THE APPLE INDUSTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7336, 14 January 1911, Page 2

THE APPLE INDUSTRY

x home of the export apple. T AS.MAX. A NEW FRUIT COLON A, The. old idea of apple culture was that the- first essential was- a- rich - soils-the new gospel lays it. down that the sweetflavoured, good-textured and wellcoloured apple must be grown on light land hut in a favoured locality, on land lying well .to- the’sun and with a desirable climate.- It is the utilisation of land possessing these characteristics which have made the Tasmanian apple trade what it is, and it is because *• Tasman ” (the name given, to the block of land on the Moiitere Hills at the head of Tasman Ray) is comprised of land of similar nature and environment that some of the most progressive-men of the Nelson district have realised that they possess in that, particular territory the most favoured spot in the Dominion for the production of apples for the export trade. Reference lias already been made in these columns to the advantages possessed by the lower Moutere. country for apple culture. The subject is oeing again brought before the public in a very effective maimer by Mr A’. McKee) of Motueka, who has issued an attractive illustrated booklet on “ Apples tor Export,”. being an advertisement lor Tasman, the . new fruit colony. . Mr Thomas Horton, the well-known nurseryman, has declared that the Moutero Hill land is unequalled-in New Eea--land for growing apples, high in colour, firm in texture, and superior, in quality—■ tlie tm-co great essentials in tire export apple. lie declared at a meeting of Lower ' Mbit tele fruit-growers that Hawke’s Day land was rich and good; hut it was not suitable for apple culture. He was the owner of a laigo area of land in Hastings; for which he Had paid dli2o per acre, and had been offered AflOO an acre for part of it, but-he-declared that laud at dilO an acre on the Mou-i tore coast would grow' hotter apples than iris diaou an acre land. This opinion of Mr Horton-hus been fully supported by other authorities. Mr ■ Horton-- subsequently stated that the laud in question was ideal for growing Cox's Orange I’ippiu, and-the land was- so-specioliy suitable for this apple that he recommended growers to plant it extensively. Where it could bo grown- it- was a magnificent apple to plant, because it was curly and brought lop prices consistently.

ill- Mc-Kee'u pamphlet contuins some interesting particulars of the ariple trade, i'or instance,v-the result of- the trial ehijpment of apples to Britain last year demonstrated- ueyond question- the fact that New Zealand was dsstinod to take front rank in the trade- As a consequence arrangements are being made for tne dispatch from Nelson and Motueka districts of three shipments to London this year. Again, Tasmania has- decided to send a trial shipment of 90,000 cases to-New York; and • the fruit-gi owers of the Commonwealth are : opening up a trade with the following places;—Antwerp, Bremen, Hamburg, Stockholm, Genoa, Bombay, Batavia, Colombo, Calcutta, Hongkong, Madras, Manila, Singapore", Sliau-siiai, South Africa, Soiirabaya, Rio de Janeiro, Al'onts Video and Canada. The fruit bill of the United Kingdom is over ten millions sterling a year, one-fourth of which is for apples alone, and there, is a yearly increasing uumajid. '

A striking testimony to the'value of ITasnian country for .the, production of the best ..varieties..of. export .apples, -is afforded in. the report .on. the apple. section at the last show of the Motueka Horticultural Society. The judge of the apple section, Air David D. I'ry, , who was awarded the Dominion championship fur apples at the last Natiorfal Dairy Snow, of Palmerstoh North,__ stated in his report:—" Ours is pre-eminently an apple-growing district. .... The various classes of the recognised commercial varieties of, apples afforded to ..my mind the most striking and impressive feature of the exhibition 1 know, that the Cox'a Orange Pippin. . and Jonathan, which are recognised as. the two hest export apples, were a revelation to some of.the visitors from other parts of New Zealand as to colour and general - excellence ; finer specimens in their classes luive- never been seen at- any of our shows. A very tastefully arranged massed dish of Cox's Orange Pippins, sent 'for exhibition only' from a newcomer at Houtere Bluffs,' was a striking feature of the show, and afforded evidence of the suitability of that class of laind to this high-class apple, the dish being a mass of'splendid colouu. The winning plates also of Cox's Orange and Jonathan (the two leading export varieties),' were from land of similar quality; ami in this there is food for thought." Everything points to the Tasman becoming the main centre in the Dominion for the production, of .export apples. The land and! the environment is suitable, and the pioneering work is in the haads of progressive men, who have in Mr F. B. Hallam, formerly orchard inspector for .Nelson and.the West Coast, probably the most capable man in the country for laying out and establishing commercial apple orchards to the best advantage.