PINEAPPLES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 19 November 1924, Page 10

PINEAPPLES.

MIGHT BE GROWN J.X DOMINION. HON. G. M. THOMSON'S SUGGESTION. The lion. G. M. Thomson makes a plea lor tue culuration or pineapples and grape fruit m isew Zealand m ins report on tne Pan-i'icinc food Conservation Conference, winch was recently laid on Urn tame or ooth Houses He states : . . During my slay in Maui 1 was surprised to lind that pineapples were cultivated on a vast scale up to as much as 2,000 ft elevation. The season at the time of niv visit'was the hottest of the year, the thermometer in Honolulu (Oahu) and in Hilo (Hawaii) not -miiing below ihueg i’., ana reaening a maximum of 83deg. At an elevation ot 1,500 ft in Maui the mercury tell to Oodeg at night, but did not rise above ibdeg during the clay; at 2,UOoft the air was fully a degree or more cooler. 'Jlie pineapples grow for three years. In planting them the ground is covered witn broau bands —about a yard wide of thick, felted paper, in winch holes are made, and ttuough which the crowns (or shoots) of the pineapples are placed. The paper prevents the growth of weeds most eliectively, and also conserves the moisture of the soil. 1 would strongly recommend to your horticulture uivision to experiment with the growth of pineapples in the warmer parts of the North Island. In the territory of Hawaii the summer leniperaturei is not nearly so high as it reaches in North .Auckland, Bay ot Plenty, or Gisborne. It is, however, remarkably uniform, the diherence between the' .summer and winter temperature being comparatively very little. There is also a complete immunity from frost. It may be that this is the chief factor in the success of the Hawaiian pineapples. Therefore, in making experiments in New Zealand, it would be necessary to select localities where frost is never experienced, ilie pineapples in the Hawaiian Islands aro all grown on soils rich in iron, ot comparatively recent volcanic origin ; suj-n soils are common in New Zealand, llio plants do not require a great deal ot moisture, and are not dependent on irrigation, as sugar cane is. He thought that it would he found feasible to grow and ripen pineapples in the North Island if suitable localities were selected, and, at any rate, the experiment was worth trying. This citrus fruit was very extensively grown m California, from whence it is largely imported into, Honolulu. The small quantities which come into New Zea- ' land sell at a prohibitive price. There was no reason why this fruit should not be cultivated in the North Island. There was an excellent market for it, and lie recommended experimental work with this species also.

PRESERVATION OF FRUIT ]ti the course of the same report Mr Thomson deals with- the -preservation ol fruit for transportation. A very interesting statement on this subject, he said was made by Dr P: J. S. (Taunei, Director of the Experiment Station of Buitenzorg, Java. ■ The method' is, merely that of- dipping the fruit in' rubber latex, allowing the rubber film to harden, and then shipping the fruit as ordinary freight without cold storage. Dr Cramer has shipped fresh strawberries treated in this way, the fruit holding its flavour,- form, aroma,: and practically the same stage of rip<>. ness .from ten To fourteen days.- Hen lias .shipped latex-dipped ripe mangoesand the mangosteen, which is considered the most delicate of all tropical fruits, from Buitenzorg to L’Acclimatisation Societe, in Paris, where the members, proclaimed their arrival in, perfect condition. In the. course of liis experiments he took i green bananas and dipped them half their length, in; the rubber latex. The untreated bait of the fruit ripened, while tlie “rubberised” half of tiie bananas remained green. Rubber latex is common and... cheap in most tropical countries. It can' be preserved almost indefinitely by add? ing, ammonium sulphate, ,:wliicli retards, coagulation. Tn fact, 1 auks of presr erved lubber latex have been shipped from the tropics to London and New York for the experimental production of various textile manufacturing lines. Its utilisation as a preservative in the shipment of fruits opens up fascinating possibilities for the fruit farmer. The thin film of rubber on the surface of tiie fresh fruit strips off as easily as a glove from the fingers, allowing, the normal ripening process to continue. It looks as though this method’ of preserving fruit might well get us over our quarantine difficulties. The airtight “skin” asphyxiates insect pests as well as keeping out rot spores and retarding the ripening process. It mav become of commercial importance in the shipment of pears, peaches, nectarines, and plums. He suggested that the Hortibulture Department should obtain some of the prepared rubber latex, and institute experiments with perishalilo New Zealand fruits.