T24 Journal of Agriculture. Victoria. [10 Dec, 1917. 



FRUIT PROSPECTS, 1917-18. 



By P. J. Garmody, Chief Orchard Supervisor. 



A perusal of the District Supervisors' reports on the present season's 

 prospects of the fruit crop will show that, unfortunately, growers are 

 not going to realize the abundant fruit liarvest that they some time ago 

 anticipated. 



The comparative failure in all fruits except apples is due to the 

 abnormally wet winter that was exioerienced and the unfavorable weather 

 conditions at the time of setting. Many trees in the diilerent fruit 

 centres have perished in consequence of excessive wet, and, instead of 

 growers extending their areas as they have done, better results would 

 have been obtained if some of the cost of extension had been devoted 

 to the drainage of those parts already i)lanted. 



Trees debilitated by adverse soil conditions caimot be expected to 

 set even normal crops of fruit; so that under present circumstances, 

 unless provision is made for the eflicient drainage of the orchard, similar 

 disappointments in future will be experienced. 



At the time of blooming during the past two seasons there was but 

 little sunshine, and consequently a lack of bee activity in the orchard, 

 whereby the intercarriage of pollen between different varieties, so 

 essential to the successful setting of the fruit, was at a minimum. It 

 would be, in my opinion, a great advantage for growers to have a few 

 hives of bees dispersed throughout their orchards, so as to give the fullest 

 opportunity during periods of intermittent sunshine for the bees to 

 exercise their influence in the setting of the crop. 



Subjoined are the reports of the District Supervisors : — 



Doncaster District — A. A. Hammond, Orchard Supervisor — 



Apples. — Medium to good. The Rome Beauty and London's liave not yet set, 

 Init promise a good crop. Yates are light'. Jonathans, the leading variety and 

 most largely grown, have set a fair crop. 



Apricots. — Medium. Very little grown. 



I'ears. — Very light. Tlie pear crop is almost a complete fnilnre. Tlie setting 

 of all varieties was more or less affected by Black Spot. Tjie Bcurre Bosc suffered 

 most. .Judging from present appearances, there will not be more than 10 per 

 cent, of a normal cro[i luvrvested. 



I'niche.t. — Medium. Kartv varieties are light. The Leaf Curl fungus was bad 

 tliis season. A large niimliev of trees were killed owing to the defective drainage, 

 consequently the cro]) will fall below the average by 15 to 20 per cent. 



I'lums. — All varieties are light, and fall far short of an average crop. 



Cherries. — Very light. The cherry crop is very patchy. A few orchards have 

 a good crop, but, on tlie whole, there does not appear to be 50 per cent, of a normal 

 crop. 



Lenioiw. — Good. The lemon plantations look well, despite the wet winter. 



fitr'awhcrries. — Good. 



The most serious failure in Doncaster district is in the pears, which are the 

 chief product of a majority of the larger orchards 



Evelyn and Central Districts — J. Farrell, Orchard Supervisor — 



Apiilcs. — .Jonathan, in some localities, light, but, on the whole, a fair crop. 

 Late blooming varieties — Five Crown, Rome Beauty, &c. — are setting well. 

 Others, mostly heavy. 



Pears. — V/illiams Bon Chretien, light to medium: Howell, Ceurre de Capiau- 

 niont. Vicar of Winkfield, medium; others, medium to light. 



Phtms. — Most of the varieties set well, I}ut have thinned out to a medium crop. 



Vlierrics. — Early varieties, light; late sorts, a good crop. 



