Chaubatia Garden-The Oldest Research Station on Temperate Fruits in India

Temperate fruit cultivation in Uttarakhand started with the arrival of British officers and retired settlers from other countries, especially those familiar with temperate fruit growing in their own countries. The success achieved by some of the enterprising Europeans in temperate fruit cultivation in Kumaon attracted the attention of the state government as early as nineteenth century, and a government orchard was established at Chaubatia to ensure for distribution of temperate fruit plants suitable for the climatic and soil conditions of the Himalayan region. Chaubattia garden is one of the oldest horticulture research centres in Asia, dating back to 1869. Mr. Craw, a trained gardener, himself served as the first superintendent of this garden. He introduced several fruit plants from Europe. The results were encouraging, and thereafter, many species propagated in this garden were further utilised by European planters in their estates, who found it more profitable than to maintain their old tea plantations. Fine orchards were developed by General Wheeler at Jalna and Ghorakhal and Mr. Deriaz at Ramgarh. An eminent horticulturist, Mr. Stoken introduced the famous Red Delicious variety of apple here, which is still much sought after. The Spanish chestnut was introduced in 1880 with a view that villagers would plant them and the fruit brought into general use. Normen Gill, who had trained in the famous new garden and was then Superintendent of Kumaun Government garden, Nainital, was deputed for Chaubattia, and from the very outset, he began to introduce means that would make this orchard a selfsupporting institution. A large number of fruit plants were distributed. Unfortunately, majority of these trees could not come to maturity due to inexperience and lack of proper guidance. For solving these and similar other problems faced by the orchardist, Hill Fruit Research Station, Chaubattia, was established in the year 1932. This is the oldest research station on temperate fruits in India. With the dawn of Independence, emphasis was laid on the development of fruits and vegetable production in the state. As a result in the year 1953, the Department of Fruit Utilization with its headquarters at Ranikhet was established to intensify horticulture development in the hill districts. Chaubattia was transferred to Directorate of Fruit Utilization with its headquarters at Ranikhet and was established to intensify horticulture development in the hill districts. Chaubattia was transferred to Directorate of Fruit Utilization, Ranikhet from Directorate of Agriculture. The Fruit Utilization Organisation intensified fruit development work with a new vigour and remarkable progress has been achieved in the cultivation and production of temperate fruits in the hilly region of Uttarakhand.