STONE FRUITS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18802, 3 March 1923, Page 18

STONE FRUITS

POSITION IN THE TEVIOT DISTRICT.

With regard to the problem of stone fruit Mr G. A. Groon, hon. secretary of the Institute of Horticulture, in discussing the position ns far as it affected the Teyiot and Roxburgh districts, said: —The conditions at Roxurgh do not appear to differ materially from those of the other districts of the Otago Central. Culture, pruning, and general treatment seems to l>e well understood, and a general system suitable to the district has been evolved. This consists in training on to main arms, and then severe winter pruning. The hot, dry climate .enables this to he done without the rank growth that, results from such a method in other districts. Questioned with regard to stocks, Mr Green said this was a matter that was only in tho first stage of investigation here as yet. In the case of the peach and the nectarine there seems to be little trouble. The peach stock appears to give satisfactory results. However, there are some few trees on plum stocks that are so healthy, and give such good results, that it would seem as if it might not be a bad thing if exhaustive experiments could be arranged to try out the -each stock, as against the various plum stocks available. Plums do remarkably well, and the only thing that is likely to hinder the development of plum culture is the limit of the market, and this appears to have been reached unless an ontjet can be found for a larger quantity. The apricot, however, is the “stone fruit par excellence” of Otago. It would appear that no district in New_ Zealand, arid few elsewhere, can approach it in the matter of the health of the trees, their productivity, and the quality of the fruit produced. It would seem that tho market will he limited unless an export market can be found for the apricot dried and canned; and on this matter ex~*rts think that there is a decided hopeful outlook, as the finest specimens of the fruit, grown here are equal, so it, is stated, to the best the world can produce. In this connection the cost of the production of the aprioot comes in, and from what Mr Green has seen the stock question will have a decided bearing on the future development of the industry. The trees'on the apricot do fairly well, but the views of many of the growers is that it is one of tho poorest stocks for the commercial grower. The peach is belter whereevor the soil is hVht and dry, but it is the general opinion that the plnm stock gives the longest-lived tro n s and the best results. In fact, whore the trees have been looked after there does not appear to be a case wb»re a tree has decayed or died out from old ago. As to the best variety of plum stock. Mr Green savs it is hard to say offhand which plnm will give, the best, results as a local slock for the apricot. Cherry plum. Myrobolana plums. Mariana, and the old runglish mussle plu.m have all been used, and trees worked on all of them are doing well; but there is hero a great need for practical co-operative experimental work being undertaken to try out the merits of the respective stocks. Some are certainly better than others, 'and were it hot for the euokering habit of the “mussle” ■it ■ would bo_ rhe favourite; in fact, some _ how prefer it on account of its hardiness, its health and productivity, coupled with longevity of the apricots growing on it. Mr Green said ho was shown some trees which were over 50 years of are on mussle plums, all in the best of condition. Some of these trees were like forest trees, the main trunks being over 4ft in circumference. In the line of stocks there is certainly a great field for practical experiment, and one that, should not longer be delayed. The New Zealand Institute of Horticulture has a branch at , Roxburgh which is now working on bud selection and tree testing. I could, under suitable guidance, be able to arrange to' carry out the necessary experiments to form the basis from which ere long very valuable data may be obtained.