CIDER MAKING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17058, 12 June 1926, Page 11

CIDER MAKING.

A VALUABLE SIDE-LINE. THE DISTRICT’S POSSIBILITIES. During the present season, when there has been an exceptional crop ol apples throughout Ilie whole of Poverty Bay, several growers have turned their thoughts to cider making, and it is almost certain that prior to next season one or more plants will have boon brought into tho district. Cidei making utilises fruit lhut at present goes to waste, ami it is clear that with a gradually increasing local production, it will he necessary to find some outlet for the low-grade fruit. During the present season hundreds of cares of. the low-grade fruit have practically been thrown away. 'Elio focal market was overstocked with good quality fruit., and it was hopeless for growers to. offer their poorest quality apples, even at big reductions in price. That being the case, any outlet for the poorer quality apples will lie eagerly seized upoii, and the proposal to make cider is one that should appeal to growers.' One grower, speaking recently to “Avro,” said that he intended securing a small plant before tho next season, but. the question which now arises is Whether some form of cooperative effort would hot bo best so that the low-grade fruit from all commercial orchards could be dealt with. LOW INITIAL CO,ST. The plant which is required for eider making is neither elaborate nor costly. The whole of the machinery needed could probably be purchased for less than £2OO for a plant which \vould be capable of making close on forty gallons a day. A plant of much greater capacity, suitable for work on the co-operative principle, would cost a slightly greater amount, but should obviously be a sound proposition. SUITABLE APPLES. The varieties of apples which are grown in this district are suitable for cider making, and there are sufficient to allow the necessary blending, which is one of tho essentials of good quality cider. Some difficulty, of course, might lie experienced during the first season of cider making, and the selection of varieties in the correct proportion would possibly prove a hard task at first.' ' Gradually, however, those in charge of the plant would tipdWhich varieties blended best, and would arrive at a satisfactory system. IN OTHER DISTRICTS.

Cider is now made at a number of places throughout New Zealand, niuj is gradually attracting the attention of growers who find themselves unable to dispose of their low-grade fruit. The best of the New Zealand cider compares favorably with the Tasmanian article, and as the public taste is gradually being educated to the benefits of the drink, there is every reason to believe that cider making eventually will prove an exceedingly profitable side-line. Now that this district is assuming greater importance in connection with fruit-growing, it would be in the interests of growers if the question of cider making received con* sideration. It is obviously impossible for all the low-grade fruit to be consumed, and it would surely, be more profitable to carry out cider making than to feed waste apples to the, pigs, as is done at present. THE DOMINION’S LAND. ITOYV IT IS USED. Development of the virgin land areas of the Dominion is progressing slowly. The population last year increased by 2.55 per cent., but the additional area which came under cultivation, according to the Government Statistician’s figures, was not in line w ith this progress, being 0.14 per cent, representing 50,50 S acres, whilst the number of holdings was 1(12 fewer than in 1024. The reduction in the number of holdings is explained as due to the cutting ii]i of land near towns into sections of less than one acre, which" aro not enumerated, the reversion of land leased" from Arnolds to Maori communal ownership, reversion to the Grown, and elimination of duplicate holdings. The South Island shows larger average areas owing to the big sheep stations, and the average over the whole Dominion is 507.49 acres, compared with 505.84 in the previous year. Throe-fourths of the holdings are held in farms of less than 320 acres, whilst over six-sevenths of the total area is held in lots of 320 acres or more. The larger holdings increased by forty in number. (low the land is used is shown in the following table, which accounts for the whole of the occupied land in New Zealand, estimated at 43.(132.372 acres:— Orchards, market gardens, nurseries anil seed gar- Acres. dens .. .. ■ • 32,747 Crops 1,768,303 Residences, gardens, etc. 03,206 Fallow land .. ■ • 124,459 Bonn grasses .. •• 1(1,41)0,020 Tussock, other not. grass 14.470,990 •Fern, scrub, etc .( •• 4,054,/00 Plantation .. •• '1,218 Standing virgin ■ bush -1,3.51,.100 Barren and unpro. land 2,209,917 Some attention has been given to collecting information regarding Dinning },y Maoris. The communal holdings have not been included in the official figures, which relate only to areas farmed on the European plan. It is shown that 805,378 acres are under cultivation, of which 022,353 acres are utilised for pastoral pun poses, 173,789 for dairying, and 9220 ■teres for agriculture of other kinds, '[’here are 2720 separate holdings in this total, and the aggregate area •ifitivated increased during last year tiv 59,000 acres.