BIG FALL OF APPLES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17950, 30 November 1932, Page 6

BIG FALL OF APPLES

SMALL CROP THINNED GISBORNE EXPORTS AFFECTED A peculiar feature of tbe. Gisborne apple, crop this year is tlio abnormal fj.ll of young appios. I his h««s had the effect of thinning an already small crop in most varieties. It is usual for a certain number of apples to fall off in the immature stage, olien as the lesult of high winds. r l h.s year very little strong wind has been experienced, and yet unusually huge numbers of apples have fallen. Experienced orchardists cannot explain the reason. Delicious and Ballarat varieties appear to be mainly affected, and these also are among the lightest croppers this year. Doughertys are affected to someextent. The trees appear to be in very good heart, and it is difficult to explain why some of them should be left with practically no fruit. 1( was anticipated early ill the. season that the exports would be small next autumn, probably under IO.COO eases. Now, however, it appears that the, exports will be further reduced as a result (,f the abnormal fall of immature apples. One orchardist stated that whereas. He exported over 3000 eases of apples last year, lie does not expect to secure 1000 eases this time. Mr. A. Brodie, who has the largest commercial orchard m the district and who sometimes accounts for nearly half the Gisborne exports, will have nothing available for shipment this year. Although the exports will be considerably reduced, it is stated that sufficient supplies will be held in the district for local requirements.