THE FRUIT CROPS

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 8987, 9 March 1915, Page 2

THE FRUIT CROPS

REPORTS UPON THEIR CONDITTON-

The Agricultural Department has received the following reports from its inspectors regarding the condition of the fruit crops in the districts immediately surrounding Wellington at the end of February : Hastings.—Dry weather still continues, and uncultivated orchards or those of shallow soils are • now suffering considerably. Pears and apples are ripening fast. Frost on February 19th damaged soft crops to some extent. Apples: a very late crop of good fruit. Moth is rather troublesome owing to the dry season. Nectarines: a light crop, practically over. Peaches: a light crop: of fair quality. Pears: very good; fruit nice and clean. Plums: practically over. Tomatoes : some fair crops, but mainly poor and frost affected. Walnuts: fair crop.

Palmerston North.—ln the Wairarapa dry weather still continues, and practically all fruit trees, especially where little or no cultivation has been done, are feeling tne effect of the prolonged drought, together with an abnormal amount of wind. In the lower part of Horowhenua County the wind and sea air have caused considerable damage to all fruit trees, and in some instances, particularly where no shelter has been planted, trees were completely stripped of their foliage, presenting in consequence a large amount of dead wood, and it will take trees a couple of years to regain their normal state. Early apples and pears have practically all been harvested, and, considering the season, good crops 'have been general. Growers state that the fruit ripened much later this » year than usual. Lemons: a good crop. Nectarines and peaches: looking well, considering the season. Plums (English): crops generally are fairly heavy. Tomatoes: good crops and free from blight, but very late in ripening. Wanganui.—Apples: dry season retarding: development in some cases. Apricots; an excellent crop at good prices. Lemons: prospects well up to average. Nectarines: good-sized crops of fair quality now being gathered. Peaches: moderate crops, prices good. Pears: fair crops of good quality being picked. Plums: English, prospects well maintained; Japanese, large crops of fair quality are being gathered. Raspberries: good crops on the higher country. Tomatoes: prospects unusually good. Nelson. —Apples: very good—much better than last season. Welcome rain at the end of the month will do a considerable amount of good for later varieties. Nectarines and peaches: very good—better than anticipated. The later varieties have greatly improved since the recent rains. Pears: good crops of all varieties. Plums: good crops—almost finished. Tomatoes : looking very well; a most favourable season for growers; practically no disease to contend with. Walnuts: good; nuts swelling well; black spot in places. Blenheim. —Apples: a medium crop; more moth showing than previous month; a few early varieties are being gathered. Lemons: a fair to medium crop. Peaches: a good crop; early varieties gathered. Pears: a heavy ciop; not so much scab showing as last year, owing, no doubt, to the season being so dry, proving unfavourable to the spread of this disease. Tomatoes: good crops. AValnnts: light, owing to damage by late frosts.