1.5 



CANNING. 



In our 1899 Catalogue we say " There is still no life in the 

 canning branch of our Industry. We think however that no 

 enterprise has yet been justified in this direction, as only fruit of 

 the very best quality is suitable for canning, and at present the 

 value of such fruit is so high in the Colony that canning is really 

 out of the question. 



We have little doubt, however, that when fruit of the necessary 

 quality is offering in fair quantities, canning plants will be put 

 in operation to use the same. Planters should know that in 

 peaches, which are probably the most important branch of this 

 trade in America, special varieties must be planted. Many of 

 the varieties of apricots, plums and pears being planted at 

 present are suitable in every respect for canning." 



We have much pleasure in stating that the necessary enterprize 

 on the part of the canners has now been realized ; all the 

 principal jam makers in the Colony having either already 

 thoroughly equipped canning plants, or they are preparing to put 

 them in without delay. This is as it should be, and we feel certain 

 that they will be repaid. There is not the demand there ought to 

 be for canned fruit in the country at present, although many 

 thousands of cases are imported annually, but we have 

 no doubt whatever that with a Colonial product put on 

 the market nicely turned out and of good quality, the demand 

 will at once increase. We may say that we have sold all our 

 yellow fleshed peaches, also Japanese plums of a good grade that we 

 do not care to export, to the canneries ; this season we getting a 

 satisfactory price. 



Planters must bear in mind that now the canners have done 

 their share in putting in plants to deal with the product, they 

 should respond by planting canning varieties, particularly in 

 peaches, where as we have said before special varieties must be 

 planted. We cannot too highly recommend for this purpose the 

 Lemon cling, Muir, Newhall and Elberta. of all the American 

 varieties under our observation, we find these sorts the most 

 regular croppers, and that not in one district but spread over a 

 wide area. 



It will we expect be many years before the Colony will take its 

 canned fruit to England, but in these days, when the mother 

 country has been drawing gradually closer to her colonies, we 

 would be surprised to find in the not very distant future a pre- 

 ferential tariff in favour of colonial products, especially towards 

 products of the soil should this occur, and we think it may, 

 the Fruit Industry will benefit to an extent that can scarcely be 



