FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 13

FRUIT INDUSTRY.

PROSPECTS IX CENTRAL OTAGO

DEMAND FOR APPLES.

Mr W. Scott, who, with his son, has purchased a fruit farm at Earnscleugh Hat, has just returned from a visit to Otago Central. Questioned yesterday by an Otago Daily Times reporter as to the crop prospects this season in the ’Alexandra, Clyde, and Cromwell districts, Mr Scott stated that he was amazed to find the amount of land that has been planted with fruit trees during the past few years, and how well they were looking. “I have never seen such a display of bloom on fruit trees anywhere as is to be seen at present throughout the Central Otago district,” remarked Mr Scott. ‘‘The growers have had one or two late frosts, but fortunately very little damage has been done, and as frosts seldom occur after the end of October, not much fear of damage is now to be anticipated from this cause. There should, therefore, be an enormous increase in the fruit yields this year. Many of the orchardists who have recently laid out land have gone in largely for small crops—strawberries, currants, tomatoes, etc. —to enable them to keep things going until the fruit trees come : nto bearing. These side crops are also looking very well. During my recent visit I also saw some magnificent paddocks of lucerne. Altogether the season in Central Otago promises to be a particularly good one.” Asked if the orchardists were following tho oft-repeated advice given by the Hon. W. Fraser, that more attention should be given to the growing of apples, Mr Scott stated that ho himself and a large number of growers were believers in the future great possibilities of an export trade in apples. “While there is a chance of tho market being glutted for stone fruits—which market depends wholly on a dominion consumption—there seems to be no limit to the export trade in apples and pears,” said Mr Scott, ‘‘and many of tho orchards which have lately been laid out contain but little stone fruit trees.” AN EXPERT OPINION.

Mr Moritzson was then interviewed on. the question of the prospects of trade in the fruit market, and preferred some valuable and timely advice. Ho said that, although at the present time the demand for fresh stone fruits was limited to the dominion, there was a big future for trade in stone fruits, provided the growers followed the example set in Denmark and Mildura. “The demand for evaporated peaches, apricots, prunes, and pears is a very great one,’’ said Mr Montzson. “Large quantities are annually brought to the dominion from the i’acific Coast of California, and from Australia. There is also a big future for trade in dried currants and raisins, the demand for which is almost unlimited, and there is every reason to believe that Central Otago is eminently suited for the production of sun-dried fruits.’’ Touching on the question of the further fostering of an export trade in apples, Mr Moritzson said the demand for this fruit from Great Britain and the Continent during the months of March, April, May, Juno, and July was very great. “There is, too,’’ he went on, “a special demand from South America, and, roughly speaking, New Zealand has received orders for about 120,000 cases for the 1914 season. The apples required for South America are dessert sorts, and the consumer prefers <v wellcoloured, large apple, and no other kinds. Shippers, however, arc exp; riencing some difficulty in placing forward orders with the New Zealand growers. Like a number of farmers, the fruitgrower prefers to wait and see—a policy of ‘ taihoa,' as it were. Although he knows he can place a certain quantity of apples on the market, he is not anxious to sell until he-' is fully assured of that quantity. As a result, the business of the exporter is retarded, ho having engaged shipping space, with the proviso that he must declare by the middle of December whether he can ship or not, or else he must pay ‘dead’ freight. As the shipper, naturally. is not very anxious to pay for freight ho 'll as no use for, he must abandon his space if he cannot obtain forward supplies of apples, or else run the risk of securing them as the ships in duo course call for their cargo. Once the space is abandoned in December it is imposs : b!e for the shipping companies to allot fresh space for apples offered later on, as any freight abandoned is eagerly taken up by the Tasmanian exporters, who have got a very largo crop this year, and have not been able to'socuro sufficient space from the two shipping companies to take away their outputs. Tasmanian growers have been selling forward at from 4s 9d to 3s per case, f.0.b., less 5 per cent., and are willing to dispose of largo quantities at these figures. New Zealand growers, however, have been offered 6* 6d and up to 7s per case, fo.b., without a great deal of business resulting.” APPLICATIONS FOR LAND FOR FRUIT-GROWING. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — I notice in a recent issue a letter from your Alexandra correspondent, in which ho states that there is considerable dissatisfaction concerning the repeated refusals given by the Land Board to applicants for small areas of ground for fruit-growing. He mentions one case where two young men, who have invested in an orchard of limited area, applied for an ad-

joining 10 acres to complete their holding. The fact is, however, carefully concealed from us that on these 10 acres were sheep yards erected by the lessee of the run for the convenience of working the run. Surely that in itself was a good reason for the Land Board refusing the freehold to the applicants. Then, again, as to the application of Ah Yek to purchase the freehold of 12 acres at Blackman's Gully. This land also adjoined sheep yards erected by the runholder for drafting purposes. Moreover, the land applied for is overlying a coal formation. It ; is reasonable also that the board should refuse the freehold in this case.

As for the application of John Magnus for 50 acres on Galloway Run, the statement by your correspondent and Mr Magnus’s letter are misleading. This application by Mr Magnus for 50 acres overlapped a mining claim held and worked by Mr James Kavanagh, and this land can be irigated by the Manuherikia irrigation works or the Ida Valley works. The reference to the .gold obtained by the dredge now lying on the ground is also misleading, as the dredge never got less than five-ounces per week. Most of the thinking people consider that the Land Board was justified in refusing these applications. Of course, we can understand whore the shoe pinches, as there are some speculators about here, and we must expect land dummy ism. I notice also that there has been an application for 50 acres at Blackman’s Gully. This land overlies the coal formation, and the Land Board should be made acquainted with the fact, *is some people would snap up anything of that sort. The Land Board should take groat care that all land applied for is to be used by the applicant for his own use and benefit, and not taken up for the benefit of someone else.—l am. etc., Alexandra, October 22. Miner.