to depend on other countries for their supply. As a matter of fact this Colony is in a position to produce fruit equal if not superior to that produced by any other country in the world, and in great variety, from tho North Capo to Stewart’s Island. “ Wo complain,” said Mr Palmer, “ that our fruit, apples in particular, do not keep like tho Tasmanian fruit, on account of the climate being cooler, and yet Stewart’s Island is a long way south of Tasmania. If this“country was less productive, and people had to exert themselves more to obtain a livelihood, the amount of our productions would be much greater.” “Again, little or no care,” he complained, “ has been exercised in the selection of varieties of fruit for export or for drying purposes; the situations of the fruit farms have been selected at random, and the character of the climate and the soil practically ignored. At present wo are in a similar position to California some years since, and at times we have a largo supply of fruit of varieties that are practically worthless. “ Fruit for drying purposes can be grown

at 6d per lb. Take prunes, for instance. At a very low computation, prune trees at five years old, grown on suitable soils, will produce at least io,ooolb of green fruit per acre, which at Id per lb is =£4ll3s 4d. This, however, is a low rate of production, as I could mention trees eight years old that for the last two seasons have produced nearly 3001 bof fruit each. Two and a half pounds of green fruit will make lib of dried fruit at Id per lb. The drier’s and retailer’s profits bring the cost up to 31 d per lb, so that tho fruit can bo sold at a good profit at Gd per lb, thus bringing it within the reach of everyone.

“In regard to over-production, California is at present supplying England with dried and canned fruit better and cheaper than that which can be obtained from Europe. But in this Colony no irrigation is required, at least in most districts, we are much nearer to tho English market than California, if the latter’s produce is sent by sea, and if sent by land cannot bo put on tho English market so cheaply by California as by New Zealand. Again, these colonies are better customers to England than California, and England would therefore bo likely to take our fruit in preference to the Californian if it was of equal quality. “ But, insisted Mr Palmer, before wo take to exporting, lot us first set about supplying our own requirements, instead of, as wo are doing, sending out of the Colony large sums for dried, canned and green fruit, which, with few exceptions, we can produce of equal, if not superior quality, to our neighbours.”