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diff --git a/26552-h/26552-h.htm b/26552-h/26552-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2d1b59b --- /dev/null +++ b/26552-h/26552-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3413 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Fruits of Queensland, by Albert H. Benson, +Queensland Goverment Intelligence and Tourist Bureau</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + img {border:0;} + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .tn {border: 1px solid; padding: .5em; margin: 5em auto 5em auto; width: 400px;} + + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Fruits of Queensland, by Albert Benson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fruits of Queensland + +Author: Albert Benson + +Release Date: September 7, 2008 [EBook #26552] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRUITS OF QUEENSLAND *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Wall and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="tn"> +<p>Transcriber's Note:<br /><br /> + +Links to a larger view showing more detail have been +provided only for selected illustrations.</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i-title600.jpg" alt="Front Cover" width="462" height="768" /></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h1>FRUITS OF QUEENSLAND</h1> + + +<h3>BY</h3> +<h2>ALBERT H. BENSON, M.R.A.C.,</h2> + +<div class="center"><br />Late Instructor in Fruit Culture, Queensland Government;<br /> +now Director of Agriculture, Hobart, Tasmania.</div> + + + + + +<div class="center"> +<br />BRISBANE:<br /> +BY AUTHORITY: ANTHONY J. CUMMING, GOVERNMENT PRINTER.<br /> +1914.<br /></div> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus001-1400.jpg" width="287" height="300" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Fruit of Mangosteen.</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="center"> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<table summary="Contents" width="80%"> +<colgroup span="2"> +<col width="90%"></col> +<col width="10%"></col> +</colgroup> +<tr> +<th align='right' colspan='2'><small>PAGE</small></th> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#PREFACE">Preface</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>5</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#INTRODUCTION">Introduction</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>7</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#QUEENSLAND_FRUIT_GROWING">Queensland Fruit-growing</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>17</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#CLIMATE">Climate</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>18</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top' style="padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;"><a href="#SOILA">1st.—Soils of Eastern Seaboard, and land adjacent to it, suitable to the growth of Tropical and Semi-tropical Fruit</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>21</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top' style="padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;"><a href="#SOILB">2nd.—Soils of the Coastal Tablelands, suitable for the growth of Deciduous Fruit</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>23</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top' style="padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;"><a href="#SOILC">3rd.—Soils of the Central Tablelands, suitable for the growth of Grapes, Dates, Citrus Fruits, &c.</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>24</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_BANANA">The Banana</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>24</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_PINEAPPLE">The Pineapple </a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>24</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_MANGO">The Mango</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>31</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_MANGOSTEEN">The Mangosteen</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>41</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_PAPAW">The Papaw</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>45</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_COCOA-NUT">The Cocoa-nut</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>47</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_GRANADILLA">The Granadilla</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>49</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_PASSION_FRUIT">The Passion Fruit</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>51</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_CUSTARD_APPLE">Custard Apples</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>53</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#CITRUS_FRUIT">Citrus Fruit</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>57</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_PERSIMMON">The Persimmon</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>71</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_LOQUAT">The Loquat</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>73</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_DATE_PALM">The Date Palm</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>75</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_PECAN_NUT">The Pecan Nut</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>75</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#JAPANESE_PLUMS">Japanese Plums</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>77</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#CHICKASAW_PLUMS">Chickasaw Plums</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>77</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#CHINESE_PEACHES">Chinese Peaches</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>77</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#FIGS">Figs</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>79</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_MULBERRY">The Mulberry</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>79</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_STRAWBERRY">The Strawberry</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>79</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#CAPE_GOOSEBERRY">Cape Gooseberry</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>82</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_OLIVE">The Olive</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>83</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_APPLE">The Apple</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>85</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_PEACH">The Peach</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>87</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_PLUM">The Plum</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>89</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_APRICOT">The Apricot</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>89</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_CHERRY">The Cherry</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>90</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_PEAR">The Pear</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>91</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#THE_ALMOND">The Almond</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>91</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#GRAPE_CULTURE">Grape Culture</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>93</td> +</tr><tr> +<td align='left' valign='top'><a href="#List_of_Fruits_Grown_in_Queensland">List of Fruits and Vegetables Grown in Queensland</a></td> +<td align='right' valign='top'>102</td> +</tr> +</table> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus004-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus004-1400.jpg" width="286" height="400" alt="Map of Queensland" /></a></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>In the more thickly populated portions of the Old and New World, and, +to a certain extent, in the large cities of Australia, the question of how to +make a living has became one of vital importance to a large portion of the +population, and is the cause of considerable anxiety to fathers of families who +are endeavouring to find employment for their sons.</p> + +<p>This difficulty of obtaining employment is a very serious question, and +one demanding the most earnest consideration. It is probably the result of +many different causes, but, in the writer's opinion, it is due mainly to the +fact that for years past the trend of population has been from the country +districts to the towns, with the result that many of the great centres of +population are now very badly congested, and profitable employment of any +kind is often extremely difficult to obtain. The congested towns offer no +possible outlet for surplus labour, hence it is necessary that such labour must +find an outlet in the less thickly populated parts of the world where there is +still plenty of room for development and population is badly needed. Queensland +is a country possessing these qualifications; but is, unfortunately, a +country that is little known to the general mass of home-seekers, and, further, +what little is known of it is usually so inaccurate that a very erroneous opinion +of the capabilities of this really fine country exists. The great flow of +emigration is naturally to those countries that are nearest to the Old World—viz., +the United States of America and Canada—and little attention is given +to Australia, although we have many advantages not possessed by either the +United States or Canada, and are not subject to the disadvantage of an +intensely cold winter such as that experienced throughout the greater portion +of those countries for several months yearly.</p> + +<p>To those looking for homes the following pages are addressed, so that +before deciding to what part of the world they will go they may know what +sort of a country Queensland really is, what one of its industries is like, the +kind of life they may look forward to spending here, and the possibility of +their making a comfortable home amongst us. The life of a fruit-grower is +by no means a hard one in Queensland, the climate of the fruit-growing +districts is a healthy and by no means a trying one, and is thoroughly adapted +to the successful cultivation of many fruits; and, finally, a living can be made +under conditions that are much more conducive to the well-being of our race +than those existing in the overcrowded centres of population. The writer has +no wish to infer that there are big profits to be made by growing fruit, but, at +the same time, he has no hesitation in saying that where the industry is +conducted in an up-to-date manner, on business lines, a good living can be +made, and that there is a good opening for many who are now badly in want +of employment. The illustrations represent various phases of the industry, and +have been specially prepared by H. W. Mobsby, the Artist of the Intelligence +and Tourist Bureau. Most of the Illustrations have been taken at an exceptionally +dry time, and at the close of one of the coldest winters on record, +so that they do not show the crops or trees at their best; at the same time, +they give a fair idea of some of our fruits, orchards, and fruit lands.</p> + +<p> +ALBERT H. BENSON.<br /> +Brisbane, Queensland, January, 1906.<br /> +</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus005-1400.jpg" width="138" height="200" alt="Decorative Pineapple" /></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION"></a>INTRODUCTION.</h2> + + +<p>Queensland's greatest want to-day is population: Men and women to +develop our great natural resources, to go out into our country districts as +farmers, dairymen, or fruit-growers—not to stick in our towns, but to become +primary producers, workers, home-builders—not the scourings of big cities, +the dissatisfied, the loafer, but the honest worker whose wish is to make a +home for himself and his family. There are many such in the overcrowded +cities of older countries, striving in vain to make a living—existing, it can +hardly be called living, under conditions that are by no means conducive to +their well-being—often poorly fed and poorly clad—who would better themselves +by coming to Queensland, and by whom Queensland would be benefited. +Queensland has room for many such annually: men and women who come here +for the express intention of settling amongst us and building homes for themselves; +who come here prepared to work, and, if needs be, to work hard; who +do not expect to become rich suddenly, but will be contented with a comfortable +home, a healthy life, and a moderate return for their labour—results +that are within the reach of all, and which compare more than favourably +with the conditions under which they are at present existing.</p> + +<p>Queensland's most valuable asset is her soil, and this requires population +to develop it: soil that, in the different districts and climates best adapted for +their growth, is capable of producing most of the cultivated crops of the world, +and, with very few exceptions, all the fruits of commercial value, many of +them to a very high degree of perfection. This pamphlet is practically confined +to the fruit-growing possibilities of Queensland, and an endeavour is made to +show that there is a good opening for intending settlers in this branch of +agriculture, but the general remarks respecting the climate, rainfall, soils, &c., +will be of equal interest to any who wish to take up any other branch, such +as general farming, dairying, &c. The Queensland Department of Agriculture +has received a number of inquiries from time to time, and from various parts +of the world, respecting the possibilities of profitable commercial fruit-growing +in this State, and this pamphlet is intended in part to be an answer to such +inquiries; but, at the same time, it is hoped that it will have a wider scope, +and give a general idea of one of our staple industries to many who are now +on the look-out for a country in which to settle and an occupation to take up +when they arrive there.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus007-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus007-1400.jpg" width="400" height="245" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Woombye, North Coast Railway. The centre of a large fruit growing district.</div> + +<p>No branch of agriculture has made a greater advance during the past +quarter-century than that of fruit-growing, and none has become more popular. +The demand for fruit of all kinds, whether fresh or preserved, has increased +enormously throughout the world, and it is now generally looked upon more +as a necessity than a luxury. Hence there are continually recurring inquiries +as to the best place to start fruit-growing with a reasonable prospect of success. +It is not only the increased demand for fruit that causes these inquiries, but +fruit-growing has a strong attraction for many would-be agriculturists as +compared with general farming, dairying, or stock-raising, and this attraction +is probably due to a certain fascination it possesses that only those who have +been intimately acquainted with the industry for years can fully appreciate. +In addition to the fact that living under one's own vine and fig-tree is in itself +a very pleasant ideal to look forward to, there is no branch of agronomy that +calls for a keener appreciation of the laws of Nature, that brings man into +closer touch with Nature, that makes a greater demand on a man's patience, +skill, and energy, or in which science and practice are more closely related, +than in that of fruit-growing. To all those who are considering the advantages +of taking up fruit-growing as an occupation, and to those who feel the attraction +I have just described, these few words on fruit-growing in Queensland +are addressed, as the writer wishes them to learn something of the fruit-growing +capabilities of this State, so that before deciding on the country in which +they will make a start they may not be in complete ignorance of a land that is +especially adapted for the growth of a larger number of distinct varieties of +fruit than any other similar area of land with which he is acquainted either +in the Old or New World.</p> + +<p>Queensland is a country whose capabilities are at present comparatively +unknown even to those living in the Southern States of Australia, and, +naturally, very much less so to the rest of the world, hence a little general +information respecting our country and one of its industries may be of some +help to those who are looking for an opening in this particular branch of +agriculture.</p> + +<p>Queensland is a country having a population of a little over half a million, +and an area of 429,120,000 acres; the population of a city of the second +magnitude, and an area of some seven and one-half times greater than that of +Great Britain, or two and one-half times greater than the State of Texas, +United States of America.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus009-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus009-1400.jpg" width="400" height="301" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">A Tropical Orchard, Port Douglas.</div> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus010-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus010-1400.jpg" width="304" height="400" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Coochin York Mangosteen, Port Douglas District.</div> + +<p>A country embracing 18 degrees of latitude, from the 11th to the 29th +degrees of south latitude, and extending from a humid eastern seaboard to an +extremely dry interior, some 15 degrees of longitude west. A country, therefore, +of many climates and varied rainfall. A country possessing a great +diversity of soils, many of which are of surprising richness. A country more +or less heavily timbered with either scrub or forest growth, or consisting of +wide open plains that are practically treeless. A country of infinite resources, +that is capable of producing within its own borders all that man requires, +from the extreme tropical to temperate products. A country that, once its +possibilities are realised and turned to a profitable account, is destined to +become one of the most fruitful in the globe, to support a large and thriving +population of our own people; and last, but not least, a country that, from a +fruit-grower's point of view, cannot be excelled elsewhere. We have a healthy +climate, not by any means an extreme climate as is often represented—extreme +cold is unknown, frost being unusual on any portion of the seaboard, but +common during the winter months on our tablelands. But even where there +are frosts the days are pleasantly warm. Summer is undoubtedly warm, but it +is usually a bearable heat, and sudden changes are extremely rare, so that +though trying in the humid tropical seaboard, it is not unbearable, and +compares favourably with the tropical heat met with elsewhere. This is clearly +shown by the stamina of the white race, particularly those living in the country +districts, where both men and women compare favourably with those of any +other part of the Empire. Except in very isolated places, communication +with the outside world and between the different centres of population is +regular and frequent; in fact, in all the coastal and coastal tableland districts +of the State one is kept daily in touch with all the important matters that +are taking place in the world. In the home life there is a freedom not met +with in older countries; there is an almost entire absence of artificiality—people +are natural, and are interested in each other's welfare. They are +certainly fond of pleasure, but at the same time are extremely generous and +hospitable. The writer can speak of this from a large practical experience, as +for some years past he has annually travelled many thousands of miles amongst +fruit-growers and others who are settled on the land, and, without exception, +he has everywhere been met with the greatest kindness from rich and poor +alike—in short, a hearty welcome—and the best that the house affords is the +rule, without exception. In brief, should any of my readers decide on coming +to Queensland, the only difference that they will find as compared with the +older countries is, that our climate is somewhat warmer in summer, but to +compensate for this we have no severe cold in winter. There is more freedom +and less conventionality, life to all who will work is much easier, and there is +not the same necessity for expensive clothing or houses as exists in more +rigorous climates. The people they will meet are of their own colour and race, +no doubt fond of sport and pleasure, perhaps inclined to be a little self-opinionated, +but solid grit at the bottom. As previously stated, Queensland +offers exceptional advantages to the intending fruit-grower, and the following +may be quoted as examples. The ease with which fruit can be produced, when +grown under conditions suitable to its proper development, is often remarkable, +and is a constant source of wonder to all who have been accustomed to the comparatively +slow growth of many of our commoner varieties of fruits when grown +in less favoured climes, and to the care that is there necessary to produce +profitable returns. Here all kinds of tree life is rapid, and fruit trees come into +bearing much sooner than they do in colder climates. In addition to their +arriving at early maturity, they are also, as a rule, heavy bearers, their fault, +if anything, being towards over-bearing. Fruits of many kinds are so +thoroughly acclimatised that it is by no means uncommon to find them growing +wild, and holding their own in the midst of rank indigenous vegetation, without +receiving the slightest care or attention. In some cases where cultivated fruits +have been allowed to become wild, they have become somewhat of a pest, and +have kept down all other growths, so much so that it has been actually +necessary to take steps to prevent them from becoming a nuisance, so readily +do they grow, and so rapidly do they increase. The very ease with which fruit +can be grown when planted under conditions of soil and climate favourable to +its development has had a tendency to make growers somewhat careless as compared +with those of other countries who have to grow fruit under conditions +demanding the most careful attention in order to be made profitable. This +is enough to show that Queensland is adapted for fruit-growing, and the illustrations +accompanying the description of our chief commercial fruits will show +them more forcibly than any words of mine that my contention is a correct +one. Latterly, however, there has been a considerable improvement in the +working of our orchards, growers finding that it does not pay to grow second-quality +fruit, and, therefore, they are giving much more attention to the +selection of varieties, cultivation of the land, pruning the trees, and the keeping +in check of fruit pests; as, like other parts of the world, we have our pests +to deal with. This improvement in the care and management of our orchards +is resulting in a corresponding improvement in the quantity and quality of +our output, so that now our commercial fruits—that is to say, the fruits grown +in commercial quantities—compare favourably with the best types of similar +fruits produced elsewhere. The writer has no wish to convey the impression +that all that is required in order to grow fruit in Queensland is to secure +suitable land, plant the trees, let Nature do the rest, and when they come into +bearing simply gather and market the fruit. This has been done in the past, +and may be done again under favourable conditions, but it is not the usual +method adopted, nor is it to be recommended. Here, as elsewhere, the progressive +fruit-growing of to-day has become practically a science, as the fruit-grower +who wishes to keep abreast of the times depends largely on the +practical application of scientific knowledge for the successful carrying on of his +business. There is no branch of agronomy in which science and practice are +more closely connected than in that of fruit-growing. Every operation of the +fruit-grower is, or should be, carried out on scientific lines and by the best +methods of propagation—pruning, cultivation, manuring, treatment of diseases, +and preservation of fruit when grown are all, directly or indirectly, the +result of scientific research. To be a successful fruit-grower in Queensland one +must therefore use one's brains as well as one's hands; the right tree must +be grown in the right kind of soil and under the right conditions; it must be +properly attended to, and the fruit, when grown, must be marketed in the best +possible condition, whether same be as fresh fruit or dried, canned, or otherwise +preserved, and whether same be destined for our local, Australian, or oversea +markets. Fruit-growing on these lines is a success in Queensland to-day, +and it is capable of considerable extension, so that, in the writer's opinion, it +offers a good field for the intending settler. Carried out in the manner +indicated, he has no hesitation in saying that Queensland is a good place in +which to start fruit-growing, that the advantages it possesses cannot be surpassed +or even equalled elsewhere, and, further, that as our seasons are the +opposite of those in countries situated on the north of the equator, our fruits +ripen in the off-seasons of similar fruit grown in those countries, and, with +our facilities for cold storage and rapid transit, can be placed on their markets +at a time that they are bare of such fruits, thus securing top prices.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus012-1400.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="296" /></div> +<div class="center">Bunch of Fruit of the Coochin York Mangosteen.</div> + +<p>Queensland has practically an unlimited area of land suitable for fruit +culture, much of which is at present in its virgin state, and is obtainable on +easy terms and at a low rate. Government land is worth on an average +£1 per acre, and privately-owned land suitable for fruit-growing can be purchased +at from 10s. to £5 per acre, according to its quality and its distance +from railway or water carriage. We have plenty of land, what we lack is +population to work it; and there is no fear of over-crowding for many years +to come. We have not only large areas of good fruit land at reasonable rates, +but the Government of Queensland, through its Department of Agriculture, is +always ready to give full information to intending settlers, to assist them in +their selection of suitable land, to advise them as to the kinds of fruit to plant, +to give practical advice in the cultivation, pruning, manuring, and general +management of the orchard as well as in the disposal or utilisation of the fruit +when grown; in short, to help the beginner to start on the right lines, so that +he will be successful.</p> + +<p>There is also little if any fear of over-extending the fruit-growing +industry, as, if it is conducted on the right lines and on sound business principles, +we can raise fruit of the highest quality at a price that will enable us +to compete in the markets of the world especially now that we have direct +and rapid communication at frequent intervals with Canada, the United States +of America, the East (Japan, Manilla, &c.), Europe, and the United Kingdom.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus013-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus013-1400.jpg" width="400" height="325" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Tamarind Fruits—Kamerunga State Nursery, Cairns.</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="QUEENSLAND_FRUIT_GROWING" id="QUEENSLAND_FRUIT_GROWING"></a>QUEENSLAND FRUIT GROWING.</h2> + + +<p>Very few persons have any idea of the magnitude or the resources of this +State of Queensland, and in no branch of agricultural industry are they more +clearly shown than in that of fruit-growing. Here, unlike the colder parts of +the world or the extreme tropics, we are not confined to the growing of particular +varieties of fruits, but, owing to our great extent of country, and its +geographical distribution, we are able to produce practically all the cultivated +fruits of the world, many of them to great perfection. There are, however, +one or two tropical fruits that are exceptions, such as the durien and +mangosteen, whose range is extremely small, and one or two of the berry +fruits of cold countries, which require a colder winter than that experienced +in any part of this State. It will, however, be seen at once that a country that +can produce such fruits as the mango, pineapple, banana, papaw, granadilla, +guava, custard apple, litchi, sour sop, cocoa nut, bread fruit, jack fruit, +monstera, alligator pear, and others of a purely tropical character; the date, +citrus fruits of all kinds, passion fruit, persimmon, olive, pecan nut, cape +gooseberry, loquat, and other fruits of a semi-tropical character, as well as the +fruits of the more temperate regions, such as the apple, pear, plum, peach, +apricot, quince, almond, cherry, fig, walnut, strawberry, mulberry, and others +of minor importance, in addition to grapes of all kinds, both for wine and table, +and of both European and American origin, offers a very wide choice of fruits +indeed to the prospective grower. Of course, it must not be thought for a +moment that all the fruits mentioned can be grown to perfection at any one +place in the State, as that would be an impossibility, but they can be grown +in some part of the State profitably and to great perfection.</p> + +<p>The law of successful fruit culture is the same here as in all other fruit-producing +countries—viz., to grow in your district only those fruits which are +particularly adapted to your soil and climate, and to let others grow those +fruits which you cannot grow, but which their conditions allow them to produce +to perfection. The intending grower must, therefore, first decide on what +fruits he wishes to grow, and when he has done so, select the district best +suited to their growth. The small map of the State shows the districts in +which certain fruits may be grown profitably, or, rather, the districts in which +they are at present being so grown; but there are many other districts in +which fruit-growing has not been attempted in commercial quantities or for +other than purely home consumption that, once the State begins to fill up with +population, are equal, if not superior, to the older fruit-growing districts, and +are capable of maintaining a large population.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus015-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus015-1400.jpg" width="400" height="229" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Typical Clean Orchard.</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CLIMATE" id="CLIMATE"></a>CLIMATE.</h2> + + +<p>As previously stated, the successful culture of fruit depends mainly on the +right kinds of fruit being grown in the right soil and climate. This naturally +brings us to the question of climate, and here one again gets an idea of the +extent of our country, as we have not one but many climates. Climate is a +matter of such vital importance to fruit-growers, and there is such a general +lack of knowledge respecting the climate of Queensland, that a little information +on this point is desirable. I am afraid that there is a very general +impression that Queensland has a climate that is only suitable for a coloured +race; that it is either in the condition of a burnt-up desert or is being flooded +out. That it is a country of droughts and floods, a country of extremes—in +fact, a very desirable place to live out of. No more erroneous idea was ever +given credence to, and, as an Englishman born, who has had many years' practical +experience on the land in England, Scotland, the United States of America, +and the various Australian States, I have no hesitation in saying that, as far +as my experience goes—and it is an experience gained by visiting nearly every +part of the State that is suited for agricultural pursuits—taken as a +whole, it is difficult to find a better or healthier climate in any other country +of equal area. Our climate has its disadvantages, no doubt, particularly our +dry spells, but show me the country that has a perfect climate. We have +disadvantages, but, at the same time, we have great advantages; advantages +that, in my opinion, outweigh our disadvantages.</p> + +<p>Our eastern seaboard, extending from the New South Wales border in the +south, a few miles to the south of the 28th degree of south latitude, to Cape +York, some 20 miles north of the 11th degree of south latitude, contains our +best districts for the growth of tropical and semi-tropical fruits. The coastal +climate, however, varies considerably, and is governed by the proximity or +otherwise of the coast ranges. When they approach the coast there is always +more rainfall, and as they recede the rainfall decreases. With one or two +exceptions, where the coastal range is a considerable distance inland, the +eastern coastal districts have a sufficient rainfall for the successful culture of +most fruits, though they are subject to a dry spell during winter and spring. +During this period of the year, the weather is extremely enjoyable; in fact, it +is hard to better it, even in our extreme North. But as summer approaches, +thunderstorms become prevalent, and are accompanied by more or less humid +conditions, which, though good for fruit-development, are not quite so enjoyable +as the drier months. Summer is our rainy season, and the rainfalls are +occasionally very heavy. The weather is warm and oppressive, particularly +in the more tropical districts; but these very conditions are those that are +best suited to the production of tropical fruits. The climate of those districts +having the heaviest summer rainfall is somewhat trying to Europeans, particularly +women, but it is by no means unhealthy, and in the hottest parts, +having the coast range nearly on the coast, there is, within a few miles, a +tableland of from 2,000 to 4,000 feet elevation, where the climate is cool and +bracing, and where the jaded man or woman can soon throw off the feeling of +lassitude brought about by the heat and humidity of the seaboard. In autumn +the weather soon cools off, drier conditions supervene, and living again becomes +a pleasure in one of the best and healthiest climates to be met with anywhere. +Practically all the district under review has a sufficient rainfall for the growth +of all fruits suitable to the climate, though there are occasionally dry spells +during spring, when a judicious watering would be a great advantage. This +does not imply a regular system of irrigation, but simply the conserving of +surplus moisture in times of plenty by means of dams across small natural +watercourses or gullies, by tanks where such do not occur, or from wells where +an available supply of underground water may be obtained. The water so +conserved will only be needed occasionally, but it is an insurance against any +possible loss or damage that might accrue to the trees during a dry spell of +extra length. So far, little has been done in coastal districts in conserving +water for fruit-growing, the natural rainfall being considered by many to be +ample; but, in the writer's opinion, it will be found to be a good investment, +as it will be the means of securing regular crops instead of an occasional +partial failure, due to lack of sufficient moisture during a critical period of the +tree's growth. The average yearly rainfall in the eastern seaboard varies from +149 inches at Geraldton to 41 inches at Bowen, the mean average being about +90 inches to the north and 49 inches to the south of Townsville. Were this fall +evenly distributed throughout the year, it would be ample for all requirements. +Unfortunately, however, it is not evenly distributed, the heavy falls taking +place during the summer months, so that there is often a dry spell of greater +or less extent during the winter and spring, during which a judicious watering +has a very beneficial effect on fruit trees, and secures a good crop for the +coming season. The rainfall shows that there is no fear of a shortage of water +at any time, the only question is to conserve the surplus for use during a +prolonged dry spell. These conditions are extremely favourable for the growth +of all tropical and semi-tropical fruits, as during our period of greater heat, +when these fruits make their greatest call for moisture, there is an abundance +of rain, and during the other portions of the year, when the call is not so +heavy, it is usually an inexpensive matter to conserve or obtain a sufficient +supply to keep the trees in the best of order. Throughout the southern half of +this seaboard frosts are not unknown on low-lying ground, but are extremely +rare on the actual coast, or at an elevation of 300 to 400 feet above the +sea, so much so that no precautions are necessary to prevent damage from +frost. We have, unlike Florida and other parts of the United States of +America—great fruit-growing districts—no killing frosts, and now, at the close +of one of the coldest winters on record, and one of the driest, nowhere have +our pineapples—fruit nor plants—been injured, except on low-lying ground, +over in the Southern part of the State, and mangoes, bananas, &c., are +uninjured.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus018-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus018-1400.jpg" width="400" height="253" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center"> Burning-off for fruit growing, Mapleton, Blackall Range.</div> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus018-2.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus018-2400.jpg" width="400" height="288" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Same land one year later. Fruit-grower's family gathering strawberries.</div> + +<p>In the more tropical North frosts are unknown on the coast, and there is +no danger to even the most delicate plants from cold.</p> + +<p>Running parallel with the coast we have a series of ranges of low mountains, +running from 2,000 feet to nearly 6,000 feet, the general height being +from 2,000 to 3,000 feet, and at the back of these ranges more or less level +tablelands, sloping generally to the west. On and adjacent to these ranges in +the Southern part of the State, there are fairly sharp frosts in winter, but the +days are warm and bright. This is the district best adapted for the growth +of deciduous fruits and vines, table varieties doing particularly well. It is a +district well adapted for mixed farming and dairying, as well as fruit-growing; +the climate is even and healthy, and is neither severe in summer nor winter. +The average rainfall is some 30 inches, and is usually sufficient, though there +are dry periods, when a judicious watering, as recommended for the coast +districts, would be of great value to fruit and vegetable growers. The more +northern end of this tableland country has a much better rainfall—some +40 inches per annum—and frosts, though they occur at times, are not common. +Here the climate is very healthy, there are no extremes of heat and cold, and, +lying as it does inland from the most trying portion of our tropical seaboard, +it forms a natural sanatorium to this part of our State.</p> + +<p>Further west the rainfall decreases, the summers are hot—a dry heat, as +distinct from the more humid heat of the coast, and much more bearable. +There are frequent frosts in winter, particularly in the Southern part of the +State. Fruit-growing is only carried on to a slight extent at present, and then +only with the help of water, but when the latter is obtainable, very good results +are obtained. Grapes do well, both wine and table, and for raisin-making. +Citrus fruits are remarkably fine, the lemons especially, being the best grown +in the State. The trees are less liable to the attack of many pests, the dryness +of the air retarding their development, if not altogether preventing their +occurrence. The date palm is quite at home here, and when planted in deep +sandy land, and supplied with sufficient water, it is a rapid grower and heavy +bearer. As an offset to the smallness of the rainfall, there is a good supply of +artesian water, distributed over a wide range of country, that can be obtained +at a reasonable rate, and that is suitable for irrigation purposes. All bore +water is not suitable for irrigation, however, as some of it is too highly +mineralised, but there are large areas of country possessing an artesian supply +of excellent quality for this purpose. It will thus be seen that we have in +Queensland, roughly, three distinct belts of fruit-growing country—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1st.—The Eastern Seaboard, and the land adjacent to it, suitable for +the growing of tropical and semi-tropical fruit;</p> + +<p>2nd.—The Coastal Tablelands, suitable for the growth of deciduous +fruits, vines, olives, and citrus fruits in parts;</p> + +<p>3rd.—The Central Tablelands, suitable for the growth of grapes, for +table and drying, dates, citrus fruits, &c., but requiring water for +irrigation to produce profitably.</p></div> + +<p>So far, I have confined my remarks mainly to the climatic side of fruit-growing, +and, before dealing with the growing of the different kinds of fruit, I +will say a few words about our fruit soils, and will deal with them in districts, +as I have endeavoured to do in the case of climate.</p> + + +<p><a name="SOILA" id="SOILA"></a><b>1st.—Soils of Eastern Seaboard, and Land adjacent to it, suitable to the +Growth of Tropical and Semi-Tropical Fruit</b>.</p> + +<p>Several distinct types of soil are found that are well adapted for fruit-growing, +but they all have one general characteristic which is a <i>sine qua non</i> +of success—viz., they must possess good natural drainage, so that there is no +danger of their becoming waterlogged or soured during periods of continued +or heavy rainfall, as these conditions are fatal to fruit culture under tropical +and semi-tropical conditions. Of such soils, the first to be considered are those +of basaltic origin. They are usually of a chocolate or rich red colour, are of +great depth, in parts more or less covered with basaltic boulders, in others +entirely free from stones. The surface soil is friable and easily worked, and +the subsoil, which is usually of a rich red colour, is easily penetrated by the +roots of trees and plants grown thereon. Occasionally the subsoil is more +compact, in which case it is not so good for fruit-tree growth, but is better +adapted for that of sugar-cane, corn, grass, &c. These basaltic soils are usually +rich, and are covered in their virgin condition with what is termed scrub—a +dense mass of vegetation closely resembling an Indian jungle. The scrub +growth is totally distinct from forest growth, which will be described later, +in that the bulk of the timber growing in it, much of which is of large size, +is of a soft nature, and once cut down soon rots away. Imagine a dense wall +of vegetation, consisting of large trees running up to 100 or 150 feet in height, +with trunks ranging from 2 to 8 feet, or even more, in diameter, and between +these trunks an impenetrable mass of smaller growths, all of the most vivid +green colours, together with innumerable vines and creepers that are suspended +from the branches of the trees, hanging in festoons, creeping palms and +bamboos, ferns and orchids of many kinds, both on the ground and growing +on the tree trunks, as well as many beautiful foliage plants only found in +hothouses in England, and you will have a faint idea of what a virgin scrub +in coastal Queensland is like. Much of the timber of the coastal scrubs is of +considerable commercial value for building purposes and furniture making, +and is, or should be, so utilised prior to felling and burning off.</p> + +<p>True scrub lands are not by any means the most difficult to clear, though +to a "new chum" the work will appear at first of a Herculean character. +Brushing the dense undergrowth and then felling the timber at a face costs +from £1 10s. to £2 per acre, according to density, size of timber, and proportion +of hardwood trees contained in it, and once this is done the fallen mass +is allowed to become thoroughly dry, when it is burnt off. A good fire is half +the battle, as the subsequent work of burning off the heavy timber left from +the first burn is comparatively light. No stumps are taken out, as the bulk +are found to rot out in a few years, and their presence in the soil is no +detriment to the planting of such crops as bananas or even citrus fruit trees. +No special preparation of the land, such as breaking up, &c., is necessary prior +to planting. Holes are dug, trees or bananas are planted, and the whole cultivation +for the first few years consists in keeping down weed growths with the +chipping hoe. Once the stumps have rotted out the plough and other implements +of culture take the place of the hoe. These soils are especially adapted +for the growth of oranges, limes, mandarins, mangoes, bananas, pineapples, +papaws, custard apples, strawberries, and cape gooseberries in the South; in +fact, for nearly every kind of tropical and semi-tropical fruit.</p> + +<p>Some basaltic soils are occasionally covered with forest in the place of +scrub, or a mixture, part scrub and part forest. Forest country, as distinct +from scrub, is open-timbered country, with little undergrowth, and no vines or +other creepers. The timbers are also, as a rule, very hard, and the stumps +will not rot out. Such land, when at all heavily timbered, is much harder to +clear and get ready for fruit-growing than true scrub, as all timber must be +felled and burnt off, and all stumps and roots taken out, so that the land can +be thoroughly broken up and brought into a good state of tilth prior to planting. +These soils are suitable to the growth of similar fruits to the true scrubs, +but, as a rule, they are not as rich. The second class of soils suitable to fruit-growing +are of alluvial origin, and are of a sandy, loamy nature, of fair depth. +They are usually met with along our creeks and rivers, or in the deltas of our +rivers. In their virgin state they are either covered with scrub or forest, or a +mixture of both, but the growth is seldom as strong as on the red volcanic soils. +Heavy alluvial soils are not suitable for fruit culture, and are much more +valuable for the growth of farm crops, but the light sandy loams and free +loams of medium character suit all kinds of fruit to perfection. These soils +usually are easy to work. They retain moisture well when well worked, and +frequently they are capable of being irrigated, either from adjacent creeks or +rivers, or by water from wells. These soils are some of our best for citrus +fruits, and are well adapted for the growth of pineapples and bananas, as well +as most other tropical fruits, when free from frosts. The third class of soils are +free sandy loams, either scrub or forest. They are of various colours, and +range in texture from light sandy loams to medium loams; they possess excellent +drainage, and though, when covered with forest, they are not naturally +rich, they make excellent fruit soils, and respond rapidly to systematic cultivation +and manuring. They are usually of sandstone or granitic origin, and, +when covered with scrub in the first place, grow good crops for the first few +years, when they become more or less exhausted in one or more available plant +foods, and require manuring. These soils, like the sandy alluvial loams, are +easy to work, retain moisture well when kept in a state of perfect tilth, and +respond readily to manuring. They will grow all kinds of fruits when free +from frost. There are other soils on which fruit can be grown, but those +mentioned represent those most suitable. The land on which these soils occur +is often much broken, particularly in rich scrub country; it is fairly level when +of alluvial origin, and more or less rolling, as a rule, when of a sandy loamy +nature. High, ridgy, free, loamy country is usually the most free from frost, +and alluvial flats the most liable to it.</p> + + +<p><a name="SOILB" id="SOILB"></a><b>2nd.—Soils of the Coastal Tablelands, suitable for the Growth of +Deciduous Fruit.</b></p> + +<p>Starting from the Southern part of the State, adjoining the New South +Wales border, the fruit soils are all of granitic origin. The country is much +broken, but between the ridges and along the creek flats there is a considerable +area possessing soils varying from a coarse, granitic, gritty soil to a fine granitic +soil; that on the creeks of an alluvial nature, but still granitic. These soils +vary considerably in quality, but are, as a rule, easy to work and retain +moisture well. They are covered with open forest and are particularly adapted +to the growth of apples, plums, peaches, and grapes, though other deciduous +fruits are grown but not to the same excellence as those mentioned. Proceeding +north the fruit soils are either sandy loams or loams of a brownish colour +of volcanic origin. The former are suitable for almonds and wine grapes, and +the latter for peaches, apricots, pears, apples, and especially olives. Further +north a few of these fruits may be grown on loamy soils, together with citrus +fruits, but, commercially, deciduous fruits are confined to the southern end of +this district, the winter temperature being too high for their successful growth +further north, as the trees get no winter rest, hence do not mature their fruit-bearing +wood properly.</p> + + +<p><a name="SOILC" id="SOILC"></a><b>3rd.—Soils of the Central Tablelands, suitable to the Growth of Grapes, +Dates, Citrus Fruits, Etc</b>.</p> + +<p>At the Southern end of the State the fruit soils are all of a sandy nature. +Nothing else is used in any quantity, as sandy soils alone will retain sufficient +moisture for the growth of grapes and fruit trees during dry spells, and even +then only when kept well and deeply worked. Further north, where suitable +artesian water is available, the best fruit soils are also free loams of a sandy +nature, either alluvial or open forest soils, but deep, and possessing perfect +drainage, as irrigation on land without good natural drainage is fatal to fruit +culture. These sandy loams are also easy to work; though by no means rich, +they, on account of their depth, grow good crops of fruit by means of irrigation, +and the fruit, such as dates, oranges, lemons, grapes, &c., is of very fine +quality. The fruit soils of this district are covered either with open forest—the +trees being of comparatively small size—or with a scrubby undergrowth +through which a few larger trees are scattered. Nearly all the timber of this +district is extremely hard, is more or less stunted, and burns readily, hence +clearing is not a very expensive item.</p> + +<p>Having now given a very brief description of our climate and the fruit-soils +in our principal fruit-producing centres, we will next consider the culture +of those fruits which are grown in commercial quantities in the different parts +of the State, as well as that of a few less well-known fruits which show +especial promise. We will first deal with our tropical fruits, of which the first +to be considered is the banana, as its production greatly exceeds that of any +other tropical fruit, and, as far as Australia is concerned, this is the only State +in which it is grown in commercial quantities. From tropical fruits we will +go on to semi-tropical fruits, then to temperate fruits and vines.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_BANANA" id="THE_BANANA"></a>THE BANANA.</h2> + +<p>Under the heading of "Banana," all kinds of plantains will also be +included, as they belong to one and the same family. The members of this +family of plants are all tropical, and produce the most typical and best known +tropical fruits.</p> + +<p>The rank luxuriance of the growth of this class of fruits, their handsome +foliage, their productiveness, their high economic value as food, and their +universal distribution throughout the tropics, all combine to place them in a +premier position. As a food it is unequalled amongst fruits, as no matter +whether it is used green as a vegetable, ripe as a fruit, dried and ground into +flour, or preserved in any other way, it is one of the most wholesome and +nutritious of foods for human consumption. It is a staple article of diet in +all tropical countries, and the stems of several varieties make an excellent +food for all kinds of stock.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus024-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus024-1400.jpg" width="400" height="275" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Cavendish Bananas on scrub land, Buderim Mountain.</div> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus025-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus025-1400.jpg" width="400" height="241" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Cavendish Bananas at Woombye on newly cleared land.</div> + +<p>In Queensland, the culture of bananas is confined to the frostless belts of +the eastern seaboard, as it is a plant that is extremely susceptible to cold, and +is injured by the lightest frosts. It is grown in favourable locations in the +South, where it produces excellent fruit, but its cultivation is much greater in +the North, where the rainfall is heavier and the average annual temperature +greater. In the Southern part of the State its cultivation is entirely in the +hands of white growers, who have been growing it on suitable soil in suitable +localities for the past fifty years or even more. I recently saw an old plantation +that was set out over twenty years ago, and the present plants are still +strong and healthy, and bearing good bunches of well-filled fruit, so that there +is no question as to the suitability of the soil or climate. Bananas do best on +rich scrub land, and it is no detriment to their growth if it is more or less +covered with stones as long as there is sufficient soil to set the young plants. +Shelter from heavy or cold winds is an advantage, and the plants thrive better +under these conditions than when planted in more exposed positions. Bananas +are frequently the first crop planted in newly burnt off scrub land, as they do +not require any special preparation of such land, and the large amount of ash +and partially burnt and decomposed vegetable mould provide an ample supply +of food for the plants' use. Bananas are rank feeders, so that this abundance +of available plant food causes a rapid growth, fine plants, and correspondingly +large bunches of fruit. Though newly burnt off scrub land is the best for this +fruit, it can be grown successfully in land that has been under cultivation for +many years, provided that the land is rich enough naturally, or its fertility is +maintained by judicious green and other manuring. In newly burnt off scrub +land all that is necessary is, to dig holes 15 to 18 inches in diameter, and about +2 feet deep, set the young plants in it, and partly fill in the hole with good top +soil. The young plant, which consists of a sucker taken from an older plant, +will soon take root and grow rapidly under favourable conditions, producing its +first bunch in from ten to twelve months after planting. At the same time that +it is producing its first bunch it will send up two or more suckers at the base of +the parent plant, and these in turn will bear fruit, and so on. After bearing, +the stalk that has produced the bunch of fruit is cut down; if this is not done +it will die down, as its work has been completed, and other suckers take its +place. Too many suckers should not be allowed to grow or the plants will +become too crowded, and be consequently stunted and produce small bunches. +All the cultivation that is necessary is the keeping down of weed growth, and +this, once the plants occupy the whole of the land, is not a hard matter. A +plantation is at its best when about three years old, but remains profitable +for six years or longer; in fact, there are many plantations still bearing good +fruit that have been planted from twelve to twenty years. Small-growing or +dwarf kinds, such as the Cavendish variety, are planted at from 12 to 16 feet +apart each way, but large-growing bananas, such as the Sugar and Lady's +Finger, require from 20 to 25 feet apart each way, as do the stronger-growing +varieties of plantain. Plantains are not grown to any extent in Queensland, +and our principal varieties are those already mentioned, the Cavendish variety +greatly predominating. In the North, the cultivation of this latter variety is +carried out on an extensive scale, principally by Chinese gardeners, who send +the bulk of their produce to the Southern States of the Commonwealth. The +industry supports a large number of persons other than the actual producers +of the fruit, and forms one of our principal articles of export from the North. +As many as 20,000 or more large bunches of bananas frequently leave by a +single steamer for the South, and the bringing of this quantity to the port of +shipment gives employment to a number of men on tram lines and small +coastal steamers. The shipment of a heavy cargo of bananas presents a very +busy scene that is not soon forgotten, the thousands of bunches of fruit that are +either piled up on the wharf or that are being unloaded from railway trucks, +small steamers or sometimes Chinese junks, forming such a mass of fruit that +one often wonders how it is possible to consume it all before it becomes over-ripe. +Still, it is consumed, or, at any rate, the greater portion of it is, as it is +the universal fruit of the less wealthy portion of the community, the price at +which it can be sold being so low that it is within the reach of everyone. A +banana garden in full bearing is a very pretty sight, the thousands of plants, +each with their one or more bunches of fruit, as, where there are several stems +it is not at all uncommon to find two or more bunches of fruit in different +states of development on the same plant, forming a mass of vegetation that +must be seen to be appreciated. This is the case even with dwarf-growing +kinds, but with strong-growing varieties, such as the Lady's Finger, the +growth is so excessive that the wonder is, how the soil can support it.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus026-1400.jpg" width="370" height="281" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Twenty-dozen Bunch, Buderim Mountain.</div> + +<p>Bananas do remarkably well in Queensland, and there is practically an +unlimited area of country suitable for their culture, much of which is at present +in a state of Nature. Only the more easily accessible lands have been worked +and of these only the richest. Manuring is unknown in most parts, and as soon +as the plantation shows signs of deterioration it is abandoned, and a fresh one +planted out in new land, the land previously under crop with bananas being +either planted in sugar-cane or allowed to run to grass. This is certainly a +very wasteful method of utilising our land, and the time will come, sooner or +later, when greater care will have to be given to it, and that once land has +become impoverished by banana culture, it will have to be put under a suitable +rotation of crops, so as to fit it for being again planted to bananas. The +trouble is, as I have already stated, we have too much land and too few people +to work it, hence, so far, we are unable to use it to anything like the best +advantage. During the year 1904 the production of bananas in Queensland +was some 2,000,000 bunches, and when it is considered that each bunch will +average about 12 dozen fruit, it will be seen that already we are producing +a very large quantity. There is, however, plenty of room for extension, and +any quantity of available country, but before this extension can be profitable, +steps will have to be taken to utilise the fruit in a manner other than its +consumption as fresh fruit, and this in itself will mean the opening up of new +industries and the employment of a considerable amount of labour. I have +mentioned 12 dozen as being the average quantity of fruit per bunch, but it +is frequently much more than this, and I have often seen bunches of 25 to +30 dozen fine fruit grown on strong young plants on rich new land. Although +the industry in the North is now almost entirely in the hands of Chinese +gardeners, there is no reason whatever why it should not be run by white +growers, as is done in the South, and there is no question that our white-grown +bananas in the South compare more than favourably with the Northern +Chinese-grown article, despite the fact that the latter has every advantage +in climate and an abundance of virgin soil. Most of the photos of bananas +are, I am sorry to say, not by any means typical of this industry, as they +have been taken during the off-season, when the plants look ragged and are +showing little new growth, and the bunches also are much smaller than usual. +Still, I hope that the illustrations will give some idea of the growing and +handling of this crop, and will show what a banana plant and its bunch are +like.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus027-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus027-1400.jpg" width="400" height="240" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Bananas for shipment at Innisfail.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_PINEAPPLE" id="THE_PINEAPPLE"></a>THE PINEAPPLE.</h2> + + +<p>If there is one fruit that Queensland can grow to perfection, it is +undoubtedly the pineapple. This is not merely my own personal opinion, but +is the universal admission of all who are qualified to judge. On many occasions +I have taken men thoroughly conversant with pineapple-growing, and who +knew what a good fruit really is, through some of our plantations, where I +have given them fruit to test, and, without exception, they have had no hesitation +in saying that they have never tasted better fruit. Our fruit has a firmness, +freedom from fibre, and a flavour that is hard to beat. It is an excellent +canning fruit, superior in this respect to the Singapore article, which it surpasses +in flavour. This is admitted by English and European buyers, and its +superiority is bound eventually to result in a great increase in canning and the +establishment of large works run on thoroughly up-to-date lines.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus029-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus029-1400.jpg" width="400" height="242" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Picking Pines for market—Woombye District.</div> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus031-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus031-1400.jpg" width="400" height="231" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Pineapple Plantation—showing plants of different ages—Woombye, North Coast Line.</div> + +<p>Like the banana, the pineapple is a tropical fruit, and is very sensitive +to cold, hence its culture is confined to frostless districts. It is grown all +along our eastern seaboard, where, when planted in suitable soils and under +suitable conditions, it is, undoubtedly, our hardiest fruit, and is practically +immune from any serious disease. Its culture is entirely in the open, no shelter +whatever being given, so that we are not put to the great expense that growers +of this fruit in Florida and some other pineapple-producing countries must +incur if they wish to secure a crop. Here we have no severe freeze-outs, and, +though dry spells retard the growth at times, we have never suffered any serious +injury from this cause. In the Southern part of the State, the coolness of the +winter retards growth somewhat, and occasionally the tops of the leaves and +young fruit are slightly injured, particularly in low-lying land, or where the +plants are growing on land having a cold subsoil. When grown under more +favourable conditions, however, they sustain no injury, and produce fruit, more +or less, all the year round. Pines are always in season, though there are times +when they are comparatively scarce. There are usually two main crops a year—viz., +a summer and a winter crop. The former is the heavier of the two, and +the fruit is decidedly the best, as its sugar contents are much higher. The +main summer crop ripens in the North from the beginning of November, and +in the South from January to as late as March in some seasons. The main +winter crop is usually at its best in July and August, but there is always more +or less fruit during the other months of the year. The pineapple likes a warm, +free, well-drained soil, that is free from frost in winter, and that will not +become soured by heavy rain during summer. Sandy loams are, therefore, our +best pineapple soils, though it does well on free loams of basaltic or alluvial +origin. Unlike the banana, the pineapple does not do too well in newly burnt +off scrub land, owing to the difficulty in working the ground and keeping it +clean. It requires a thorough preparation of the soil prior to planting in order +to be grown to perfection. In the case of new land of suitable texture, the +timber should all be burnt off, and all stumps and roots taken out of the soil, +which should then be carefully broken up and reduced to a fine tilth, all weed or +grass growth being destroyed. It should then be again ploughed, and, if +possible, subsoiled, so as to permit of the roots penetrating the ground to a fair +depth instead of their merely depending on the few top inches of surface soil. +Careful preparation of the land and deep stirring prior to planting will be +found to pay well, and turn out far the cheapest in the end. Given suitable soil, +well prepared, the growing of pineapples is not at all difficult, as the plants +soon take root, and once they became established, they prove themselves to be +extremely hardy. Pines will grow and thrive on comparatively poor soil, provided +it is of suitable texture, but in such soils it is necessary to supplement the +plant food in the soil by the addition of manures, if large fruit and heavy crops +are to be obtained. Pineapples are propagated by means of suckers coming +from the base of fruit-bearing plants, or from smaller suckers, or, as they +are termed, robbers or gill sprouts that start from the fruiting stem just at +the base of the fruit. They are also sometimes propagated by means of the +crown, but this method is usually considered too slow. Well-developed suckers +are usually preferred, as these come into bearing earliest, but equally good, +if not better, returns are obtained by planting gill sprouts. The latter have +the advantage in that they always develop a good root system before showing +signs of fruit, hence their first crop is always a good one, and the fruit is +of the best, whereas suckers sometimes start flowering as soon as they are +planted, before they are properly established, with the result that the first +fruit is small and inferior, and the plants have to throw out fresh suckers +before a good crop is produced. Gill sprouts are slower in coming into bearing +than suckers, but the results are usually more satisfactory. Like the banana, +once a pineapple plant has borne fruit the fruiting stalk dies down, and its +place is taken by one or more suckers, which in their turn bear fruit and die. +Pineapples are planted in Queensland in several ways, but by far the most +common method is to set the suckers out in single or double rows, from 8 to +9 feet apart, with the plants at from 1 to 2 feet apart in the row. The rows +soon increase in width by the growth of suckers, and the throwing up of +ratoons—surface roots thrown off from the original plant, which send up plants +from below the ground as distinct from suckers, which come from the base or +even higher up the stem of a fruiting plant. It is not at all an uncommon +thing to see the rows grown together, so that the plantation appears to be a +solid mass of plants, but pathways have to be kept between the rows to permit +of gathering the fruit, manuring, &c. Pineapples have been grown in the +Brisbane district for the past sixty years, and I have been shown beds of +plants that have not been replanted for over forty years that are still producing +good fruit. This shows how well at home this fruit is with us; but, in my +opinion, it is not desirable to keep the plants so long in the same ground, as +the finest fruit is always obtained from comparatively young plantations, the +older ones producing too large a proportion of small fruit. From the Brisbane +district this fruit has spread all over the eastern coast, and its production is +increasing rapidly in several districts. Once the pine is planted, its cultivation +is comparatively simple. If in single or double rows, all weed growth is kept +down between the plants, and the ground between the rows is kept in a state of +good cultivation by means of ploughing or cultivating, the soil being worked +towards the rows so as to encourage the formation of suckers low down on the +fruiting plants. Manure is given when necessary, the manure being worked +in on either side of the rows.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus033-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus033-1400.jpg" width="400" height="245" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Smooth-leaved Cayenne Pines in fruit, planted 15 months, Woombye District.</div> + +<p>The pineapple comes into bearing early, and, except where suckers throw +fruit as soon as planted, bear their first crop in from twelve to twenty months, +according to the type of suckers planted and the time of year at which they +are set. Practically every sucker will produce a fruit at the first fruiting, and +these will be followed by succeeding crops, borne on the successive crops of +suckers, so that when the whole of the ground is occupied by plants, the returns +are very heavy. One thousand dozen marketable fruits is by no means an +unusual crop for Queen pines in a plantation in full bearing, and, taking these +at an average of 2½ lb. each, you get a return of 30,000 lb., or 15 tons +American per acre. The illustrations herewith give a good general idea of +the usual method of growing pines, and the method of handling and marketing, +as well as of the nature of the country on which they are grown. The illustrations +are mostly of smooth-leaved pines, which bear a fruit averaging from +6 to 8 lb. each, but occasionally running up to as much as 14 to 16 lb., though +the latter is an extreme weight. The single pine shown is just under 12 lb. +Several kinds of pines are grown, which are generally classified into roughs +and smooths. The rough, or rough-leaved pines, such as the Common Queen +and Ripley Queen, and local seedlings raised from them, are very prolific, and +though not equal in size and appearance to the smooth-leaved Cayenne, our +principal smooth-leaved kind, are usually considered to be of superior flavour, +and to be better for canning or preserving. Rough pines run up to as much as +6 lb. weight each, but this is uncommon, the best average I have met with +being about 4 lb. per pine, and they were exceptionally good. The price at +which this fruit sells here seems absurd to those living in cold countries, who +are accustomed to look upon it as a luxury only found on the tables of the +wealthy, as good rough-leaved pines are worth about 1s. per dozen during +the summer season, and smooth-leaved pines from 1s. 6d. to 2s. 6d. a dozen. +Prices are certainly higher during the off-season, but growers would be well +satisfied to get 1s. per dozen for rough pines all the year round. I have no +hesitation in saying that pines can be grown at a profit at from £3 to £4 per +ton, so that the cost of growing is so low that there is nothing to prevent us +from canning the fruit and selling it at a price that will defy competition.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus035-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus035-1400.jpg" width="246" height="400" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Pineapple Plantation—Pines packed for market, and showing fruit-grower's home, +Woombye District.</div> + +<p>Pineapple-growing has been a very profitable industry, particularly in the +older plantations of the Brisbane district, and still continues to be so in many +places despite the fact that prices are much lower now than they were some +years since. The plantations from which the illustrations are taken are comparatively +new ones, the land having been in its virgin state from six to eight +years ago, and, as shown, some is only now being cleared. The owners of the +plantations started without capital, and, by dint of hard work and perseverance, +are now reaping an excellent return of some £50 per acre net profit. +This is by no means an isolated example, but is one that is typical of what can +be done, and has therefore been chosen. There is a great opening for the +culture of this fruit in Queensland, and its cultivation is capable of being +extended to a practically unlimited extent. We have a large amount of land +suitable for the growth of this fruit that is available in different parts of the +State, much of it at very reasonable rates, so that there is no difficulty in this +direction for anyone wishing to make a start. It is an industry from which +returns are quickly obtained, and is a branch of fruit-growing that holds out +strong inducements and every prospect of success to intending growers. At +present our production is about sufficient for our presently existing markets, +but there is nothing to prevent these markets being widely extended. Our +present means of utilising our surplus fruits, by canning or otherwise preserving +same, are by no means as complete or up to date as they should be, and +before they can become so, it is necessary to greatly increase our output. Small +works cost too much to run as compared with large canning establishments, +hence we are not yet in a position to make the most of our fruit. With +increased production we will have an increase in the facilities for utilising the +fruit. This requires labour, and there is right here an opening for many +industrious workers, a business that I have no doubt will pay from the start, a +business of which we have the Australian monopoly, and in which there is no +reason that I can see in which we should not compete satisfactorily in the +markets of the world.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus037-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus037-1400.jpg" width="400" height="243" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Pineapple Plantation—Showing method of growing the fruit, Woombye District.</div> + +<p>Queensland possesses many advantages respecting the growth of this fruit +as compared with other countries in which it is grown commercially, which +may be briefly enumerated as follows:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1st.—Freedom from loss by freeze-outs;</p> + +<p>2nd.—The ease with which the fruit can be grown, and its freedom from +disease;</p> + +<p>3rd.—The large area of land suitable to its culture, and the low price at +which suitable land can be obtained;</p> + +<p>4th.—The fine quality of the fruit;</p> + +<p>5th.—The superiority of our fruit for canning purposes;</p> + +<p>6th.—The low price at which it can be produced, and the heavy crops +that can be grown.</p></div> + +<p>These are enough reasons to show that in the pineapple we have a fruit well +suited to our soil and climate, a fruit in the cultivation of which there is room +for great extension, and which will provide a living for many industrious +settlers.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus038-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus038-1400.jpg" width="400" height="246" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Rough-leaved Pines, Redland Bay District.</div> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus039-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus039-1400.jpg" width="400" height="238" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Pineapple Plantation—On virgin soil, showing scrub land at back being cleared for fruit growing, Woombye District.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_MANGO" id="THE_MANGO"></a>THE MANGO.</h2> + + +<p>This magnificent fruit, which is practically unknown outside of the tropics, +has become as hardy as a forest tree throughout our eastern seaboard, wherever +it is planted out of frost. It has been named, and well named too, the apple +of Queensland, as it stands as much neglect, and can be grown with as little +care and attention as, or even less, than that given to the apple-trees in many +of the Somerset or Devonshire orchards. It will not, however, stand frost. +Droughts and floods have little effect on it; it will grow in any soil, from a +sand to a heavy loam, amongst rocks, or on a gravelly or shaley land. +Naturally, it does best in good land, but there are hundreds of cases where +trees are doing well and bearing heavily on land that is by no means fruit +land. The mango is one of our handsomest fruit trees; the symmetry of its +growth, its large glossy leaves, the delicate colouring of its young growth, +which is of different shades in different varieties, the abundance of fruit that it +produces, varying in colour from dull-green to yellow, red, or even purplish +tints, all render it conspicuous. As well as being one of our handsomest, it +is also one of our most widely distributed fruits, being found growing luxuriantly +the whole length of our eastern seaboard. A few trees are also to be met +with inland in districts that are free from frosts, so that it stands both the dry +heat of the interior and the humid heat of the coast. As a tropical fruit it +naturally reaches its greatest perfection under our most tropical conditions, +the trees there growing practically wild, requiring little if any attention, +making a rapid growth, coming into bearing early, and producing heavy crops +of fruit. Further south the growth is somewhat slower, though the trees grow +to a large size and bear heavily. It is one of the easiest of trees to grow, as +it is readily propagated by means of seed. In many plantations thousands of +young seedlings may often be seen growing under the old trees, the seeds +having taken root without even having been planted. In most cases it is +propagated from seed, the stones of fruit showing especial merit being planted +either in a nursery, or, better, still, where the tree is to remain permanently, as +it usually does better when so planted than when grown in a nursery and thence +transplanted to its permanent location. The land should be well worked prior +to planting, and the young trees require to be kept free from weeds and undergrowth +till such time as they occupy the whole of the ground, when they are +able to look after themselves, and require no further attention, at any rate in +the warmer parts. It is not at all uncommon to come across a mango-tree, in +full bearing, in vigorous health, that is growing wild, the result of a stone that +has been thrown away by someone who has eaten the fruit. The young tree +has not only been able to hold its own against all kinds of indigenous growths, +but has developed into a vigorous, healthy tree, thus showing that it is perfectly +at home, and that the soil and climate of Queensland suit it to perfection. +The fact that by far the greater portion of our mango-trees have been grown +from seed has resulted in the production of innumerable varieties, many of +which are of decidedly inferior quality, as one never knows when planting the +seed what the resultant fruit is going to be like. One is more likely to get +good fruit by planting the seeds from selected fruit of the highest quality, but +is by no means certain to do so, as a number of seeds always revert to inferior +types. This has had a bad effect on our mango industry, and has been apt +to give the fruit as a class a bad name, so much so that we find it difficult +to get our Southern neighbours to take to it at all readily. I can quite understand +anyone, whose first experience of a mango is that of an inferior fruit, +full of fibre, and having a distinctly disagreeable flavour, condemning the +particular fruit, but because there are inferior fruits one should not condemn +the whole without knowing what a really good mango is like.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus041-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus041-1400.jpg" width="400" height="265" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Mango Trees, Port Douglas.</div> + +<p>We have many good mangoes in Queensland, but only a few that are +really first-class, and of the latter I have yet to meet the man or woman, who +is a fruit-eater, who does not appreciate their exquisite flavour, and who does +not consider them worthy to rank with any of the finest fruits. By many a +really fine mango is considered to be the king of fruits, and I am not at all +certain that they are not right, but, at the same time, a really bad mango is +indescribably bad.</p> + +<p>The mango grows to a large size here, even when comparatively young. +I know trees over 50 feet in height, having a spread of the branches of more +than 60 feet, a main trunk nearly 3 feet in diameter, that are under thirty +years old, and that have borne from 1 to 2 tons of fruit for a single crop. +Hundreds of tons of fruit go to waste annually for want of a market, or are +consumed by farm animals, as the consumption of the fruit is practically confined +to this State, and the production is greater than we can consume, despite +the fact that mangoes are in season from the end of September to March, and +that they are a favourite fruit with all who have acquired a liking for them. +In addition to the consumption of the fruit in its fresh state, a quantity is +converted into chutney, but this is so small that it has no appreciable effect +on the crop as a whole. The unripe fruit makes an excellent substitute for +apples, and is used stewed or for pies or tarts, and when sliced and dried it may +be stored and used in a similar manner to dried apples.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus043-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus043-1400.jpg" width="400" height="293" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Mango Tree near Brisbane.</div> + +<p>In addition to its value as a fruit, the mango forms a handsome ornamental +tree, and one that provides a good shade for stock. It is very free +from disease, as with the exception of one or two species of scale insects, which +do not cause any very serious damage, it has few serious pests. It is a fruit +that is bound sooner or later to come into more general favour, particularly +when the qualities of the finer varieties are better known. Until quite recently +it was considered to be one of the most difficult trees to propagate by means +of grafting or budding, hence its propagation has been practically confined to +raising it from seed, but now we have found out how to work it by means of +plate-budding, and are able to perpetuate our best sorts true to kind. This is +sure to lead to a general improvement of our existing varieties, as old trees +can be worked over by this means, or young trees of approved kinds can be +grown in a nursery and distributed.</p> + +<p>The fruit is very wholesome, is much appreciated by all who have acquired +a taste for it, can be used fresh or dry, ripe or unripe, and cans well. It is a +great addition to our list of purely tropical fruits, and finds a place in all +orchards or gardens where it is capable of being grown.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<h2><a name="THE_MANGOSTEEN" id="THE_MANGOSTEEN"></a>THE MANGOSTEEN.</h2> + + +<p>Many attempts have been made during past years to introduce this +delicious fruit into Queensland, but these always resulted in failure. +True, a certain variety of mangosteen has been successfully grown at +Port Douglas, also on the Lower Burdekin, and rumours of the existence +of the true Java mangosteen (<i>Garcinia mangostana</i>) have been received, +but, in nearly every case, they have, on investigation, proved to be +<i>Garcinia xanthochymus</i>, or some other species. At the Kamerunga State +Nursery, however, trees of undoubted parentage were successfully raised. +It is said that a thriving young plant, which is unquestionably <i>G. mangostana</i>, +is owned by Mr. Banfield, of Dunk Island. The records of the +Kamerunga Nursery show that in October, 1891, a quantity—about 100—of +ripe mangosteen fruit was received from the Batavian agency by +the then manager, Mr. Ebenezer Cowley, from which some 600 seeds +were obtained. Of these, only a few germinated. The next mention is +of the distribution, in February, 1892, of six plants to an applicant on +the Mossman, and of two more in May of that year. Since then several +young trees have been raised at the nursery, and one of them, in January, +1913, fruited for the first time for twenty-two years, and is the first to +have done so in this State. Some of the fruit was sent to the Department +of Agriculture and Stock, and proved to be fully equal to those of Java. +A full history of the mangosteen and of its introduction into Queensland +is given in "The Queensland Agricultural Journal" (vol. xxx., June +and July, 1913). The photographs were taken from the original fruit.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus045-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus045-1400.jpg" width="171" height="400" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Fruit of Mangosteen.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_PAPAW" id="THE_PAPAW"></a>THE PAPAW.</h2> + + +<p>Continuing our list of tropical fruits, we now come to the papaw, one of +our most wholesome and useful fruits. It is grown all along our eastern +seaboard in situations that are free from frost. It comes into bearing early, +and is a heavy cropper. Like the other tropical fruits already described, it +does best in our warmer parts, coming to maturity earlier, and producing +better fruit. In many of the Northern coastal scrubs it is often met with +growing wild, and producing fruit in abundance, the seeds from which the trees +have been produced having been dropped by birds or distributed by other +natural agencies. The papaw fruit resembles a rock melon somewhat in shape +and flavour, the fruit being produced in the axil of the leaves all along the main +stem, where they are clustered thickly together. The tree does best on well-drained +soils, and is very sensitive to the presence of clay or stagnant water +at the roots, hence it usually does best on scrub land or land well supplied +with humus. It is propagated entirely from seed, which grows readily in such +soils, and under favourable conditions will bear its first fruit when about ten to +twelve months old, and continue to bear for three or four years or even longer. +When the trees becomes old, however, the fruit decreases in size and deteriorates +in quality, so that it is necessary to plant a number yearly in order to keep up +a regular supply. It is a very handsome tree, with large spreading leaves on +long stems, beneath which is its cluster of fruit—as many as 100 fruits being +sometimes found in different stages of development on the one plant. The +fruit ranges in size from 2 lb. to some 6 lb. in weight, and when ripe it is +of a greenish-yellow or sometimes orange colour. The flesh is yellow, and when +quite ripe it is moderately juicy, and of a flavour that it not always appreciated +at first, but which one soon becomes very partial to. It more nearly resembles +the flavour of a rock melon than that of any other fruit, and the seeds, which +are found clustered in the centre of the fruit, have a flavour that closely +resembles that of seeds of the nasturtium. Both the seeds and the fruit +contain an active principle called papain, which is really a vegetable pepsin, +that has the effect of greatly assisting in the assimilation of all food with +which it is eaten, hence it is a valuable remedy in the case of dyspepsia, and +persons who take the fruit regularly are never subject to this exceedingly +troublesome disease. The fruit can be used both as a vegetable and as a +fruit, the former in its green state, when it is boiled and served with melted +butter, resembles a vegetable marrow or squash, but is superior to either of +these vegetables. As a fruit it is either used by itself, or in conjunction with +other fruits it forms the basis of a fruit salad. It is largely used in the North, +and its cultivation is steadily spreading South, as its valuable properties are +becoming better known. Its cultivation is very simple. The seeds are either +planted where the tree is to remain, or are raised in a bed and transplanted +to their permanent position in the orchard when strong enough to stand +shifting, care being taken to select a dull moist day. The young plants are +protected from the sun for a few days till they have become established, after +which all that is necessary is to keep down weeds and to work the soil round +them, taking care not to injure the roots. A good mulch of decomposed +vegetable matter round the plants is an advantage, but they are usually so +easily grown that little extra care is given to them. The papaw bears male +and female flowers, which may be on the same trees, but are usually on +different trees, so that it is usual to speak of male and female trees. This is, +however, a mistake, as according to Bailey the plant is polygamous—that is +to say, male, female, or hermaphrodite flowers may be found on the same or +on distinct plants. The male flowers are usually on long scantily-branched +auxiliary panicles, whereas the female flowers are mostly in the axils of the +leaves close to the stem. The two trees are not distinguishable from each +other till they come into flower, hence it is advisable to set the young plants +fairly close together—say, 6 feet apart—and thin out the male trees when +same can be distinguished by their blossoms.</p> + +<p>Besides its use as a fruit and vegetable, the papaw makes a fair conserve +and an excellent sauce, and its medicinal principle, "papain," is an article of +commerce.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus047-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus047-1400.jpg" width="241" height="400" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Papaw in fruit, near Brisbane.</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_COCOA-NUT" id="THE_COCOA-NUT"></a>THE COCOA-NUT.</h2> + + +<p>Although this palm can be grown for ornamental purposes as far south as +Brisbane, its cultivation on commercial lines will be confined to the coast +district north of Townsville, and to the islands off the coast, as, in order to +develop its fruit to perfection, it requires a tropical climate. Where the climate +is suitable it does well, it makes a rapid growth, and bears heavy crops of nuts. +Old palms on the beach at Cairns compare favourably with any growing in +the South Seas, and I am of opinion that its culture in commercial quantities +on suitable land will be found profitable. The cocoa-nut palm does best right +on or adjacent to the seashore, in comparatively poor sandy soil—soil that is +usually of little value for general crops, though it will grow mangoes well. +So far, it is not grown in any large numbers, and although there is a ready +sale for the ripe nuts, there is no attempt to make copra or to utilise the coir. +Copra is the dried flesh of the nut, from which oil is extracted, and is largely +used in the manufacture of soap, candles, &c., the refuse left after the oil has +been extracted being used for cattle feed. Coir is the fibre surrounding the +nut, and is used for the manufacture of matting, door mats, &c.</p> + +<p>There is a considerable area of land suitable to the culture of this fruit +on our Northern coast, which is at present lying idle, that, in my opinion, can +be turned to a profitable use by planting it in cocoa-nuts as, in addition to +utilising land otherwise of little value, we would be building up a new industry. +The trees come into bearing in about eight years after planting the seed, and +will continue to produce crops for many years without any attention. Care +will have to be given for the first few years, whilst the plants are small, +to keep down undergrowth and to prevent fires from running through the +plantation, but, once fairly established, the plants will look after themselves. +A cocoa-nut plantation gives a distinctly tropical look to the district in which +it is grown, and the palms, particularly when young, are very ornamental; when +old the long bare stems detract somewhat from the beauty of the top. It is a +palm that I believe has a good future before it in the North, and for that +reason I have included it amongst our tropical fruits, though it is cultivated +at present more as an ornamental plant than as an article of commerce.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus049-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus049-1400.jpg" width="400" height="276" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Cocoa-nut Palms, Port Douglas.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_GRANADILLA" id="THE_GRANADILLA"></a>THE GRANADILLA.</h2> + + +<p>A vine, belonging to the natural order Passifloreæ, that produces one of +our most delicious tropical fruits. The papaw and the passion fruit belong +to this same order. It can be grown all along our eastern seaboard, but comes +to greatest perfection in the North. The fruit is of a pale greenish-yellow +colour, cylindrical in shape, and varies in weight from about 1 to 5 lb., the +largest fruits being produced on a sub-species. The fruit consists of an outer +pulpy covering, which can be used for cooking if desired, which surrounds a +cavity filled with seeds which are encased in a jelly-like mass. This is the +portion eaten, and to use an Americanism, "It is not at all hard to take." It +is either eaten by itself, or is used in conjunction with papaw and other fruits +to make a fruit salad, a dish that is fit for the food of the gods, and once taken +is never forgotten.</p> + +<p>The granadilla is easily grown from seed, and the plants are trained on an +overhead trellis, the fruit hanging down on the underside. It is a heavy +bearer, and once planted requires little attention. It requires a free, warm soil, +that is fairly rich, to be grown to perfection, hence it is most commonly grown +on scrub land. It can, however, be grown on any well-prepared land of a free +nature. Unfortunately, it is a difficult fruit to ship any distance, hence its +consumption is mainly confined to the districts in which it is grown, and where, +needless to say, it is greatly appreciated. It is in fruit more or less all the +year round, its main crop being in early spring in the North, and during the +summer months further South. It is sometimes made into jam or jelly, but +when preserved loses much of its characteristic flavour.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus051-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus051-1400.jpg" width="400" height="248" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Granadilla Vine at Kuranda, Cairns district.</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_PASSION_FRUIT" id="THE_PASSION_FRUIT"></a>THE PASSION FRUIT.</h2> + + +<p>This fruit is very closely related to the granadilla, but is much hardier +than it, and can be grown to perfection much further South. It is not injured +by frost to any extent in any part of coastal Queensland, and can be grown a +considerable distance inland. It is more rightly a semi-tropical than a tropical +fruit, though, as it is so nearly related to the granadilla, I have included +it amongst the tropical fruits. It is also a vine, and, when grown commercially, +is trained along a horizontal trellis, in a somewhat similar manner to a grape +vine. It is readily grown from seed, and will produce fruit in less than twelve +months from the time that it is planted, and will continue to bear fruit for +some years. It does best on a free, warm soil of fair quality, though it may +be grown anywhere with care, and often thrives well in very poor soils with the +addition of manure. It is found growing wild on the borders of many of our +scrubs and elsewhere, the seeds having been deposited by birds or other +agencies, and under such conditions it produces an abundance of fruit. The +fruit is of a roundish oval shape, and is of a dark-purple colour. It is about +the size of a large hen's egg, the outer skin being hard and shell-like, and +the centre filled with the seeds, which are surrounded with a jelly-like mass +and a yellowish pulp. It is a very fine flavoured fruit, and is universally liked. +It is grown in considerable quantities in the Southern part of the State, and +is one of our commonest fruits. It has usually two crops a year—a summer +and a winter crop—but can be got to produce its fruit at any particular time +that is desired by systematic pruning at different times of the year. It is +often grown over sheds, dead trees, fallen logs, &c., which it covers with a +mass of dense green foliage, and converts what would otherwise be an unsightly +object into an ornament. The illustration herewith shows this well, and gives +a good idea of the growth of a single vine. Commercially it is grown on +trellis, so that the land between the rows can be kept well cultivated, and +also to permit of ease in the gathering of the fruit. When ripe, the fruit drops, +and the gathering is usually from the ground. The fruit carries well, but +will not keep for any length of time, as it shrivels up. It is principally used +as a fresh fruit, though it is also made into jam or jelly, and it often forms +part of a fruit salad, taking the place of the granadilla. It has few pests, and +is one of the easiest fruits to grow.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus053-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus053-1400.jpg" width="400" height="323" alt="" /></a></div> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus053-2.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus053-2400.jpg" width="400" height="314" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Passion Fruit, Redland Bay—Showing method of culture (1) and part of a vine in fruit (2).</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="THE_CUSTARD_APPLE" id="THE_CUSTARD_APPLE"></a>CUSTARD APPLES.</h2> + +<p>Under this heading I will include all the Anonas, such as the sour sop, +sweet sop, bullock's heart, and cherimoya. The sour sop is purely tropical, +and is very sensitive to frost, but the other species are by no means so tender, +and can be grown anywhere along the coast where the soil is suitable, as well +as at many inland places. All the species produce very fine fruits, that vary +somewhat in shape, in the roughness of the skin, and in size. The sour sop is +the largest, and attains a size of 6 to 8 lb. The fruit is covered with soft +spines, and is of an irregular oval, or even pyriform, shape. It ripens very +soon after it is gathered, consequently cannot be sent any distance. It is a +pleasant fruit of an aromatic sub-acid flavour. The pulp surrounding the seeds +is of a woolly consistency, and this is surrounded by a custard-like mass which +is much appreciated by those who have acquired a liking for it. It is a +comparatively uncommon fruit, and is confined to the tropics.</p> + +<p>The sweet sop is the commonest of the Anonas, and is grown throughout a +considerable part of coastal Queensland. It is usually of an irregular roundish +shape, very full of seeds, which are surrounded by a custard-like pulp of very +pleasant flavour. It is usually a heavy bearer, and is the variety most +commonly met with in our fruit stores. The tree is hardy and is easily grown.</p> + +<p>The bullock's heart is a stronger-growing variety than the previous one, +the fruit is larger, and, as its name implies, heart-shaped. It is also fairly +seedy, the pulp of a light-brown colour, and more gritty, and not, in my +opinion, of first-rate quality. It is most commonly grown in the North, where +it is a very hardy and prolific tree.</p> + +<p>The cherimoya is the best of the custard apples. The tree is a strong +grower, with large handsome leaves, but, as a rule, it is not a very heavy +bearer. There are many varieties, the fruit of which varies considerably in +size and shape, and the skin is sometimes smooth and sometimes warted, or +even covered with short soft spines. It has usually comparatively few seeds, +and these are surrounded by a rich custard-like pulp, which in the better kinds +is of very fine flavour, and is generally much liked. The fruit is not a good +keeper, still, given careful handling and packing, it can be kept for nearly a +week. All custard apples are easily raised from seed, but the better varieties +are propagated by grafting strong seedlings with wood taken from a tree producing +fruit of especial merit. Any good fruit soil will grow them, and they do +not require any especial treatment.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus054-1400.jpg" width="400" height="309" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Custard Apples, Brisbane District.</div> + +<p>There are still a large number of tropical fruits that I have not mentioned, +but space will not permit of my giving them more than a passing notice, as +they are not of any great value from a commercial standpoint at present. Of +these fruits the litchi, whampee, averoha, longan, vi-apple, and Chinese mangosteen +are practically confined to the North. The guava, of which there are +many species, grows anywhere; in fact, it is a pest in many cases, taking +complete possession of the land. It is not cultivated to any great extent, as it +grows so readily without, and, further, it harbours several pests whose presence +it is desirable to remove from the orchard. It is a useful fruit for home consumption, +as it stews well, makes an excellent jam, and its jelly is one of the +best.</p> + + +<p>The rosella, a species of hibiscus, is an annual fruit that is grown to a +considerable extent in several parts of the State, and is used for pies, jams, +and jellies. The latter is remarkably good, equal to that made from the red +currant of colder climes, and will no doubt become an article of export at no +very distant date. The fruit also dries well, and makes an excellent pickle. +It is raised from seed, the young seedlings being set out in well-prepared land +when all danger of frost is past. It is a rapid grower, and forms a bush some +4 feet across by 4 or 5 feet high. It is a heavy bearer, and the fruit meets with +a ready sale. To do well, the plants require a warm, free, well-drained soil, +as they do not thrive where there is any stagnant water at or near the roots.</p> + +<p>The avocado or alligator pear is not grown to any extent, though it thrives +well, particularly to the north of the tropic of Capricorn, and can also be +grown successfully as far south as the New South Wales border. It is a fruit +that deserves to be cultivated to a much greater extent than it is at present, +and once it becomes better known I have no doubt that it will be planted in +considerable numbers, and prove a very welcome addition to our already long +list of fruits, as it is unequalled, in my opinion, as a salad. As far as my +experience goes, it is likely to become a profitable fruit to grow, as once +persons acquire a liking for it, they become very partial to it, and eat it +whenever they can get it.</p> + +<p>In addition to purely tropical fruits a number of semi-tropical fruits are +grown on our eastern seaboard, but are not entirely confined thereto, as many +of them are cultivated to a considerable extent in some parts of our coastal +and inland tablelands, particularly in sheltered positions. Under the heading +of semi-tropical fruits, all kinds of citrus fruits, persimmons, loquats, date +palm, wine palm, pecan nut, Brazilian cherry, Natal plum, ki-apple, and many +other fruits are included, as well as several fruits that more properly belong to +the temperate regions, such as Japanese plums, Chickasaw plum, peaches of +Chinese origin, figs, mulberries of sorts, strawberries, cape gooseberries, &c. +Of all of these the citrus fruits, which include the orange, mandarin, Seville, +lemon, lime, grape fruit, kumquat, citron, and pomelo are by far the most +important, and are grown successfully over a very large portion of the State, +so that we will consider them first.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus055-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus055-1400.jpg" width="262" height="400" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Sour Sop, Mossman District.</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CITRUS_FRUIT" id="CITRUS_FRUIT"></a>CITRUS FRUIT.</h2> + + +<p>Quite a number of fruits are included under this heading, and all reach a +very high state of perfection in this State. The whole of the family, the +lemon-shaped citron excepted, is noted for the beauty and symmetry of growth +that its trees make, and I know of few more beautiful sights in the vegetable +world than a well-kept citrus grove in full bearing. Take the common round +orange as an example, its well-balanced and evenly grown head, its dark glossy +green foliage, its wealth of white blossoms, which perfume the whole neighbourhood, +or its mass of golden fruit between its dark-green leaves, render it one +of the most beautiful of fruit trees at all times, but especially so when covered +with blossoms or ripe fruit. A typical Queensland grove is even more beautiful +than those of many other places, as the vigour and size of our trees, their +exceptionally healthy appearance, their dark foliage, and the heavy crop of +high-class fruit that they bear, are at once evident to a stranger who has never +seen the orange grown under such favourable conditions as are experienced +here. The yield is often so heavy that the trees actually bend to the ground +with the weight of their fruit, and a stack of props has to be used to prevent +the tree from splitting into pieces. Those who have seen the enormous crops +of apples that are produced on some trees in Tasmania or the old cider orchards +of Devon or Somerset can form an idea of the crops; but the writer, who +has seen both, as well as our Queensland trees, has no hesitation in saying that +a Queensland mandarin can give points to either as a heavy cropper; in fact, +if it has a fault, it is its proneness to overbear, particularly when young. +This all tends to prove how well adapted Queensland is to the growth of citrus +fruits, and were I asked to select a country particularly suited to their culture +I should have no hesitation in naming this State, as I know of nowhere where +their culture can be carried out with less trouble, or where the trees will +produce better fruit or heavier crops. Queensland may well be termed the +home of citrus fruits, as we have no less than three native species which are +indigenous to the State, and are by no means uncommon in our scrubs. Their +presence gives unmistakable proof of the suitability of this State for the +culture of fruits of the same family, so that I think a short description of these +native species may not be out of place, but will be of some interest to my +readers.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus057-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus057-1400.jpg" width="400" height="240" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Young Orange Orchard (6 years old) on scrub land, near Mapleton, Blackall Range. Showing the standing scrub in the background.</div> + +<p><i>Citrus australis</i>, the native orange or lime, is both the largest and most +common. It grows into a large tree, having a diameter of 15 to 18 inches in +the trunk, and a height of 60 feet or more. It produces a quantity of thick-skinned +acid fruit, of from 2 to 3 inches in diameter. The skin is full of a +resinous sap, and the fruit is of little value. It is a slow-growing tree, though, +as just mentioned, it attains a considerable size, is very hardy, and produces a +quantity of fruit. Its slow growth, when young, has prevented its use as a stock +on which to work improved varieties, but I have no doubt it would make a +very hardy stock that would be distinctly disease-resistant.</p> + +<p>The second variety is <i>Citrus australasica</i>, the so-called finger lime, a +thorny bush, producing a fruit of from ¾ to 1 inch in diameter, and 3 to 4 +inches long. The fruit has a thin skin, and contains an agreeable acid pulp +that varies in colour, in some specimens being of a reddish tinge that resembles +the pulp of a blood orange. These two varieties are met with in the Southern +part of the State, but the third is a Northern species, to which Mr. F. M. +Bailey, our Colonial Botanist, has given the name of <i>Citrus inodora</i>, the +North Queensland lime. It is met with in the scrubs of the Russell River, and +is described by Mr. Bailey as bearing a greater resemblance to the cultivated +species than the two former varieties. It produces a fruit over 2 inches long +by 1¼ inches in diameter, having a thin rind and a juicy pulp of a sharply +acid flavour, so that even in its wild state it is a desirable fruit, and takes +the place of the cultivated lemon. Where native species flourish as they do +here, there is every probability of cultivated species thriving equally well, and +this is found to be the case in practice.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus059-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus059-1400.jpg" width="400" height="235" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">A young Orange Orchard, Woombye District.</div> + +<p>No fruits are more generally distributed or have a wider range in this +State than those of the Citrus family, as, with the exception of the colder parts +of the Downs, where the winter temperature is too low, the Gulf country, and +the dry Western districts, where there is no water available for irrigation, +they can be grown from one end of the State to the other, provided that they +are planted in suitable soil, and that, in the drier parts, there is an available +supply of suitable water with which to irrigate them during the prevalence of +long dry spells. The country adjoining the eastern seaboard, extending from +the Tweed River in the South to Cooktown in the North—a distance of about +1,100 miles, and extending inland for nearly 100 miles—is naturally suited to +the growth of citrus fruits, and there is probably no country in the world that +is better adapted to, or that can produce the various kinds of these fruits to +greater perfection or with less trouble, than this portion of Queensland. Of +course, the whole of this large area is not adapted for citrus culture, as it +contains many different kinds of soils, several of which are not suitable for +the growth of these fruits, and there is also a large extent of country which is +too broken and otherwise unsuitable. At the same time there are hundreds +of thousands of acres of land in this area in which the soil and natural +conditions are eminently suited to the growth of citrus fruit, and in which +the tenderest varieties of these fruits may be grown to perfection without +the slightest chance of their being injured by frost; and where the natural +rainfall is such that, provided the trees receive ordinary care and cultivation, +there is seldom any necessity for artificial irrigation. At the present time +there are hundreds of citrus trees growing practically wild in different parts +of the coastal country that are in vigorous health and producing heavy crops +of good fruit, even though they are uncultivated, unpruned, unmanured, and +have to hold their own against a vigorous growth of native and introduced +shrubs, trees, and weeds. When the orange, lime, citron, or common lemon +become established under conditions that are favourable for their proper +development, they apparently become as hardy as the indigenous plants, and +are able to hold their own against them, thus showing how well the climate +and suitable soils of coastal Queensland are adapted for the cultivation of +citrus fruits. The commercial cultivation of citrus fruits is at present practically +confined to this coastal area, the most important centres, starting from +the South, being Nerang, Coomera, Redland Bay, Brisbane, Enoggera, Gatton, +Grantham, Toowoomba, North Coast line from North Pine to Gympie including +the Blackall Range and Buderim Mountain; the Wide Bay district, including +Maryborough, Tiaro, Mount Bauple, Gayndah, Pialba, and Burrum; the +Burnett district, including Bundaberg and Mullet Creek; the Fitzroy district, +including Rockhampton and Yeppoon; Bowen, Cardwell, Murray River, Tully +River, Cairns and district, Port Douglas, and Cooktown. In addition to +these districts a few citrus fruits are grown at Mackay, Townsville, and several +other places. Citrus fruits are also grown further inland, but their cultivation +here is largely dependent on the ability to supply the trees with suitable +water for irrigation during dry spells. Frosts have also to be taken into +consideration, for, though the days are warm, the temperature often falls +considerably during the night, owing to the great radiation, and citrus-trees +in districts like Roma, Emerald, &c., are liable to injury thereby. West of +Emerald, at Bogantungan, Barcaldine, and other places, citrus fruits do very +well with irrigation. Some of the finest lemons, Washington Navel, and other +improved varieties of oranges are grown here to perfection, the lemons especially +being of high quality, and curing down equal to the imported Italian or +Californian article. The soil in many of the inland districts is well suited +to the culture of citrus fruits, and when the trees are given the necessary +water, and are uninjured by frost, they produce excellent fruit. I stated, some +short distance back, that there is probably no country in the world that is +better adapted to the cultivation of or that can produce the various kinds of +citrus fruits to greater perfection or with less trouble than the eastern seaboard +of Queensland. To many of my readers this may seem to be a very broad +statement; but I am certain that, if suitable trees are planted in the right +soil and under favourable conditions, and are given anything like the same +care and attention that is devoted to the culture of citrus fruits in the great +producing centres for these fruits in other parts of the world, we have +nothing to fear either as regards the cost of production or the quality of the +fruit produced. In order to exemplify this, it may be interesting to compare +our capabilities with those of the principal citrus-producing districts north of +the equator. To begin with, I will take Florida, which more nearly approaches +our climatic conditions than any other citrus-growing country that I know of, +and which is noted for the excellence of its citrus fruit, and we find that we +have all its advantages except that of proximity to the world's markets, without +its disadvantages. We have a better and richer soil, requiring far less +expensive artificial fertilisers to maintain its fertility, and at a very much lower +price. We can grow equally as good fruit; in fact, it is questionable if Florida +ever produced a citrus fruit equal in quality to the Beauty of Glen Retreat +Mandarin, a Queensland production. We get as heavy, if not heavier, crops, +and our trees come into bearing very early. We have no freeze-outs similar to +those which have crippled the industry in Florida so severely in the past that +many of their wealthy growers are actually covering in whole orchards of many +acres in extent as a protection from frost. This covering-in is accomplished +by means of a framework of timber having slat-work or panel sides and tops—in +fact, by enclosing their orchards in a huge elaborate bush-house, which +is further protected by the heat produced by six large heating stoves or salamanders +to each acre of trees enclosed. If it pays the Florida growers to +go to all this expense in order to prevent freeze-outs and to produce first-class +fruit, surely we can compete with them when a seed stuck in the right soil +under favourable conditions will produce a strong, vigorous, healthy tree, +bearing good crops without any attention whatever.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus061-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus061-1400.jpg" width="400" height="246" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">An Orange Orchard, near Woombye.</div> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus063-1400.jpg" width="286" height="400" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Orange Trophy in the Moreton District Exhibit at the Brisbane Exhibition.</div> + +<p>In comparing Queensland with the citrus-producing districts of Southern +Europe, we have the advantage of better and cheaper land, absence of frost, +more vigorous growth, earlier maturity of the trees, and superior fruit; but +with the advantage of cheaper and more skilful labour, especially in the +handling and marketing of fruit, and proximity to the world's markets in +their favour.</p> + +<p>As compared with California, our soil is no better than theirs, but it costs +much less, and their citrus industry is dependent on artificial irrigation, their +natural rainfall being altogether inadequate for the growth of citrus fruits. +Californian conditions more nearly approach those of our inland districts, such +as Barcaldine, with the exception that the only rainfall in California is during +the winter, whereas in Barcaldine and similar districts the heaviest fall is +during the summer months, but, in both, the successful culture of these fruits +depends on irrigation.</p> + +<p>In Jaffa, also, where the oranges are of large size and extra quality, the +trees have to be carefully irrigated and manured, as these operations are found +to be essential to the production of marketable fruit.</p> + +<p>These few instances show how favourably the conditions prevailing in +Queensland compare with those of the great citrus-growing districts of Europe +and America, especially in the matter of soil and climate, and I feel confident +that, if the industry were taken up in the same business-like manner that it has +been done in California and Florida, we could easily hold our own against +any part of the world. In comparing Queensland with the rest of the world +we have the advantage—also shared by New South Wales and South Africa—of +ripening our fruit at a time of the year which is the off season in the citrus-producing +countries to the north of the equator, so that our fruit does not +clash with theirs, their ripening period and ours being at different times of +the year. As regards our Australian market, our fruit ripening earlier than +that of the Southern States, we are enabled to dispose of a considerable portion +of our crop in the Southern markets before the local fruit is ready for gathering. +This gives us three markets—first, a local one; secondly, a Southern one; +and, finally, when this demand is supplied, an oversea market to Europe, +America, and the East.</p> + +<p>When grown under favourable conditions, citrus-trees are heavy bearers +in this State, it being no uncommon thing to meet with seedling or worked +orange-trees of from ten to twelve years of age producing over twenty cases +of marketable fruit to the tree, averaging about 10 dozen medium-sized fruit.</p> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" summary="List of Fruits Grown in Queensland"> +<tr><td align='center'><img src="images/illus064-1400.jpg" width="299" height="400" alt="" /></td><td align='center'><img src="images/illus065-1400.jpg" width="309" height="400" alt="" /></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center'>Bunch of Valencia late Oranges, <br /> Blackall Range District.</td><td align='center'>Washington Navel Oranges, <br /> Barcaldine District, Central Line.</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p>Citrus-trees of all kinds, particularly worked trees, come into bearing very +early, and the returns obtained from an orchard rapidly increase. The illustrations +give a good idea of the rapid growth, and a fair one of the crop of +fruit the young trees are bearing, but the following examples, taken at random +for the crop that was marketed in January, 1906, will show better how our +trees bear:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Mr. A., Blackall Range, marketed 7¼ cases per tree from a row of twenty-five +Beauty of Glen Retreat Mandarins, planted April, 1900. A return of +£1 10s. per tree.</p> + +<p>Mr. B., from the same district, averaged 7 cases of Washington Navel +Oranges per tree from trees six years old, which realised £1 15s. per tree, +and 8 cases of Beauty of Glen Retreat Mandarins from trees of the same age. +The navels were large, and averaged 5 dozen per case, and the mandarins 10 +dozen per case.</p> + +<p>Mr. C, another district, averaged 6 cases of Valencia Late Oranges, from +trees six years planted, and 10 cases per tree from Emperor Mandarins, nine +years old.</p> + +<p>One twelve years old orange-tree in this district produced over 25 cases of +fruit.</p> + +<p>Mr. D., same district as last; Washington Navels averaged 10 cases per +tree, ten years planted, and have borne regular crops since three years old.</p></div> + +<p>Numerous other cases might be given, but the above are sufficient to show +the earliness at which our trees bear, and the crops they yield. Trees in full +bearing often yield up to 40 cases, but these are usually old seedlings, which +bear a very heavy crop one year and a comparatively light crop the next. All +the instances I have quoted are from worked trees, which are found to give the +most regular and constant yields. Until quite recently, citrus-trees were almost +entirely grown from seed in this State, with the result that we have a very +large number of types, and many crosses between different species. This was +not advisable, as a uniformity in type is desirable for marketing, hence the +greater number of trees now being planted are of selected varieties of proved +merit. Many of the seedlings have produced most excellent fruit, but a seedling +has usually the disadvantage of being very full of seeds, and having a lot of +rag (the indigestible fibre round the pulp) as compared with the worked +varieties, which have either no seeds or very few seeds and little rag. Seedlings +are also of many types, and they produce a lot of small fruit, thereby making +an uneven sample, whereas worked trees produce fruit even in size and quality. +Seedlings are probably the hardiest, and will stand the most neglect, but +experience is showing that worked trees are the most profitable to grow. The +growth of all kinds of citrus-trees from seed is a very simple matter, all that is +necessary being a well-prepared seed bed of friable soil that is partially shaded +from the heat of the sun, so as to protect the young plants. Selected, fully ripe +fruit from well-grown, prolific, healthy trees is taken, and the seeds sown in +rows in the seed bed, or broadcast when weeds are not likely to be any trouble. +Fresh seed germinates quickly, and the young plants are soon ready to be +transplanted into the nursery bed, where they are either worked over or allowed +to remain seedlings. At twelve months old, from seed, a tree will have a stem-diameter +of about ¾-inch, and a height of 3 to 4 feet, a growth about twice +that made in the Southern States.</p> + +<p>The general remarks I have given respecting our fruit soils apply with +equal force to those best adapted for citrus culture—viz., they must possess +perfect drainage, and be of a friable nature. We are growing most of the best +varieties of citrus fruit, the original trees from which they are now being +propagated having been introduced into the State from the most celebrated +citrus-producing districts in the world, and, as stated and shown by the +accompanying illustrations, they are all doing well.</p> + +<p>The Washington Navel, the variety of orange most commonly grown in +California, does remarkably well on our rich volcanic scrub soils, where it has +proved itself a regular bearer of high-class fruit. The Mediterranean Sweet +Orange, Valencia Late, and Jaffa also do well in many parts, the Valencia Late +adapting itself to most districts. Many other kinds of oranges are grown, but +the varieties mentioned are some of the best, and are the ones now being +planted in the greatest quantity.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus067-1400.jpg" width="302" height="400" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Spray of Orange Blossom.</div> + +<p>In mandarins, all kinds do remarkably well, and I never saw this fruit +produced to greater perfection in any part of the world than it is in Queensland. +The varieties most commonly grown are: The Emperor or Canton, the +Scarlet or Scarlet Emperor, Thorny or Tangerine, and Beauty of Glen Retreat, +though there are many types of seedlings in addition to these well-known sorts. +The grape fruit which is now so popular in America does well, but, so far, +has not taken on in our markets. Citrons grow practically wild, and produce +good fruit, for which there is a limited demand for peel. Their cultivation +could be extended with ease were there a better demand for peel. The Seville +Orange, which is used for the manufacture of marmalade, is an exceptionally +hardy and prolific tree, and, were it required, we could easily grow enough of +this fruit to supply the world. Lemons do best inland, or at an elevation of +some 2,000 feet above sea-level, as this fruit is apt to become too coarse in the +skin when grown in a humid climate. In suitable localities very good fruit can +be grown, which compares very favourably with the European or American +grown fruit.</p> + +<p>The lime does well in the more humid districts, taking the place of the +lemon, and one variety—the Tahiti—has proved itself to be a heavy and +regular bearer. The West Indian lime, from which the lime juice of commerce +is made, is very easily grown, particularly in the more tropical parts, where +it is often met with growing in an entirely uncultivated condition, and bearing +heavy crops of fruit. Kumquats are easily grown, and are heavy bearers, and +all the different types of pomelos or shaddocks do well. Seedlings of the +latter are very hardy, as they are deep-rooted plants that stand dry weather +well and are, consequently, not liable to injury during dry spells. There is +very little demand for the fruit, but I am of opinion that the seedlings will +prove to be of value as stocks on which to work our best kinds of oranges.</p> + +<p>The culture of all kinds of citrus fruits, when grown in suitable soil, is +by no means difficult, as it consists mainly of keeping the land well stirred +and keeping down all weed growth during dry spells, the keeping of the trees +well pruned out in the centre, and the keeping in check of all diseases, both +insect and fungus. Although citrus fruits are subject to many pests, they are +for the most part easily kept in check by either spraying or cyaniding, or +both, provided that reasonable care is taken, and the pests are destroyed before +they have obtained control. Taken as a whole, our citrus fruits are remarkably +clean, and compare more than favourably with those grown in the Southern +States. The culture of these fruits is extending rapidly, with a corresponding +increase in production, but, despite this, our prices have been better during the +past season than for some years, as the quality of our fruit is such that it will +command a good market. When properly handled, it has good keeping +qualities, and I have no doubt that we will, in time, be able to supply the +markets of the Old and New Worlds with good fruit, in the best of condition, +at the time of the year that their markets are bare of locally-grown citrus fruit.</p> + +<p>There is a good opening for the growth of citrus fruits in this State, as +the writer knows of no country where they do better, where they can be +produced with as little trouble and expense, where they can be successfully +grown over such a large area, or where the soil and climate is more suited to +the production of fruits of the highest quality as in Queensland.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus069-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus069-1400.jpg" width="400" height="255" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Lisbon Lemon, Esk District.</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_PERSIMMON" id="THE_PERSIMMON"></a>THE PERSIMMON.</h2> + + +<p>This exceedingly handsome fruit of Japanese origin is grown to a high +state of perfection in this State, particularly in the coastal districts south of +the tropic of Capricorn. It is a fruit of comparatively recent introduction, the +oldest trees being less than thirty years of age, but has already become widely +distributed, as well as a favourite fruit amongst many. It is a very showy +fruit when well grown, but must be thoroughly ripe before it is eaten, as, if +not, it is extremely astringent, and anyone who has tackled an unripe fruit +has no wish to repeat the experience in a hurry. There are many varieties +of this fruit, some of which are seedless, and others more or less seedy. The +seedless kinds are usually preferred, as, as well as being seedless, they are the +largest and handsomest fruit. The different kinds vary considerably in the +size of tree, habit of growth, foliage, size and colour of fruit, &c. All are +easily grown, and most kinds are good and regular bearers. They do well on +any fruit soil, and some of the dwarf-growing kinds are well adapted for +growing in private gardens, on account of the small amount of room they take +up. The trees are deciduous, and, as a rule, are not much troubled with pests. +So far, the use of the fruit is confined to its consumption fresh, though in +Japan it is dried in a similar manner to apricots or peaches.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus071-1400.jpg" width="400" height="275" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Persimmons.</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_LOQUAT" id="THE_LOQUAT"></a>THE LOQUAT.</h2> + +<p>A handsome evergreen tree, that can be grown in the more Southerly +coast districts, in the foothills of the coast range, and on the coast tablelands. +There are several types of the fruit, whose chief value consists in that it ripens +its fruit in early spring, when there is a shortage of stone fruits, and that it +withstands wind well, so makes a good break for the protection of exposed +orchards. Its cultivation is not extensive, nor is it likely to become so.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus072-1400.jpg" width="303" height="400" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Fruit of Loquat (½ natural size).</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_DATE_PALM" id="THE_DATE_PALM"></a>THE DATE PALM.</h2> + + +<p>Although this extremely valuable fruit is grown in this State more as an +ornament than for its commercial value, there is nothing to prevent its culture +on a scale sufficiently large to supply the Australian requirements. It is grown +in many places along the coast, as well as in the foothills country of the coastal +range, but it does best in situations that more nearly resemble its natural +habitat—viz., in districts having a hot dry air, a deep sandy loam or sandy +soil, and a good supply of moisture in the soil. This latter condition does not +occur naturally, but can be supplied artificially in our Western lands, where +there is a good supply of artesian water of a quality suitable to the plants' +requirements. Here the date palm thrives, and produces huge bunches of +fruit. Little, if any, cultivation is necessary when once the palm is firmly +established; provided it has an ample but not excessive supply of moisture, +it is able to take care of itself.</p> + +<p>The date palm is a diœcious plant—that is to say, the male organs, or +stamens, are produced on one plant, and the female organs, or pistils, on +another, and this necessitates the growing of the two sexes in proximity to +each other, in order that the female flowers may be fertilised and produce +perfect fruit. This is best accomplished artificially, the pollen from a fully +developed bunch of male flowers being shaken over the bunch of female +flowers. Infertile fruit contains no seeds, and is of small size and inferior +quality, whereas the fertile fruit is both large and good.</p> + +<p>The date palm is a handsome ornamental plant, and in the hot and dry +Western districts, where it thrives best, it forms a splendid shelter from the +sun for both man and beast. So far, very little attention has been given to its +growth, few persons knowing how to fertilise the flowers or even taking the +trouble to see that they have plants of both sexes. There is no reason why this +should be so, as there would be a good local demand for the properly-cured +fruit, and I believe that, were its culture carried out in a thorough business +manner, it would become a profitable industry, and one capable of supplying +our Australian market.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus073-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus073-1400.jpg" width="246" height="400" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Date Palms in fruit at Barcaldine.</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_PECAN_NUT" id="THE_PECAN_NUT"></a>THE PECAN NUT.</h2> + + +<p>Another little-known fruit which does well in this State. It belongs to +the hickory family, and closely resembles the walnut. There are trees now +growing in the Maryborough district that are some 15 inches in diameter at +the trunk, and from 40 to 50 feet in height, that bear regular and heavy crops +of nuts, and that have stood drought and been under flood. For years the +trees have received no cultivation, and they have shown themselves to be as +hardy as the adjacent indigenous trees. The trees are easily raised from seed, +and come into bearing in about eight years. Like all nut fruits, it is advisable +to set the nut where the tree is to remain permanently, if it is possible to do +so, as it produces a very deep taproot, with few laterals, and is consequently +difficult to shift. The soil on which it does best is an alluvial loam, and, if +possible, it should not be more than 30 feet to water, as the tree, being a very +deep rooter, will penetrate a free soil to that depth. It will do on other free +loamy soils, but will not make the same growth as when planted in free +alluvials. It has been tested in several parts of the State, and it is probable +that it will be found to thrive over a considerable area of the coastal and +coastal tablelands districts. It produces an olive or acorn shaped nut, having a +thin shell, and of a flavour closely resembling that of a good walnut, and will +be a valuable addition to our list of nut fruits once it becomes better known.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus075-1400.jpg" width="262" height="400" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Date Fruit (natural size).</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="JAPANESE_PLUMS" id="JAPANESE_PLUMS"></a>JAPANESE PLUMS.</h2> + + +<p>All varieties of this fruit thrive well and bear heavily in the more Southerly +part of our coast country, as well as on the country immediately adjacent to +it, the coastal tablelands, and several other parts of the State. The trees are +rapid growers, come into bearing very early, and often bear enormous crops of +fruit. They are good fruits for home consumption or for the fresh-fruit trade, +but are not equal to European varieties of plums for preserving, drying, or +jam-making. In this State they have one very great drawback, and that is +their liability to the attack of the fruit fly, a pest that very frequently destroys +the entire crop. For home use they are, however, a very useful fruit to grow, +provided that the trees are kept dwarf, so that they can be covered with a +cheap mosquito netting as a protection from the fly, as they are very easily +grown, are by no means particular as to the kind of soil on which planted, and +are heavy bearers.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHICKASAW_PLUMS" id="CHICKASAW_PLUMS"></a>CHICKASAW PLUMS.</h2> + + +<p>This family of American plums does well in the same districts as the +Japanese varieties just dealt with, but has the advantage of being resistant +to the fruit fly. The trees are usually more or less straggling growers, the +fruit is of small size, but good for cooking or jam-making. One or more of +the varieties of this plum are bad setters, though they blossom profusely, but +this may be overcome either by working two varieties which bloom at the same +time on to the same stock, or by planting varieties that bloom at the same +time together, as the pollen from the one will set the fruit of the other. It +is a good plum for home use or marketing, despite its small size, as it is +easily grown, requires little attention, and is not over particular as to soil.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHINESE_PEACHES" id="CHINESE_PEACHES"></a>CHINESE PEACHES.</h2> + + +<p>Peaches of Chinese origin thrive well on the coast, and are extremely +hardy. The fruit is not, as a rule, of high quality when compared with that +of the Persian varieties, but their earliness and ease with which they can be +grown causes them to be planted by many who have small gardens. Like the +Japanese plums they are, however, very subject to the attack of fruit fly, and +require to be kept dwarf and covered in a similar manner if any good is to +be got from them. On the coast, they are practically evergreen, as they never +lose their leaves entirely, and are in blossom during the winter. When grown +on the tablelands, this early blossoming is a disadvantage, as the blossoms are +liable to be injured by frost, but in these districts peaches of Persian origin +can be grown instead.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="FIGS" id="FIGS"></a>FIGS.</h2> + + +<p>Several kinds of figs can be grown successfully in the Southern coast +districts, the first crop ripening before Christmas, but the second or main crop +is often a failure, owing to the fact that it ripens during our wet season, and +the fruit consequently sours and bursts. As one recedes from the coast, the +fruit does better, and is less liable to injury from excessive wet. The coastal +tablelands and the more Western Downs grow it well, and the trees, when +planted on soil of a rich friable nature, grow to a large size and bear heavily. +Many varieties are grown, which are used fresh or converted into jam, but no +attempt has been made to dry them, though it is possible that this industry +may eventually be found profitable in the drier parts of the State, where there +is water available for the trees' use at certain periods of the year, but not +during the fruiting period, as it cannot well be too dry then if a good quality of +dried figs is to be turned out. This fruit is easily grown, and is not at all +subject to serious pests, so that anyone who will take reasonable care can produce +all that is required for home use or local sale, as its softness renders it a +difficult fruit to ship long distances in a hot climate.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_MULBERRY" id="THE_MULBERRY"></a>THE MULBERRY.</h2> + + +<p>This is one of the hardiest fruits we have, one of the most rapid growers, +and one of the most prolific. There are several varieties in cultivation, and +those of Japanese or Chinese origin will grow from the coast to the interior, +and thrive either in an extremely dry or humid climate. The common English +or black mulberry does not do too well as a rule, though there are many fine +trees scattered throughout the State, but the other sorts are as hardy as native +trees. The fruit is not of any great value, still, as it is so easily grown, it +finds a place in most gardens, and in time of drought the leaves and young +branches are readily eaten by all kinds of stock, so that it is a good standby +for stock as well as a fruit.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_STRAWBERRY" id="THE_STRAWBERRY"></a>THE STRAWBERRY.</h2> + + +<p>To those who have been accustomed to look upon the strawberry as a +fruit of the purely temperate regions, it will be somewhat of a revelation to +know that exceptionally fine fruit can be grown right on the Queensland +coast, and well within the tropics, and that on the coast, between the 26th to +the 28th degrees of south latitude, we are probably producing as fine fruit and +obtaining as heavy crops as are produced in any of the older strawberry-growing +countries. Not only this, but that we are able to supply the Southern markets +of Australia with finer fruit than they can produce locally, and at a time of the +year that they cannot grow it. As I have already mentioned when dealing +with other fruits, one thing that particularly impresses strangers is the early +age at which our fruits come into bearing. This is borne out in the case of +the strawberry to a marked degree, as runners set in April fruit in July, and +often earlier, and will continue to bear, given reasonable weather, right up to +Christmas or even longer. New plants are set out every year, and the plantation +is seldom allowed to stand more than two years, as the young plants +produce the finest fruit. There is a good demand for the fruit, the larger +berries being packed in flat cases holding a single layer of fruit, as shown in +the illustration, and being sold for consumption fresh, whereas the smaller +berries are packed in kegs and sent direct to the factories for conversion into +jam. The strawberry grows well on various soils, but does best with us on a +rich loam of medium texture, of a reddish-brown or even black colour. It +should be planted in districts that are free from frosts where early fruit is +desired, as frosts injure the blossoms, but where jam fruit only is wanted this +is not so necessary. The land requires to be thoroughly well prepared, and the +plants are usually set out in rows about 2 feet apart, with the plants about +1 foot apart in the row. Under favourable conditions they grow very rapidly, +and soon start flowering. Their cultivation is usually confined to comparatively +small areas of 2 or 3 acres in extent, as the labour of picking and packing +is usually done by the grower himself with the assistance of his family. They +are often planted between the rows of trees in young orchards, thus bringing +in a return whilst the trees are coming into bearing, and helping to keep the +pot boiling. They grow well on our coastal scrub lands, and have proved +a great assistance to many a beginner, as one has not long to wait before +obtaining a return.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus077-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus077-1400.jpg" width="400" height="282" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Strawberry Garden, Mooloolah District.</div> + +<p>The productiveness of this fruit in Queensland is phenomenal, as high as +5 tons of berries having been taken off 1 acre in a single season. There are +many varieties of strawberries in cultivation, some of which have been produced +locally from seed, and have turned out extremely well, being of better flavour, +stronger growers, and heavier bearers than introduced varieties—in fact, local +seedlings have adapted themselves to local conditions, and stand our climate +better than those varieties which are natives of colder countries.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus079-1400.jpg" width="400" height="249" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Marguerite Strawberry.</div> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus079-2400.jpg" width="400" height="258" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Marguerite Strawberry packed for market.</div> + +<p>The case berries, which are used for fresh consumption, fetch a fair price, +especially early in the season, but jam fruit sells at an average of 2-1/2d. per lb., +at which price it pays fair wages, but is not a bonanza. As a rule the plants +are very healthy, and any fungus pests to which they are subject, such as +leaf blight, are easily kept in check by spraying, a knapsack pump being used +for this purpose. The ground is kept well worked and free from weeds, whilst +the plants are fruiting, and occasionally the ground is mulched, as is the case +in the plot shown in the illustration. No special knowledge is necessary for +their culture, but, at the same time, thorough cultivation and careful attention +to details in the growing of the plants make a considerable difference in the +total returns.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus080-1400.jpg" width="400" height="264" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Forman's Strawberry, Brisbane District.</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CAPE_GOOSEBERRY" id="CAPE_GOOSEBERRY"></a>CAPE GOOSEBERRY.</h2> + + +<p>This Peruvian fruit, introduced into this State <i>viâ</i> the Cape of Good Hope, +hence its name, has now spread throughout the greater part of the tropical +and semi-tropical portions of Queensland. Its spread has largely been brought +about by the agency of fruit-eating birds, that have distributed the seeds +widely by means of their castings. It is one of the first plants to make its +appearance in newly burnt-off scrub land, and often comes up in such numbers +as to give a full crop of fruit. In other cases it is usual to scatter a quantity +of seed on such land, so as to be sure of securing a plant. No cultivation is +given; the plant grows into a straggling bush bearing a quantity of fruit which +is enclosed in a parchment-like husk. The fruit is gathered, husked, and is +then ready for market. The bulk of the fruit is grown in this manner, and +as it can be grown on land that is not yet ready for any other crop (grass or +maize excepted) it is a great help to the beginner, as a good crop and fair +prices can usually be obtained. The name "gooseberry" is somewhat misleading, +as it is not a gooseberry at all, is not like it, nor does it belong to the +same natural order. It is a plant belonging to the order Solanaceæ, which +includes such well-known plants as the potato, tomato, tobacco, &c., and +altogether unlike the common gooseberry, which, by the way, is one of the +fruits that we cannot do much with. In addition to being grown in the wild +manner I have described, it is occasionally cultivated in a systematic manner, +somewhat like the tomato, but not to any extent; growers preferring to depend +on it as a first return from newly fallen and burnt-off scrub land. As a fruit +it meets with a very ready sale, as it is one of the best cooking fruits grown; +plainly stewed and served with cream, made into puddings or pies, or converted +into jam, it is hard to beat. The jam has a distinct flavour of its own, one that +one soon becomes very partial to, besides which it is an attractive-looking jam +that, were it better known in the world's markets, would, I feel sure, meet with +a ready sale at satisfactory rates. The plant is somewhat susceptible to cold, +hence it does best in a district free from frost, but it is not killed out by light +frosts, only killed back, and its crop put back. Like all plants belonging to +the same natural order, it likes a good soil, rich in available potash, and this is +probably the reason why it does so well on newly burnt-off scrub, the ashes of +which provide an ample supply of available potash.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_OLIVE" id="THE_OLIVE"></a>THE OLIVE.</h2> + + +<p>A much-neglected fruit in this State, as it is also in most English-speaking +countries. Few English people are fond of either the fruit or the oil, and yet +it is probable that there is no tree that for the space it occupies will produce +a greater annual return of food than the olive. A number of trees are scattered +throughout the State, some of which are now of large size and fair age, but, +so far, practically nothing beyond making a few gallons of oil and pickling a +few gallons of fruit has been attempted, and this only in a purely experimental +manner.</p> + +<p>The present condition of the olive industry is destined to have a wakening +up ere long, as a country that can produce this fruit in such quantities and of +such a quality as the lighter soils of the Darling Downs is destined some day +to be one of the largest producers of olives on earth. Some years since I +planted a number of the best varieties of olives—trees obtained direct from +California—on the Darling Downs, in land that I considered suitable for their +growth, and which was properly prepared prior to planting. The trees here +have made a really phenomenal growth, they came into bearing within three +years of planting, and have borne steadily ever since. They have proved +enormous bearers, and an experimental crushing showed that the oil was of +high quality.</p> + +<p>There are large areas of similar country to that in which they are planted +in different parts of the State, and I feel certain that this really valuable food +fruit is bound some day to be a considerable source of our national wealth. +So far, the drawback to the growth of olives has been the cost of gathering the +fruit and the limited demand for the oil or pickled fruit, but, against this, it +has many advantages, one, and by no means the least, of which is its value as +a shade and shelter tree on our open treeless plains. It is also a very hardy +tree, withstanding drought well, and thriving in land that is too stony for the +cultivation of ordinary farm crops. It is a healthy tree, free from most fruit +pests other than the olive scale, which can be kept in check by spraying or +cyaniding; and last, but not least, it is an ornamental tree whose wood is of +considerable value. The olive does best with us in loamy soils of fair depth +and basaltic origin, that are moderately rich in lime and potash, and have a +fair drainage. A subsoil of decomposed rock answers well. It will, however, +do on several other kinds of soil, but it is in the type that I have just described +that it does so well, and in which I would recommend its culture on a large +scale. It will stand a fair amount of frost as well as great heat, and I have +never seen the trees injured by either on our Downs country. I have also seen +trees doing well right on the coast, where they have been subject to heavy +rainfalls, so that it appears to adapt itself to the conditions prevailing in many +parts of our State.</p> + +<p>In addition to the fruits I have briefly described, there are several others +of minor importance that can be grown successfully, but, as they are not of +any great value commercially, I will leave them out, and go on to the fruits of +our more temperate districts, as, in addition to growing the tropical and semi-tropical +fruits which I have already dealt with, Queensland can also produce +temperate climate fruits to a very high degree of perfection.</p> + +<p>The fruits of the temperate regions that we are able to grow include the +apple, pear, plum, prune, quince, apricot, Persian peach, nectarine, almond, +walnut, chestnut, cherry, &c., as well as some of the hardier fruits which I have +classed as semi-tropical—viz., the Japanese plum, persimmon, Chickasaw plum, +strawberry, &c. The districts adapted for the growth of the distinctly temperate +fruits are mostly situated in the Southern portion of the State, and at +an elevation of from 2,000 to 3,000 feet above sea-level—districts having a +warm summer but a comparatively cold winter, during which frosts are by no +means uncommon, but where snow rarely falls; a healthy climate, with warm +days and cool nights, to which many visitors go during the heat of summer, +when the humidity of the coast is somewhat trying to persons not naturally +robust. The Downs country, particularly its southern or Stanthorpe end, is the +most suitable; the soil is mainly of granitic origin, and is very suitable for the +growth of apples, stone fruit, and grapes, but the latter I will deal with by +themselves later on. The country is by no means rich from an agricultural +standpoint, and is considerably broken, but, as already stated, it is admirably +adapted for the growth of fruit, and within the last ten years at least 100,000 +fruit trees, mostly apples, plums, and peaches, have been planted out and are +doing well. The Stanthorpe show, which is held annually during the month of +February, is always noted for the excellence of its fruit exhibits, which would +be hard to beat, both for size, quality, and appearance. The fruits ripen earlier +than similar varieties grown in the Southern States, hence supply our markets +at a time when there is little outside competition, and, consequently, meet with +a ready sale at fair prices. The fruit grown in the largest quantity is the +apple, so I will deal with it first.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_APPLE" id="THE_APPLE"></a>THE APPLE.</h2> + +<p>As a description of this well-known and universally used fruit is entirely +superfluous, I will confine my remarks to the types of fruit grown, and their +method of growth. Owing to the fact that our fruits ripen much earlier than +similar varieties in more southern parts of Australia, we have gone in largely +for early varieties of apples, both for cooking and table use, but have not confined +our attention to them entirely, as good-keeping sorts are found to do +equally well, and have been shown at the annual exhibition that is held in +Brisbane during August, in perfect condition, showing that the fruit has good +keeping qualities. The soil on which the apple is mostly grown is largely +composed of granitic matter, and is of a sharp, sandy, loamy nature, often of +a gritty character. It is usually rich in potash, the predominating felspar being +orthoclase, but somewhat deficient in nitrogen and phosphoric acid. It is +usually easy to work, of fair depth, and retains moisture well when kept in a +thorough state of tilth. The trees are usually planted at from 20 to 25 feet +apart each way, when they are either one year or two years old from the graft +or bud. They are headed low, so as to shade the ground from the heat of the +sun, and also so as to facilitate the handling of the crop when grown, as well +as to prevent their swaying about with the wind. The trees make a rapid +growth, come into bearing very early, often bearing a fair crop three years +after planting, and fruiting even earlier. The fruit of the early varieties has +usually a handsome appearance, but lacks keeping qualities, but the later fruits +are both handsome, high-coloured fruit, and good keepers. The trees are not +very liable to disease, as, thanks to all varieties being worked on blight-resistant +stocks, there is very little American blight (woolly aphis). Scale +insects do a certain amount of damage, but are easily kept in check by winter +spraying, and codling moth is not bad unless grossly neglected, many orchards +being quite free from this great pest of the apple-grower. So far, the growing +of apples has been confined entirely to the growing of fruit for the local +markets, no attempt having been made to export same. A very small quantity +is dried, and a little is used for jelly.</p> + +<p>Many varieties of apples have been tested in this State, but growers have +found out that it pays them best to confine their attention to comparatively +few sorts that have proved to be the best suited to the soil and climate, as a +few good kinds are much more profitable to grow than a mere collection of +varieties. Many varieties are prone to overbear, and trees of large size have +produced enormous crops of fruit, whereas young trees frequently break +down under the weight of their crop. The usual plan is to plant a few varieties +that ripen in succession, so as to extend the season over as long a period as +possible, and not to cause a glutted market at any one time. Early fruits particularly +are not noted for their keeping qualities, and a market glutted with +such would entail a heavy loss to growers, hence a succession of varieties that +suit the district as well as the market is grown.</p> + +<p>Nearly all kinds of apples do well, those that are resistant to the attack +of woolly aphis are, however, generally chosen in preference, even though they +may not be of the highest quality, as their prolificness and freedom from this +pest renders them more profitable than varieties of superior quality that are +liable to blight, and that are at the same time often somewhat indifferent +bearers. It is outside the scope of this paper to go into the question of +varieties, but I may mention that such sorts as Irish Peach, Gravenstein, +Summer Scarlet Pearmain, Twenty-ounces, Jonathan, Lord Suffield, Rome +Beauty, and Prince Bismarck do remarkably well, and many other well-known +kinds can be grown to perfection.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus084-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus084-1400.jpg" width="261" height="400" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Prince of Pippins Apple, Darling Downs District.</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_PEACH" id="THE_PEACH"></a>THE PEACH.</h2> + + +<p>This king of the temperate fruits grows with us to perfection. The tree +is hardy, a rapid grower, comes into bearing early, and is, if anything, inclined +to overbear. It can be grown over a considerable part of our coastal and +inland downs, as well as the Stanthorpe district, and thrives in many kinds +of soil, from light sandy loams of poor quality to rich loams of medium texture +or even heavier. In this State, the peach is always grown on peach roots, +the desired variety being either budded or grafted on to a seedling peach, +and the resulting tree is planted out when it has made one year's growth. +No tree is easier to grow, but if the best returns are desired, it requires very +careful pruning for the first three years, after which an annual winter pruning +is usually all that is necessary. The young tree is such a strong grower that +unless it is heavily cut back it becomes top-heavy and breaks to pieces with +the weight of fruit, but when hard cut back for the first two years, so that +it has a good main stem and strong primary branches, it will form a strong +tree, and stand up well under a heavy crop of fruit. The strong growth it +makes necessitates heavy pruning when large fruit is desired—and it is large +showy fruit which sells best here—as were the tree allowed to go unpruned, it +would bear enormous numbers of fruit, many of which would be of small size. +Growers now realise this, and many of our orchards are well pruned, whereas +a few years since the trees were allowed to grow pretty much as they like.</p> + +<p>The peach remains profitable much longer here than it does in California, +as the trees do not wear out so quickly, the roots remaining sound up to the +last, so that, unless the top is too far gone, the life of the tree may usually be +extended for several years by heading hard back and forming an entirely new +head to the tree. Trees in full bearing often produce fully 1,000 lb. weight of +fruit in a single season. This is, of course, very much above the average, but +by no means exceptional. When in their third season, they should bear enough +to pay for all working expenses.</p> + +<p>A very large number of varieties have been tested in Queensland, most +of which do well, but, as in the case of apples, we find from experience that it +is best to stick to a few kinds, and those that have proved to be most suitable +to our soil and climate, rather than to experiment with a large number of +varieties.</p> + +<p>The usual plan is to plant a number of varieties that ripen in succession, +as with the apple, so as to spread the season over as long a time as possible, +and to stick to kinds that bear well, look well, and ship well, for appearance +will usually beat quality, and fetch more money.</p> + +<p>So far, little has been done in the way of utilising the peach, as the +demand for the fresh fruit has been equal to our supply. There is, however, +no reason why we should not be able to establish and maintain a fair canning +and drying trade, should the production overcome the demand for the fresh +fruit, as our peaches are of large size, and will can and dry well—that is to say, +varieties adapted to those purposes will do so.</p> + +<p>The nectarine, which is simply a smooth-skinned peach, does equally well, +many varieties bear heavily, and some produce fruit of exceptional merit. I +have seen as fine nectarines grown in the Stanthorpe district as I have met +with in any part of Australia or America, fruit of large size and the highest +flavour, that compared favourably with the finest hothouse-grown fruit of the +Old World.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus087-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus087-1400.jpg" width="400" height="246" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Peach Avenue, Darling Downs District.</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_PLUM" id="THE_PLUM"></a>THE PLUM.</h2> + +<p>As already mentioned, plums of Japanese and American origin (Chickasaw) +do well in the more coastal districts. They also bear heavily on our +coastal downs and more western country, but some kinds of Japanese plums +blossom too early for the Stanthorpe district. European plums, however, do +well, and are heavy bearers. All kinds do not bear heavily, the freest bearers +being those of the damson family—White Magnum Bonum and Diamond +type. Prunes also do well. Plums of European origin do best in the coldest +districts, but their cultivation is not confined entirely to these, as some +varieties thrive well in warmer and drier parts of the country. So far, there +has been a ready sale for all the plums we can produce for fresh consumption, +excepting some of the smaller plums of the damson type, which have been +converted into jam. It is not a fruit, however, in which there is much money, +as it is too easily grown in the Southern States, and can there be converted +into jam or canned at a lower rate than we can do here, hence our cultivation +will be more or less confined to the growing of large fruits for supplying our +local markets rather than to the production of the fruit in quantity.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_APRICOT" id="THE_APRICOT"></a>THE APRICOT.</h2> + + +<p>Most varieties of this fruit do well on our coastal downs country in the +South, and to a certain extent further west. The trees are very rapid growers, +and bear heavily. The earlier ripening fruit usually escapes damage from +fruit fly, but the late fruit often suffers considerably.</p> + +<p>The apricot does best in a fairly strong rich soil, when it makes a great +growth, and bears heavy crops of large-sized fruit. It also does well on sandier +soils, which produce a firmer and better-drying fruit. So far, although a +number of trees are planted throughout the State, the cultivation of the fruit +is mainly confined to the production of table fruit, drying or canning having +been carried out to a small extent only. The apricot grows to a large tree, +and lives to a good old age. Like the peach, it is a very vigorous grower when +young, requiring severe pruning in consequence, but, when once shaped, the +trees require little in the way of pruning other than the removal of superfluous +branches and an annual shortening in winter.</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_CHERRY" id="THE_CHERRY"></a>THE CHERRY.</h2> + +<p>Queensland is almost outside the limit of the successful growth of this +fruit, but not quite, as we produce the first fruit to ripen in Australia, which +realises a high price on account of its earliness. Many varieties have been +tested, but, so far, no one variety can be said to be a complete success in our +climate, nor do the trees grow to the large size or produce as heavily as they +do in the Southern States, where the winters are more clearly defined than they +are in Queensland. Another drawback to the growth of this fruit is that the +soils of our coldest district are not the best of cherry soils. The cherry likes a +deep, moderately rich loam, whereas we are growing it mostly on sandy loams +of a granitic origin. What fruit we do grow is good, and pays well on account +of its earliness, but I do not consider that this State will ever be able to +compete with the South in the growth of the cherry.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus089-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus089-1400.jpg" width="400" height="305" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Litchi, Mossman District.</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_PEAR" id="THE_PEAR"></a>THE PEAR.</h2> + + +<p>Many kinds of pears do well, but, unfortunately, this fine fruit is very +liable to be attacked by fruit fly. It does well generally in the districts that +I have mentioned as suitable for the apple, plum, and apricot. The tree is +healthy, grows rapidly and to a large size. It comes into bearing remarkably +early as compared with the pear in colder climates, and produces excellent +fruit. I have grown as good Bartletts here as could be obtained anywhere, +and the trees have proved to be good bearers and doers. This fruit does best +on deep soils of a medium to strong loamy nature, and of good quality, though +it does well in much freer soils, but does not make as good a growth or bear +as heavily. It is usually grown on seedling-pear stocks, but the growing of +suitable varieties on quince stocks and keeping the resultant trees dwarfed +is to be recommended. This method of growing the pear does well here, and +dwarf trees can be easily protected from fly, whereas it is practically impossible +to deal with big trees, which the pear becomes when grown on pear roots.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_ALMOND" id="THE_ALMOND"></a>THE ALMOND.</h2> + + +<p>This fruit does well in parts of our coastal tableland country, though its +habit of blossoming too early in the season renders it very liable to injury +from late frosts. The trees do remarkably well, grow rapidly, and bear heavily +when the blossoms are uninjured by frost, hence it is a good tree to grow in +selected situations containing suitable soil, as it commands a ready sale, and +is very little troubled with pests. A free, sandy, loamy soil is best suited to +the growth of the almond, and the situation should be well protected from +frost. The trees are usually worked on peach stocks, on which they make a +very rapid growth. Several varieties should be grown together, as a better set +of fruit will be obtained by doing so, most almonds requiring the pollen of +another variety flowering at the same time to render their flowers fertile. The +almond grows into a handsome, shapely tree, and, when in blossom, an orchard +is a sight not easily forgotten, the wealth of flowers being such that it must +be seen to be fully appreciated.</p> + +<p>The walnut, chestnut, quince, blackberry, raspberry, and one or two other +fruits of the temperate regions are also cultivated to a small extent, but are +of no great value so far, though there is no reason why the walnut, which does +well with us, should not be cultivated to a much greater extent than it is, as +there is always a fair demand for the nuts. Blackberries of different kinds +have been introduced, and do well, the common English blackberry almost too +well, as unless kept in check it is apt to spread to such an extent as to be a +nuisance. In addition to the cultivated fruits I have briefly mentioned as +growing in Queensland, we have a number of native fruits growing in our +scrubs and elsewhere that are worthy of cultivation with a view to their ultimate +improvement. Of such are the Queensland nut, a handsome evergreen +tree, bearing heavy crops of a very fine flavoured nut. The nut is about ¾-inch +in diameter, but the shell is very hard and thick. It could no doubt be +improved by selection and careful breeding. The Davidsonian plum is also +another fruit of promise. It is a handsome tree of our tropical North coast, +and bears a large plum-shaped fruit of a dark purple colour, with dark reddish +purple flesh, which is extremely acid, but which is well worth cultivation. +Several species of eugenias also produce edible fruit, and there are two species +of wild raspberries common to our scrubs. There are the native citrus fruits +I referred to in an earlier part of this paper, as well as several other less well-known +fruits that are edible.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus091-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus091-1400.jpg" width="276" height="400" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Tamarind Tree, Port Douglas District.</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="GRAPE_CULTURE" id="GRAPE_CULTURE"></a>GRAPE CULTURE.</h2> + + + +<p>No work on fruit-growing in Queensland, however small, would be complete +without due reference being made to the vine, the last but by no means +the least important of our many fruits. Although the cultivation of this most +useful and popular fruit has not reached to anything like the dimensions that +vine culture has attained in the Southern States, particularly in the production +of wine, there is no reason why it should not do so at no very distant future. +We have many advantages not possessed by our Southern neighbours in the +culture of the grape, the first and most important of which is that our crop +ripens so much earlier than that of the South that we can secure the whole of +the early markets without fear of any serious opposition. Until quite recently, +grape culture was in a very backward state in Queensland, the grapes grown +on the coast being nearly all American varieties, which are by no means the +best wine or table sorts. A few grapes of European origin were grown on the +Downs and in the Roma district, but their cultivation was practically confined +thereto. Now, however, things have altered very much for the better. Many +good varieties of European grapes have been proved suitable to the coastal +climate of the Southern half of the State, and many inland districts other +than Roma and the Downs have also proved that they, too, can and do grow +first-class fruit both for table and wine.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus093-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus093-1400.jpg" width="400" height="241" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Grosse Kölner Vine in Fruit, Roma District (Gros Colman).</div> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus094-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus094-1400.jpg" width="400" height="259" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">Picking Grapes, Roma.</div> + +<p>Now the culture of the grape extends over a great part of the State, from +the coast to the interior; in the latter, its successful growth depending on the +necessary suitable water for irrigation, and on the coast to our knowledge of +how to keep fungus pests, such as anthracnose, in check by winter treatment +and spring spraying.</p> + + +<p>In the Brisbane district many kinds of excellent table grapes are now +grown, which meet with a ready sale, such as the well-known Black Hamburgh +of English vineries, the Sweetwater, Snow's Muscat Hamburgh, Royal Ascot, +&c., as well as all the better kinds of American grapes, such as Iona, Gœthe, +Wilder, &c. A little wine is made, but more attention is given to table fruit.</p> + +<p>In the Maryborough, Gympie, and Bundaberg districts, similar grapes are +also grown, and do well, ripening somewhat earlier than they do in Brisbane; +and in the Rockhampton district, right on the tropic of Capricorn, some of the +best table grapes I have seen in the State are produced. Further north a few +grapes are grown, but not in any great quantities, and I consider that the +profitable cultivation of good table grapes on the coast extends from our +Southern border to a short distance north of the tropic of Capricorn and +inland to all districts where there is either a sufficient rainfall or a supply of +water from artesian bores, or otherwise, to enable them to be grown. Grapes +here, as in other parts of the world, like moderately rich, free, loamy soils of +good depth, free sandy loams, and free alluvial loams. In such soils they make +a vigorous growth, and are heavy bearers. The granitic soils of the Stanthorpe +district, that produce such good peaches, plums, and apples, grow excellent +grapes, which ripen late. They are of large size, and conspicuous for their fine +colour. The sandy soils of Roma and the Maranoa country generally grow +excellent wine and table grapes, the latter being of large size, full flavour, and +handsome appearance. Wine grapes also do well here, and some excellent +wine has been made, both dark and light, natural and fortified. I have no +doubt that eventually good rich port and the best of sherries will be produced +in this district, as the soil and climate are admirably adapted to the production +of these classes of wine. Our difficulty, so far, has been to find out the exact +kinds of grapes to grow for this purpose, but now I am glad to say that we are +on the right track, and the excellence of Queensland ports and sherries will be +a recognised thing before many years are past. There is a big and good +opening for up-to-date viticulturists in this State. We have any amount of +suitable land at low rates, and, thanks to the generous sun heat of our interior, +we can grow grapes capable of producing wines equal to the best that can be +turned out by Spain, Portugal, or Madeira. In those districts that do not +possess such an extreme climate, such as the coastal downs and the Stanthorpe +districts, good wines of a lighter character can be produced, and, as already +stated, good wines are now being made on the coast.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/illus095-1.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus095-1400.jpg" width="400" height="257" alt="" /></a></div> +<div class="center">A Grape Vine in Fruit, Stanthorpe District.</div> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illus097-1400.jpg" width="264" height="400" alt="" /></div> +<div class="center">Madresfield Court Grape.</div> + +<p>It is only now that we are beginning to realise the value of the grape to +Queensland, as, until our production increased to such an extent that our local +markets were being over-supplied, our growers made no attempt to supply +outside markets. Now this is being done, and better means of handling and +packing the fruit, so as to enable it to be shipped long distances, are now +coming into vogue. With improved methods of handling and packing, we have +a greatly extended market, in which we will have no local competition, hence +will be able to secure good returns, so much so that I consider that grape-growing +in Queensland has a very promising outlook for some years to come +at any rate. In addition to growing grapes to supply the fresh-fruit trade and +for winemaking, our western country is capable of producing good raisins and +sultanas. So far, this industry has not been entered into commercially, the +fresh fruit realising far too high a price for it to pay to convert it into raisins. +Still, with increased production, this will have to take place, and when it +does I am of opinion that we will be able to turn out a very saleable article. +The growing of grapes here certainly requires considerable experience of a +practical nature. This is not at all hard to obtain, and there are no insurmountable +difficulties to the beginner, once he has learnt how to work his land +so as to cause it to retain moisture during a dry spell, and to plant and prune +his vines. These are matters in which any beginner can obtain practical advice +from the Queensland Agricultural Department, as the Government of Queensland, +recognising the importance of fruit-growing, grape-growing, and general +agriculture to the State, have devoted considerable sums of money to the +establishment of experiment farms, orchards, and vineyards in different parts +of the State. All these Government institutions are under the control of +thoroughly qualified managers, who are willing at all times to give any assistance +to beginners, thereby enabling the latter to keep free from mistakes, and +to obtain the best returns as the result of their labour. Instructors, thoroughly +conversant with the State as a whole, are also available for giving practical +advice, so that there is no necessity for a beginner, through lack of experience, +to waste any time in finding out for himself what his soil and climate are +suited for. He can start on the right lines from the beginning, and keep to +right lines if he will only take advantage of the advice, based on practical +experience, that is given him. Queensland is a good land for the intending +fruit-grower. We offer you good soil, a choice of climates, suitable for the +growing of practically every kind of commercial fruit, a healthy climate to +live in, cheap land, free education for your children, and free advice from competent +experts for yourselves. This is a country that has not been advertised +or puffed up; that is, in consequence, not by any means well known; but it is +a country that, taken all in all, will take a lot of beating when one is looking +out for a home. Its natural advantages and the other inducements it offers +to intending settlers, particularly those interested in fruit culture, cannot, in +my opinion, be equalled, and certainly not excelled, elsewhere; and, as I stated +in the beginning of this paper, my opinion is based on practical experience +gained in various parts of the fruit-producing parts of the world.</p> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" summary="Placeholder for Illustrations"> +<tr><td align='center'><img src="images/illus098-1400.jpg" width="305" height="400" alt="" /></td> <td align='center'> +<img src="images/illus099-1400.jpg" width="285" height="400" alt="" /></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center'>Black Mammoth Grape.</td><td align='center'>Cinsaut Grape.</td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="List_of_Fruits_Grown_in_Queensland" id="List_of_Fruits_Grown_in_Queensland"></a>List of Fruits Grown in Queensland.</h2> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="List of Fruits Grown in Queensland"> +<colgroup span="3"> +<col width="29%"></col> +<col width="34%"></col> +<col width="37%"></col> +</colgroup> +<tr><td align='left' valign='top'> +Almonds, several varieties<br /> +Almond, Fiji<br /> +Apples, many varieties<br /> +Apricots, many varieties<br /> +Averrhoa<br /> +Avocada Pear<br /> +Bael Fruit<br /> +Banana, several varieties<br /> +Barberry<br /> +Blackberry<br /> +Brazilian Cherry<br /> +Bread Fruit<br /> +Burdekin Plum<br /> +Carob Bean<br /> +Chalta<br /> +Cherries, several varieties<br /> +Chestnut—Spanish<br /> +Chestnut—Japanese<br /> +Chinese Raisin<br /> +Citrons, several varieties<br /> +Cocoa-nut, many varieties<br /> +Custard Apples (Cherimoyers)<br /> +Dates<br /> +Davidsonia Plum<br /> +Figs, several varieties<br /> +Gooseberries—Cape<br /> +</td> + + +<td align='left' valign='top'> +Gooseberries—Otaheitan<br /> +Granadillas<br /> +Grapes, many varieties<br /> +Guavas, many varieties<br /> +Jujube<br /> +Kai Apple<br /> +Kumquat<br /> +Litchi<br /> +Longan<br /> +Lemons, several varieties<br /> +Limes, several varieties<br /> +Loquats<br /> +Mandarins, several varieties<br /> +Mangoes, many varieties<br /> +Mangosteen—Sour or Coochin York<br /> +Medlars<br /> +Melons, many varieties<br /> +Monstera<br /> +Mulberries, several varieties<br /> +Natal Plum<br /> +Nectarines, several varieties<br /> +Olives, several varieties<br /> +Oranges, many varieties<br /> +Papaw, several types<br /> +Passion Fruit, several types<br /> +Peaches—Persian, many varieties<br /> + +</td> + +<td align='left' valign='top'> +Peaches—China, several varieties<br /> +Peaches—Ceylon, several varieties<br /> +Pears, many varieties<br /> +Pecan Nut<br /> +Persimmons, several varieties<br /> +Pineapples, several varieties<br /> +Pistachio Nut<br /> +Plums—European, several varieties<br /> +Plums—Japanese, several varieties<br /> +Plums—American, several varieties<br /> +Pomegranate<br /> +Quince—European, several varieties<br /> +Quince—Japanese<br /> +Queensland Nut<br /> +Raspberries, several types<br /> +Rosellas<br /> +Rose Apple<br /> +Sapodilla Plum<br /> +Shaddock or Pomelo, several types<br /> +Star Apple<br /> +Strawberries, many varieties<br /> +Tamarinds<br /> +Tree Tomato<br /> +Vi Apple<br /> +Walnut<br /> +Whampee<br /></td></tr> + +</table></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="List_of_Vegetables_Grown_in_Queensland" id="List_of_Vegetables_Grown_in_Queensland"></a>List of Vegetables Grown in Queensland.</h2> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" summary="List of Fruits Grown in Queensland"> +<tr><td align='left' valign='top'> +Artichokes—Jerusalem and Globe<br /> +Asparagus<br /> +Beans of all kinds<br /> +Beetroot<br /> +Broccoli<br /> +Brussels Sprouts<br /> +Cabbage<br /> +Cabbage—Chinese<br /> +Capsicums<br /> +Cardoons<br /> +Carrots<br /> +Cassava<br /> +Cauliflowers<br /> +Celery<br /> +Chicory<br /> +Chokos<br /></td> + +<td align='left' valign='top'> +Cress<br /> +Cucumbers<br /> +Earth Nuts (Peanuts)<br /> +Egg Plant<br /> +Endive<br /> +Eschalots<br /> +Garlic<br /> +Herbs—all kinds<br /> +Horseradish<br /> +Kohl-rabi<br /> +Leeks<br /> +Lettuce<br /> +Mushrooms<br /> +Mustard<br /> +Nasturtiums<br /> +Ockra<br /></td> + +<td align='left' valign='top'> +Onions<br /> +Peas<br /> +Potatoes—English and Sweet<br /> +Pumpkins<br /> +Radishes<br /> +Rhubarb<br /> +Salsify<br /> +Seakale<br /> +Spinach<br /> +Squashes<br /> +Sweet Corn<br /> +Swedes<br /> +Taro<br /> +Tomatoes<br /> +Turnips<br /> +Vegetable Marrows<br /> +Yams<br /></td></tr> + +</table></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class='center'>By Authority: <span class="smcap">Anthony James Cumming</span>, Government Printer, Brisbane.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Fruits of Queensland, by Albert Benson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG 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