Soils of the Central Tablelands, suitable to the Growth of Grapes, Dates.

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.

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.