I 20 A'£IV SOUTH WALES. 



tliG result being that tlie prices realised, as a whole, arc now much 

 lower than they used to be. It is, however, only inferior fruit that is 

 over-produced and is unremunerative, as first-quality fruit always sells 

 well in our markets, and is easily disposed of at satisfactory prices. 

 In the past the growers have simply looked to one market, viz., the 

 market for fresh fruit, and now that this market is occasionally over- 

 supplied there are many complaints from the growers that the trade is 

 overdone, and that there is no longer any money in it. Now, because 

 one market happens to be overdone for a short time during the 

 summer season, that is no reason at all that the industry, as a whole, 

 is overdone, and anyone who looks at the imports of fruit into this 

 Colony, both green fruit and preserved fruit, either iu the form of 

 canned fruit, dried fruits, jams, or jellies will see at a glance that we 

 are still very far from supplying our own requirements, and that there 

 is still a considerable scope for an increase in the production before 

 we need to talk much of over-production or have fruits for export. 

 In the past the fruits grown have usually been those that have pro- 

 duced the heaviest returns with the least trouble, quality being usually 

 of secondary consideration ; the fruit has been grown simply to supply 

 the green fruit market, and now that this market is overstocked during 

 the height of the season these fruits which are usu^ally valueless for 

 any other use, should be supplanted by varieties valuable not only for 

 the green-fruit trade, but, which, if this market is over-supplied may 

 be utilized by drying, canning, jam-making or otherwise. 



Fruit-gTowing in the future will have to be carried out on totally 

 different lines from what it has been in the past if our growers intend 

 to keep even our own markets ; and before we can hope to compete in 

 the world's markets with any chance of success^ and be able to hold 

 our share of these markets we must grow better fruit than we are 

 doiug at present, and when grown market it in such a manner that it 

 will be a credit to our Colony, and hold its own on its merits. There 

 has been an enormous increase iu the production of fruit throughout 

 the world during the past ten years, and the following figures, which 

 I have taken from T1\q Californian Fruit-groicer for 21st September, 

 1805, will give some idea of the immense production of fruit in California 

 alone, and of the rate at which production is increasing there. In 1894 

 the follov\'irig quantities of fruit were shipped from California, viz. : — • 



n.. 



Fresh fruit 179,570,500 



Citrus fruit 118,125,.30O 



Dried fruit ... 103,500,400 



Canned fruit 106.125,-2C0 



Raisins fruit 94,112,.350 



Nuts fruit 7,901,112 



Total G09,340,8C2 



Which is equal to 25,391 carloads of about 24,000 lb. or 12 tons 

 American each. 



The total shipments in 1890 were only 3:30,313,900 lb., or only a 

 little more than half of 1894, so that the output has nearly doubled in 

 a period of five years, and it is estimated that the gain for the next 

 five years will be equal to that of that of the period shown. This 

 enormous increase in the production of fruit is not confined to California 

 alone, but many other of the United States are becoming heavy fruit- 



