Members Stories

30.5.1889 N.Z. Herald

BIRKENHEAD ORCHARDS

In dealing with the Birkenhead orchards, it will not be convenient to report upon those situated within the borough separately from the rest : therefore in this report I shall deal with the orchards situated on the east side of the main Birkenhead Road between the wharf and the branch road leading past Mr Messenger’s orchard down to the Lake, commencing with

Messrs. H. J. Hawkins and Sons Old Established Orchard

The position of the orchard is well known, being situated next to the main road. Part of the trees are planted on the top of the ridge near the road, and part on an easterly slope further over. In going over the orchard I noticed that the trees were only planted about 12 feet apart, and also that they were very small considering their age. This is accounted for by the fact that Mr. Hawkins does not believe in working around apple trees after they are once well established ; he believes that by leaving the ground uncultivated, but giving it an autumn mulching of stockyard manure if possible, a much superior quality of fruit is obtained than by forcing the trees away to wood ; also, that there is far less trouble with the American apple blight on trees cultivated on this system, as the wood is not so sappy as that of trees growing on cultivated land. In the course of conversation with the octogenarian fruit grower, he told me that in planting their trees they work not in the direction of attaining size so much as quantity and quality of fruit. Another point of interest in this connection is that Messrs. Hawkins grow but very few kitchen apples, believing as they do that the dessert fruit pays best, and many, in fact, most dessert apples are equally suitable for both kitchen and dessert purposes, require less sugar than most kitchen apples do.
Mr. Hawkins considers that there is far too much made nowadays of the supposed absolute necessity of shelter for young apples. He states that fruit of a superior quality can be grown in the most exposed situation, and as a proof he instanced his own trees, which, though so small, and growing in a place where they received the full force of every wind, were almost breaking down with the weight of fruit. Fruit grown in the most exposed situation is that which always is found to be most adapted for keeping and export purposes. Mr. Hawkins has proved this in his own case, the fruit grown on the hilltop being better in appearance, flavour, and firmness of flesh, and generally superior in all respects, to those grown in the sheltered hollows.
Speaking of the different kinds of apples most suitable for general cultivation, Mr Hawkins stated that a good deal depends upon the soil, situation, etc, which requires knowledge of the surroundings before anything definite could be stated. In his own case, he has had to discard a large number of varieties which he has found unprofitable. If he was planting out another orchard, the varieties would be limited to a very few sorts of well tested apples. In looking over the orchard, I noticed the following varieties appeared to occupy a prominent place :-Cox’s Orange Pippin, Boston Russet, Takapuna Russet, American Golden Russet, Ribston Pippin, and other apples of a like stamp. At the time of my visit the early varieties were all gone. Talking on the subject of manure, Mr Hawkins said that he was the first person in this part of the country to use bonedust. This was about 28 years ago. He considers it a very valuable manure, and one that is safe in the hands of the most inexperienced. Not so with Peruvian guano, which, when good, is an excellent manure, but requires to be used with care. I found that Mr. Hawkins is still as much convinced as ever that shallow culture is the best for obtaining both quantity and quality of fruit. He says that the nearer to the surface, and consequently to the light and air, you keep the roots of your trees, the better will be the flavour and appearance of the fruit. If the roots go down into the cold clay, it results in a strong weak growth and large watery fruit, deficient in both colour and flavour.
Beside the apples, there are some 130 healthy young peach trees growing. They all looked in the pink of condition. Messrs. Hawkins have some thousands of strong healthy looking young trees in the nursery now. They are all dessert varieties, of which a specialty is made. I understand the varieties kept in stock are only those that have been tested and found to succeed well.
On going into the house, I was shown a natural curiosity – a Takapuna Russet, with a strip about an inch  wide in the centre tapering off to a point at the stalk, and crown of the apples. The strip was a Reinette du Canada in skin and general appearance, while the rest of the apple was a perfect Takapuna Russet. Mr. Hawkins was keeping it to ripen, to ascertain if there was any diffenence in the flavour of the different parts.
We shall now turn to notice another old established orchard that of

Mr J Johnston

The area is about four acres, planted mostly with apple trees, and a sprinkling of pears, plums, and peaches.  The soil is a friable clay, and the aspect of the orchard is a north-cast one, well sheltered by high pines and ornamental trees. There is a good collection of apple trees, among which I noticed the Irish Peach, Rymer, Red Astrachan, Tower of Glamis, Reinette du Canada, and many others. There had been a good crop of fruit this season, but at the time of my visit most of it had been picked. Mr. Johnston has some fine large old pear trees, which bear good crops of excellent fruit. Amongst the varieties under cultivation are the Beurre Diel, Louis Bouno of Jersey, and William’s Bon Chretien. This orchard is one of the oldest in the district. Like Mr. Hawken’s, the trees have been planted rather close, and the land laid down in grasse.

Mr. J Jenkinson's Orchard

This orchard is also known as the Sunnyside Strawberry Gardens, and is about three acres in extent. It is situated on a north-easterly slope, and the fruit trees growing consist of apples, oranges, and a few lemons and plums. Mr. Jenkinson has his trees planted to a gauge of about 10 feet apart, which he considers is quite sufficient, and if the trees should ever get overcrowded, he intends to thin them out. Here I was shown some 50 young orange trees just comin into bearing. The trees, as a whole, look healthy and fairly vigorous, but they had never been forced. The varieties grown include St. Michael, Poor Man, Seville, and other varieties also some seedling trees. I was also shown a large apricot tree of the Moorpark variety, which yields a good crop of apricots regularly. It is generally supposed that these trees will not do well here. Mr jenkinson is about to make use of the salt mud out of the mangrove swamp near the creek as a manure, as, from experiments made with it, he believes it is very rich as a fertiliser, and that excellent results are to be obtained from its use. At the time of my visit a lot of mud had been dug out ready for carting away. There is no doubt that this is a step in the right direction. I have long thought that an almost inexhaustible supply of manure was lying wholly unused in our many miles of salt water creeks, all of which abound with the bays, swamps, and banks full of the best manure obtainable, for it is well known that not only is rich soil being brought down by the treshes, but seaweed and other products of the deep are brought up with the tides, added to which in the decomposing bodies of innumerable organisms, among which a great mortality is known to exist wherever the salt and fresh waters meet. These all, combined together with the salt, go to form a manure eminently suited for plant food.

Mr Jones' Orchard

This orchard is about three acres in extent, mostly planted with apple trees. The majority are young, the oldest being only six years. They have made very good headway, and bear good crops of fruit. The trees have been planted on a guage of 12 feet apart each way. Mr Jones collection of apples comprises about thirty varieties, consisting of early, medium, and late. He finds the following varieties, so far as his present experience goes, to be the best for cropping and profit :- Irish Peach, Red Quarrenden, Takapuna Russet, Court of Wick, Sturmer Pippin and Stone Pippin, where there is sufficient shelter to prevent the apples being shaken off by the wind.

Mr M Parrish's Orchard

Is about two and a half acres in extent. It is Nearly all planted with apple trees, of which Mr. Parrish’s collection includes about 25 varieties. He finds the following list to be the best croppers and the best quality of fruit, and most suitable for the requirements of the markets :- Red Astrachan, Kerry Pippin, Red Quarrenden, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Reinette Du Canada, Beauty of Kent, Takapuna Russet, Dutch Migonombe, Northern Spy, and the London Pippin, if well looked after. In the course of conversation Mr. Parrish stated that he considers it far better to plant only a small quantity of trees per year on well prepared ground than a larger quantity on land ill prepared. From the smaller quantity on well worked land the best results will be obtained in the long run, and he gives it as his opinion that on this soil the trees should never be planted out in their permanent places until they are at least three years old. Mr. Parish is a strong believer in draining and a thorough and deep culture. This spring he syringed his apple trees once with the Paris green solution. The results were highly satisfactory, very little being seen of the codlin moth. The proportion of Paris green used was three-quarters of a teaspoonful of the green to one kerosene tin of water. He says it is very necessary that the solution be kept well mixed. Mr Parish puts the Paris green in a muslin bag when about to use it.

Small Orchards

Mr. W. Wernham’s orchard consists of about an acre, planted with apples trees, which are about six years old. There is a very good average collection of varieties, all of which are doing well and have borne a good crop of fruit this season. Mr. Wernham also keeps a small nursery stock of apple trees.
Mr W. Greaves’ orchard consists of about one acre, all of which is planted with apple trees, most  of which are young. The trees have made excellent headway, and have produced a very fair crop of fruit this season.
Mr. M Senne has a small orchard of about half an acre consisting of apple and peach trees, the later being mostly of the late kinds, and were looking extremely well.
Other small orchards are those of Messrs. E White, A F Porter, J. Cook and W. Chaytor, all of which are young, but progressing favourably.
(Travelling Correspondent)