NEW ZEALAND'S FRUIT CROP.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 12723, 15 December 1909, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND'S FRUIT CROP.

[U.nitkd Press Association.] Wellington, Dec. 14 The Agricultural Department) has just received reports from its inspectors in various parts of New Zealand concerning the prospects of the fruit crop throughout the country. The following is a summary of the reports: — North Auckland : apples average to light; plums, light, Japanese lighter than average ; peach, below the average; pears, fair, some districts below the average. General cause, tho inclement spring. South Auckland : apples and pears moderate to pood : plums, moderate ; peaches, poor ; apricots, at the Thames good. Hawke's Bay and Wellington East : apples, good ; pears, medium for early pears and light for later variety ;> peaches, fair to good ; English plums, fair, but Japanese very good ; apricots medium ; and small fruits good. Taranaki and Wellington West: plums, light; apples, fair, Washingten's good ; early peaches, few, other peaches fair; and pears, medium. Nelson: a'l stone fruits light; apples and pears very heavy ; raspberries good. Marlborough : Apples and pears tood average; European plums, meium, Japanese plums fair; peaches, good : apricots, medium to an entiro failure; cherries, fair average; currants and gooseberries, good. Tho drenching rain of the early spring is. probably responsible for the failure of tho apricots. Westland and tjanterbury : peaches, apricots, plums, aud cherries iighfc; apples, good; pears, medium. Otago and Southland : Poaches very good ; apricots/ with", the exception of a few orchards in Central Otago which were cut by frosts, very good ;.plums, heavy ; apples- and pears, good ; cherries and "strawberries very good.