March-1895.] 



GENERAL AGRIGULTUKAL NOTES. 



ture, New Zealand, in respect of soil, climate, and generaV con- 

 ditions, is capable, equally with California, of producing the finest 

 apples of almost all descriptions, and without the artificial aid, 

 in the shape of the expensive service of irrigation, required by 

 the last-named country. But the fruit growers in New Zealand 

 have not, in the opinion of Mr. Palmer, the Pomologist of the 

 North Island, the necessary knowledge of any proper system of 

 cultivation and of the means to be taken for the destruction of 

 insects and othpr pestis. It appears that the planting of fruit trees 

 has been carried on without any system whatever, and un- 

 suitable situations and varieties unfitted for conditions of soil 

 and climate have been selected. The Pomologist of the South 

 Island, Mr. Blackmore, remarks, that he found fruit-culture 

 much neglected in the various orchards he visited. The trees 

 were overrun with scale insects and various forms of fungi. 

 Mr. Blackmore adds that he has endeavoured to encourage 

 orchardists to make shipments of apples and pears to the 

 London market, but that owing to the high rate of freight 

 and pther charges, ^nd the want of unity amongst %rowers, his 

 efforts to prpmote shipments of fruit have in part failed. It 

 seems, that there,, is not really sufficient good fruit to compete 

 in the various markets of the south with the superior produce of 

 Ta-smani^, and, M^^^ is of opinion that before the 



exporji of fruit jrom New Zealand can become permanent and 

 profitable, the area of the orchards must be considerably ex- 

 tj^nded, planting the varieties most suitable for export and 

 the Jiome market. ^ 



The New Zealand Agent in England reports thai» the very 

 optimistic views of those who introduced Australian and New 

 Zealand apples to London have by no means been verified, and 

 that those who once th'>ught that the Colonies had found a very 

 valuable market for their green fruit have very largely modified 

 their views. But some hope is expressed of a better prospect for 

 the future if only the colonist takes proper advantage of the 

 situation. The New Z'^alander appears to have believed that 

 any kind of apples would fetch high prices in London, and con- 

 sequently there has not been anything like the amount of care 

 necessary in selecting proper varieties, or in packing them with 

 due regard to the conditions of their transit and sale. Colonists 

 are advised, therefore, in the Agent's report, not to send common 

 fruit as there is plenty of this in the London markets, but to 

 send only the very be-t, remembering that these apples are 

 looked upon as luxuries for the well-to-do classes and not as 

 articles of common consumption, for high prices will not be paid, 

 even by the wealthy, for common fruit. 



Taking the statements of the Pomologists and Agent together, 

 it would seem that too large a proportion of common apples 

 have been sent to London from New Zealand, and that from 

 the state of the orchards and apple culture generally in that 



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