7(76 Joanwl of Agriculture, Victoria. [11 Dec., 1916. 



SStreamville, Stratliewen, Tanck's Corner, Wallan, Whittlesea. ' E. 

 Wallis, Orchard Supervisor — 



Apples. — Light. 



Apricots. — Not grown to any extent, except at Keilor, where crop promises to 

 be medium. 



Ckerries — Medium. 



Peaches — Heavy. 



Pears. — Medium to heavy at majority of places. Setting of some varieties 

 interfered with by rain. 



Plums. — Medium to heavy. -• 



Quinces. — Medium to heavy. 



Prospects of fruit crop for season 1916-17, in the Doncaster district. 

 A. H. Hammond, Orchard Supervisor — 



Apples. — Very light. Old trees that bore heavily last season have little or 

 nothing on this season. Young trees and trees that were thinned and irrigated 

 are carrying a liglit to medium crop. Taking the district as a whole, the apple 

 crop will not be more than 15 to 20 per cent, of last season's crop. 



Apricots. — Medium. Not largely grown. 



Cherries. — Light. The early cherries are patchy; some orchards have a very 

 fair crop, others very poor. Mid-season cherries are mostly a failure. Late 

 cherries are also very poor. I should judge that the crop will not be more 

 than 15 per cent, of the normal .yield. 



Peaches. — Very good. All varieties are carrying a heavy crop, and will 

 require thinning. 



Pears. — Heavy. All leading varieties have set a heavy crop. Owing, however, 

 to the Black Spot (Fusicladium), the quantity of marketable fruit will not be 

 more than normal, and perhaps less. Much depends on the efforts now being 

 made to cope with the disease. 



Plums. — Light. The crop of plums is very poor. Japanese plums in the 

 Wandin district are medium; Angelina and Black Diamond are patchy. The 

 plum crop, like the cherry, was spoiled by the continuous heavy rain when in 

 full bloom. 



Quinces. — Medium. 



Prospects of fruit crop for season 1916-17 in the Evelyn and Central 

 districts. J. Farrell, Orchard Supervisor. 



Owing to the continual heavy rains, accompanied by low temperatures, which 

 prevailed during the period in which the trees were in bloom, it is estimated 

 that the crops of large fruits particularly, except pears, vdll be considerably 

 below the average. 



Apples. — Of the early blooming varieties .Jonathan shows best; even then the 

 crop will be light. The late blooming varieties — Five Crown and Eome Beauty, 

 &c. — look well in places, but they are not setting as well as might be expected. 



Pears. — Williams' Bon Chretien, medium to heavy ; Howell, Beurre Bosc, 

 Beurre Capiaumont, Vicar of Winkfield, medium; others, medium to light. 



Plums. — All varieties light to very light, even the Japanese, which usually 

 set well. 



Cherries. — Early varieties very light; late sorts light. 



Apricots. — OuUin's Early and Moorpark, medium; others, medium to light. 



Peaches. — In some parts of the district all kinds a fair crop ; in others, medium 

 to light. 



Quinces. — Mostly light. 



Figs. — First crop light. 



passion Fruit. — Although the vines do not look as well as they usually do at 

 this time of the year, a good crop is in evidence. 



Loquats. — -Very light. 



Le-nions. — Medium. 



Oranges. — Medium to light. 



Gooseberries. — Medium to light, even the Roaring Lion, which usually yields 

 so well. 



Currants. — White, light; black, medium. 



