Fruit Science Commons^™

The Half Dump For Easier And Better Fruit Packing, J S. Bloomfield

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

ONE of the first cases used for the marketing of citrus fruit in Western Australia was the "flat bushel," which is similar in size to the "long bushel" used extensively for pears in Victoria.

In a bulletin on fruit packing and the marketing and exporting of fruit issued in 1915, the fiat box was illustrated and recommended as a suitable container for the local market.

This case was superseded by the "dump" case when the Harvey area came into production about the beginning of World War I.

Brown Spot Of Passion Fruit, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

BROWN SPOT caused by the fungus Alternaria passiflorae, is found in plantings throughout Western Australia. Severe outbreaks of the disease have occurred in most districts, including Serpentine, Manjimup, Nannup and Denmark. Although isolated young plantings may remain healthy for two or three years the disease eventually becomes established in the vines.

The Fruit Industry In Other Lands. 4. The United States Of America (Continued), Frank Melville

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

COMMERCIAL pear growing was seen only in Washington State where production is in the vicinity of five million bushels or about 12 per cent, of the total fruit production of the State.

Two-thirds of the pears are Bartletts which are used extensively for canning. The other main variety is D'Anjou with lesser quantities of Bosc and Winter Nelis all of which are used for the fresh fruit trade.

In the last six years a serious depletion in tree numbers has occurred due to the inroads of Pear Decline a new disease the cause of which at present is unknown.

Fruit Fly Control With Rogor 40 And Lebaycid : Progress Report, D G. Shedley

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE Mediterranean fruit fly has been present in Western Australia for over 60 years and during that time many types of insecticides have been tested against the pest.

Traps and lures were amongst the earliest control measures adopted, but these gave way to sugar solutions poisoned with such materials as arsenic and sodium fluosilicate.

Chemical Thinning Of Apples, S E. Hardisty, N. H. Shorter

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

TWO important related problems of apple-growing in this State are biennial bearing and poor fruit size.

Early thinning by chemical means, is providing a valuable and practical means of tackling these problems.

With every prospect of heavy crops in most districts this year, many growers will be interested in the possibility of spray thinning.

The Fruit Industry In Other Lands. 5. The United States Of America (Continued), Frank Melville

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE United States grows in the vicinity of 64 million bushels of peaches, 83,000 tons of plums, 470,000 tons of prunes and 225,000 tons of apricots.

About half the peaches and the major portion of the plums, prunes and apricots are grown in California which is the centre of the canning industry.

There is also a large cherry industry concentrated mainly in the eastern side of the country. Production amounts to almost 100,000 tons of sweet cherries and 125,000 tons of sour varieties.

Banana Packing And Waxing, J A F Lawson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN 1955, representatives of the Carnarvon banana growers approached the North- West Branch of the Department of Agriculture with the suggestion that tests be made concerning the value of waxing bananas prior to consignment.

It was claimed at the time by the Director of Horticulture of the Queensland Department that, by means of wax dipping, bananas had been transported from Northern Queensland to Brisbane, ripened artificially, and then returned to Northern Queensland for sale in the middle of summer, whereas the undipped fruit arrived completely unsaleable.

Hormone Sprays For Apricots, J E L Cripps

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

VARIOUS hormone sprays have been applied to apricots with the object of increasing fruit size and hastening maturity, and of these 245TA, the tri-ethanol amine salt of 245 trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, has in general, proved the most successful.

The increase in fruit diameter obtained with this spray in Western Australia has varied between 5 and 15 per cent, and is due to an increase in the size of the cells within the fruit, not to the production of a greater number of cells.

Bitter Pit : A Progress Report On The Use Of Calcium Nitrate Sprays For Its Control, Frank Melville, S. E. Hardisty

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

FREEDOM from serious pests and diseases such as Black Spot and Codling Moth and relative immunity from storage rots has greatly simplified apple growing in Western Australia.

However, what has been gained in this respect is often countered by pre-harvest and post-harvest physiological troubles which are rather common to apple growing in this State.

The Fruit Industry In Other Lands. 3. The United States Of America, Frank Melville

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

MY visit to the United States extended over a period of ten weeks and in this time fruit areas in New York State, Washington State and California were seen.

In addition, certain other activities were covered in other centres. Contact with Research and Extension personnel was made.

The Fruit Industry In Other Lands. 1. The United Kingdom, Frank Melville

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE following report deals with the many aspects of fruit growing both technical and commercial covered during a tour of three overseas countries undertaken on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and the fruitgrowers of Western Australia.

In the course of the three and a half months spent on this work, 13 research establishments were visited and contacts were made with research personnel both within these organisations and elsewhere.

Visits to commercial fruit growing areas were made with extension officers and these included brief visits to packing houses.

Altogether I had discussions with 127 research and extension personnel and industry …