GROWING QUALITY VEGETABLES

Te Ao Hou, December 1961, Page 57

GROWING QUALITY VEGETABLES At the present time market gardening land surrounding New Zealand cities and towns is rapidly diminishing, owing to the demand for building sites and industrial areas. Some fertile Maori lands however suitable for vegetable production, are still not being utilised and to the Maori people who are keen to crop it is proposed to give some useful hints on market gardening. Following in brief are the essential requirements: 1. Naturally fertile land. 2. A good water supply and a proper irrigation system. 3. Good soil management, which includes soil preparation, correct fertilisation and manuring, rotation of crops and green manuring. 4. Effective control of disease and insect pests by adoption of such measures as the use of resistant varieties, use of disease free seed, control of weeds, treatment of seed, and use of sprays and dusts of correct type. 5. Use of high quality seed from the standpoint not only of freedom from disease, but also of purity and vigour, and the choice of suitable varieties. 6. The use only of such an area as can be effectively handled. 7. A thorough knowledge of market requirements, including consumer preferences. 8. Grading, packing and marketing of products to the best advantage. Marketing is an aspect to which most growers pay far too little attention. Unless the produce is carefully graded, attractively packed according to defined standards, and wisely marketed, it cannot return a profit to compare with the producers' work in the field. Standardisation of quality earns for the grower a reputation for reliability and ensures a demand and a return even in glut periods. Not all of the factors governing quality unfortunately are within the individual grower's control. Transport and storage are both vitally important in this relation. Refrigerated transport and increased cold storage facilities would undoubtedly greatly help to improve the quality of the article offered to consumers. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ The old Maori hostel in Morley Street, New Plymouth, is now being demolished. Owned by the Department of Maori Affairs, it was at one time widely used by visitors to the Maori Land Court and other meetings in town. Concerts were also often held there. Declining in popularity in recent years, it has for long not been a paying proposition. To some extent, its place has been taken by the building where the Rangiatea Maori Girls Hostel used to be. Since the girls moved to their new building in Spotswood, this has been lying empty. Suggestions are being considered to establish a youth centre at the South Road hostel to serve the fairly large number of Maoris now living in New Plymouth.