THE APIARY

Otago Witness, Issue 3339, 13 March 1918, Page 7

THE APIARY

By J. A

- BACK AMONGST THE APPLES. Our little village of Tasman was once called Aporo, winch in the Native tongue means " apDle," and only a few miles away there is a district called Appleby. These are attempts to call the place by the name of its principal product. Owing to postal contusion, the name of Aporo was Changed, and we called it Tasman. Across the bay, but in sight of Nelson, the streets 6f which town are mamly called alter the great admiral's chief victories, but Amongst them there is lasman street. The bay itself is called lasman Hay, and out beyond it is Tasman Sea, and still further is Tasmania. Strange to say, we know Tasmania best by its apples. It was a Tasmanian who acted as judge at the great Apple Sliow at Dunedin last May, and so won the favour of "Central Otagd by giving it pride of place. To return, 'lasman towns a portion of what is known as the Moutere Hills district, in which, it is said, that no less than 4000 acres of apple trees have been planted during the last six years. There are nothing beyond six-year-old trees in the district." Previous to that it wm u very poor sheep run. the natural vegetation being manuka and tern, with very little amongst it that a sheep could eat. I have been told that in those days three acres of it could have been bought for.£l, and for agricultural purposes it would be full value. .To-day the value of Untouched land is from £2O to £3O per acre, whilst that bearing six-year-old trees would cost over £IOO per acre. The trees are planted 16ft 6in between the trees, and the same between the rows—that is, as a rule: there are some closer and some wider. That means 160 trees to the acre, or, for the 4000 acres, 640,000 apple trees. It does not. require a very vivid imagination to picture what this will mean within a very tew years in the way of production. The pioneers of this district have been men of great faith—many -of them have staked their all on the result. Most of them have come from other districts. They have seen the utter want of faith in those who preceded them, and who sought to make a living in other ways, and yet they have cleared, cultivated, and planted their land in the knowledge that for at least five or six years it must mean all exnense and no return, and with doubts thrown in that there would ever be a return. It says much for these men that they are still going on with their orohard work, and still as confident as ever. The idea in the mind of these pioneers, as from the first, has been to establish an export trade in apples and pears; hence hardly any of these orchards have more in the way of stone fruit than a few trees for home use. In the older settled districts round Motueka and Nelson there is greater variety. Nelson is famous for its tomatoes, whilst Motueka and Riwaka. produce large quantities of rasps. In both districts there is an abundance of stone fruits. Owing to the freedom from severe frosts, Cape gooseberries do remarkably well, and are in great favour for jam-making. Apple-production, however, is the one interest of the Tasman district. We talk spraying and pruning and cultivating and marketing from Monday Till Saturday, and often on Sunday as -well. Thi3 concentration of effort gives a unique position for-the establishment of a co-operative company, and already we have a nourishing concern of this kind. The apples ace delivered from the orchard to the packing sheds in return cases, just as the dairyman delivers his milk at the factory. The orchardist has nothing further to do with them except receive his monthly cheque. As soon as possible after delivery at the packing shed the apples are put over a large grading machine, and are then packed, each apple being wrapped in paper. When they are packed they go either directly into the market or into cool store to await a sale. This is of great_ advantage to the buyer for export, he being able to buy the particular kind of fruit he wants in large quantities and uniform in grading. The apole harvest begins in February, and deals > first with the earlier apples, the varieties being taken in order as they ripen, ending with the Sturmer, which crop is largely put into cool store and used in the off season. To the visitor to this district, what strikes him first is the waste. Under the trees in every orchard thero are ton 3 of apples lying round the roots of the trees. These are the fallen apples, and as for the most part they are bruised in falling or aro softened by exposure to the hot sun they are of no value for the market. Probably some day a use will be found for these windfalls. It may be that a motor spirit could be manufactured from them and a price given that would pay for the labour of picking them up. It may be talcen for granted that some such usa will be found for them, just as in the case of whey, which for many years was allowed to go to waste. Now it is rim through the separator for butter, and the residue is then taken and used for the marufacturo of sugar of milk. Now probably some beekeeper will say that there is not much apiary in this talk. . Well, wc plead that it is the off season. The extracting is finished, and the Beekeepers' Co-op. is dealing with the honey. Besides, we have iust come home to the land of apples, and bee problems have not got a hold yet. We have not had time to look into the one hive which constitutes tho Bluff Orchard Apiary, except just a passing glance to see that all was well. It ■ is strong in bees, and still getting a little honey, though from what it would be hard to say Next week we hope to begin a scries of papers on methods to establish a now apiary. With the prospect thero is now of honey-raising being a very profitable Industry in euitable locations, this subject should be of more than passing interest to many beekeepers.