FRUIT-GROWING IN NELSON.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8419, 19 January 1899, Page 4

FRUIT-GROWING IN NELSON.

Mr J. Blackmore, Government Pomologist, has returned to Christchurch from a long visit, to the ' Nelson district. The fruit-growing industry there is making very satisfactory progress, the condition of most of the orchards and gardens having greatly improved, while many new plantations are being formed. There have been very heavy crops of small fruits, and the increased production has attracted southern buyers to the district, with the result that advanced prices have been obtained by the growers. Probably 100 tons of raspberries have been sold from the Motueka Valley alone. Plums and apricots are very heavy crops, the latter the heaviest yet known in the district. Apples and pears promise a good average yield, hut peaches only a moderate crop, owing to the ravages of the green aphis, this pest having spread through the neglect or inefficiency of pinning anil the spraying being done too late. A regular market for small fruits being assured by the erection of the large, com-pletely-equipped jam factory at Nelson, suitable varieties will be planted on a very large scale next winter. The area of lanil in the Nelson district suitable for fruitgrowing is very large, and the soil and climate will produce not only temperatebut also most sub-tropical fruits. In respect of soil, the district has the advantage over Auckland that almost all the land is suitable for some kind of fruit, wheicas in the north the suitable soil is in small, scattered areas. In point of climate, almost all the sub-tropical fruits which are grown in Auckland can be grown in Nctson, and care will be taken this season to note the most successful varieties, with a view to their more extensive cultivation. Lemons superior to Sicilian are already grown, and there are orange trees in many places ten of twelve feet high or higher, show ing that this fruit also can be grown, In fact, the district is so favoured that it should before long he the chief fruit-producing pai't of New Zealand. Mr Bhckmoie will return to Nelson after a few days in Canterbury and Otago.