Sept. 2, 190S.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S. W. 741 



Drying yVpricots ai]d peacl]es. 



W. J. ALLEN. 



These fruits can be grown in almost any part of Australia, while the warmer 

 ^nd drier portions of the States are usually the most suitable climates for 

 the production of the best fruits for drying purposes. 



It is often found that fruit grown in the moist coastal districts is inclined 

 to be rather full of fibre, while that of the di'ier climates is in almost every 

 ■case quite free from this detrimental composition. Again, some varieties are 

 more suitable than others for drying purposes, even when grown in the most 

 favoured soil and climate, and it is satisfactory to know that some of our best 

 apricots and peaches for drying are also some of the best for dessert and 

 canning, and therefore, when it is possible to grow varieties combining all 

 of these excellent (jualities, one is tempted to ask why there are so many 

 grown which are of little if any value for anything but dessert purposes. The 

 ■earlier and more juicy fruits are seldom of any value for drying, while among 

 the mid-season and merlium late can l>e found the best varieties for this 

 purpose. 



We have thousands of acres admirably adapted for raising fruits suitable 

 for drying, and also the climate necessary for producing the best dried fruits. 

 In many of the interior districts the climate is so well adapted for fruit dry- 

 ing, owing to the absence of fogs and moisture in the air, that the drying- 

 process goes on day and night. This lessens the chance of moths depositing 

 their eggs in the fruit, which is exposed for the minimum length of time, and 

 has also the advantage of sun drying in place of using an evaporator, and the 

 fruit drying quickly^ the trays can be emptied sooner than is possible in the 

 more moist and cooler- climates, thus enabling the grower to handle a laige 

 crop with fewer trays — a great consideration to all orchardists. 



As soon as the fruit is cured it should be stored in strong calico bau's, to 

 prevent it becoming moth infested. 



Heavy crops can usually be grown wherever irrigation can be practised, 

 provided the soil is loamy, on which soils these fruits usually grow to per- 

 fection, and produce the heaviest crops. It can safely be said that there are 

 many- places in Australia where these fruits can be grown, and the products, 

 when cured, are equal to the very best grown in any other part of the world. 



There is usually a much greater demand for apricots than peaches in this 

 and other countries, and it is to be regretted that while nature lias been so 

 generous in giving us all that can be desired in the wav of soil and climate, 

 that up to the present our fruit-growers have not made more use of these 

 advantages in the production of greater quantities of the better (piality of 

 both fruits. 



