THE FRUIT CROP.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 6, 16 June 1913, Page 678

THE FRUIT CROP.

The officers of the Orchards, Gardens, and Apiaries Division report as follows on the condition of the fruit crop at the end of May : L

. Whangarei.—Apples nearly, finished. Lemons, crop medium to fair. Pears, crop finished. Oranges promise a fair crop. Loquats showing well. Pruning of stonefruit is proceeding.— J. IT. Collard. -

Auckland (North). —Apples, fair crop of late varieties. . Lemons, crop looking well. Pears, crop nearly finished.— W. G. Thompson.

Auckland (South). —Apples, crop all picked, small quantity late stored. Pears, crop finished. Strawberries, runners looking well, large quantity being planted this year. Tomatoes practically all done ; several heavy frosts.— N. B. Pierce.

Hamilton. Apples all harvested; fair supply, realizing good prices. Lemons still very scarce. Pears all picked. Tomatoes, crop finished. Walnuts, ciops all picked ; crops light but of fair quality. The pruning and spraying of peach-trees has just commenced. T. E. Rodda. ■

. Poverty Bay.—Apples, poor prospects for the winter; ravages by codlin-moth and dry season greatly affected the crop. Lemons poor. Pears, prospects not bright for winter ; late varieties ripened off too early. Walnuts, good average crop.— W. R. L. Williams. . . - -

- Manawatu and Wairarapa.—Apples, fairly good crop of late varieties; nearly all apples now picked ; very good prices obtained. Pears, good crop late varieties, free from “ black-spct.” Tomatoes, season over ; most growers had goon crops. Walnuts all gathered.— G. Stratford.

Wanganui.—Apples, trees in excellent condition, as also are apricot, cherry, gooseberry, and lemon trees. Nectarines, trees never looked better at this season ; pruning has commenced. Pears, some big crops are being harvested and quitted at good prices. Plums, trees in fair condition. Raspberries, canes fair to poor. ■ Strawberries, plantations generally good, many being remarkably free from spot. Tomatoes, crop over. Walnuts, condition fair ; not much grown.— W. C. Hyde. ..

Hastings. Apples,. supplies running short, prices good. A start has been made with the pruning and spraying of nectarine and peach trees ; in many cases considerable damage has been done to the fruiting-wcod by rust and dieback. Pears, scarcely any other than cool-store fruit available. Walnuts, season over, running short, prices good. —j. A. Campbell.

Wellington.: average'crop, growers storing considerably. Pears,, average to heavy crop, supply has shortened. Tomatoes, average crop ; early.frosts have almost .finished the remainder.— T. C. Webb. . . . . ■

Blenheim. —Apples, main crop nearly harvested; and pruning just commencing. Lemons, still gathering a few. Peaches, pruning of trees just commencing ; very poor growth owing to leaf-curl earlier in the season. Pears, all varieties' harvested; a few commencing to prune. Walnuts, heavy crop, nearly all harvested.-— B. G. Goodwin. . Nelson.—Apples, picking now . completed ; good quantity of fruit still on hand, much of which is second quality, chiefly owing to black-spot; shipments for the month to South America total 4,866 cases. Large quantities of young trees have already been landed for the season’s planting; they are a splendid lot, well-grown, clean, and healthy. Pears, picking now finished, only limited supplies on hand. Strawberries, growers are busy putting their plots in order, and extending their areas for the coming season.— J. H. Thorp. ■ ■■ , Christchurch.—Apples nearly all harvested ; a good quantity has been placed in cool stores;' a shipment of apples is leaving Lyttelton, for South America by the s.'s. “ Athenic ”on the 4th June. Pears all harvested ; turned out well, and fair quantity placed in cool store. Tomatoes, crop over ; good crop harvested.— W. J. Courtier.

Timabu.— Apples, all varieties harvested. Pears, all varieties gathered ; good crops of Winter Cole variety. Raspberries, canes are now being trimmed in some districts. Strawberries, plants have made good supplies of runners.. Walnuts, fine samples of local walnuts now being offered.— A. B. Mansfield.

Dunedin. Crops of all varieties of fruit harvested now. Pruning and other winter work in full swing.— W. T. Goodwin.