564 Journal of Agriculture, Vicforin. [10 Sept.. 1912. 



to be thinning out and giving way before the e\er-spreading Pasfalum. 

 All stock are very fond of tlie grass, horses, sheep, and cattle alike pre- 

 ferring it to the natural grasses. It is found to respond freely to irriga- 

 tion. 



It is not recommended that Paspaluw should be sown as a rotation 

 crop in cultivation land, as, owing to its tenacity of life, considerable- 

 trouble would be experienced in breaking up land once overgrown with it. 

 Nor is it advisable to .sow Paspalum in well-drained soil suitable for 

 lucerne or rye-grass, and other finer grasses ; but, as it thrives under dry 

 conditions, it is possible it would greatly improve the grazing capacity of 

 the poorer hill pastures. 



THE FRUIT TRADE OF VICTORIA. 



ITS PRESENT STATUS FROM A COMMERCIAL STAND-POINT. 



By E. Meekhtg, Senior Ijispcctor of Fruit. 



Part 1. 



Introductory. 



" It has at last been realized that too much attention has been 

 given in the past to the business of inducing people to plant fruit 

 trees, and not enough consideration has been given to the selling of 

 the crop, and the finding of a profitable market for the fruit that 

 is already on hand. The one great object in growing fruit is to sell 

 at a profit. Fruit-growing is a business, and as such is dependent 

 upon business methods and principles quite as much as the manu- 

 facture and sale of boots and shoes, of steel implements, or of 

 other articles."' 

 The above were the terms in which the ofiicer in charge of fruit trans- 

 portation in the United States of America reported to the Secretary for 

 Agriculture on the unsatisfactory condition of the fruit-growing industry 

 in that country, wdiich had resulted from the Government Immigration 

 Agencies encouraging new settlers to undertake the business of fruit-grow- 

 ing without paying sufficient attention to the matters of handling, trans- 

 porting, and marketing of the fruits when raised. This state of affairs 

 eventually promised to create such financial embarrassment of fruit-growers 

 in some of the States that the Goverrunent undertook to investigate the 

 matter. As a result, the application of combined bu.sinesslike and scien- 

 tific methods is now widely adopted in connexion with the marketing of 

 fruits, and the position of the fruit trade in the United States has, from 

 a commercial point of view, been much improved. 



It is to be feared that, unless more attention is given to the proper hand- 

 ling, distribution, and marketing of our fruits, the fruit trade in Victoria 

 will drift into the same unsatisfactory condition as was the case with the 

 trade in the United States some years ago. Fruit-growing is now becom- 

 ing such a popular branch of agronomy in this State, and has developed 

 so rapidly during recent years, that, unless the demand can be made to keep 

 pace with the supply, the position of the local fruit-grower may, in the 

 future, be very unenviable. The predilection amongst our agriculturists to- 

 take up fruit-growing as a livelihood is accounted for bv the following : — 



1. The suitability of our soils and climate. 



2. The profits which have been obtained from fruit-growing in- 



the past. 



3. The attra<'tive nature of the occupation. 



