Oct. 2, 1908.] Jgricnltnral Gazette of N.S. JF. 847 



As heavy falls of laiii ai-e occasionally experienced, good large drains are a 

 necessity, to prevent the washing away of the light soil. The country is 

 rolling, and well watered, and in my opinion no one person should be allowed 

 to select or lease more than 120 acres, as that is quite a sufficient area for 

 any one man to make a living from at fruit-growing, and as 1 said before the 

 land is of little or no value for anything else. 



Mr. Parsons informed me that there was a very fine waterfall about \h 

 miles off the Mangrove Road, somewhere between the 8th and 9th mile posts,, 

 and he suggests reserving this and protecting the ferns, ifec, which are 

 gi'owing around, and beautifying it. Unless this is done it will not be long 

 before vandals will remove and destroy that which at piesent makes the spot 

 beautiful. 



3Iessrs. Robinson, Hunter, and Black have all proved that passion-fruit 

 will yield up to £100 per acre at the third year. Mr. Black, who started 

 three years ago, claims that he has already marketed £300 worth of fruit 

 from 6 acres, and he saj^s there is as much fruit remaining on the vines as he 

 has taken off. It has been well demonstrated, therefore, that this fruit does 

 well on this poor soil, especially when handled by practical orcharclists. 



I have, ifec, 



W. J. ALLEN. 



[This repoi't was obtained from the Fruit Expert for the benefit of a number of men 

 who liad heard of tliis district and wished to secure blocks at tlie alluring price of 10s. 

 per acre fixed by the Lands Department. A number of practical fruit-growers from the 

 County of Cumberland have taken up blocks for themselves or their sons. These men of 

 life-long exjjerience in fruit-grov.ing have faith in the district, especialh" for passion-fruit 

 and citrus fruits. There are large tracts of absolutely useless land, wliere outcrops of 

 ironstone and quartz gravel, with vegetation consisting of burrawangs, grass-trees, 

 stunted and gnaided white gums and ti-tree, proclaim its sterility. But there are 

 occasional patches of deep sandy loam with which tlie practical men are well satisfied if 

 they get 40 out of a block of 100 acres. Cost of clearing is £10 to £12 per acre. The 

 highest point on tlie range crossed between Gosford and Mangrove is 1,200 feet above tlie 

 sea ; the climate is deliglitful, the rainfall generally abundant, above -lO inches ; the out- 

 look over Terrigal and the sea-coast is ver\- beautiful where glimpses can be got as tlie 

 Peuang ilountain is climbed, and the j^rospects for the man who can do his own clearing, 

 and most of his building, and can attbrd to wait for two years, are fairly encouraging. — Ed ] 



