156 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



the strawberry may be mentioned. The orange tribe thrives 

 magnificently in all parts of the group, the oranges of Namosi 

 being especially excellent. 



Bananas and pine-apples of good quality abound every- 

 where. The former are grown extensively in Fiji as an article 

 of food. To say that the mango, sour-sop and sweet-sop, 

 custard-apple, cherimoyer, rambutan, lychee, tamarind, among 

 other tropical fruits, and perhaps the mangosteen and durian, 

 will grow in Fiji is a truism. Fiji is now extensively exporting 

 tropical fruit, especially bananas, to the markets of Australia 

 and New Zealand. Situated within the tropics, Fiji is only 

 eight days' steaming from Sydney and three from Auckland, 

 where the demands for her produce are extensive and increas- 

 ing. From the bountiful nature of the soil and the favourable 

 climate, she will successfully compete in these markets with all 

 rivals, not excepting the tropical portions" of Australia. It is 

 to Australasia Fiji has to look for a market for most of her 

 tropical products, and not to those of Europe, from which she 

 is too far distant. It will be a long time before her produce 

 overstocks the markets of Australia and New Zealand, and 

 when that time comes, if it ever should come, it will be easier 

 for the colony to send her surplus coffee, etc., to the Western 

 States of America than to Europe. All that Fiji at present 

 requires for the development of her resources is capital, 

 and men skilled in tropical agriculture ; by this I mean men 

 who understand the growth of the sugar-cane, the making of 

 sugar, the growth of coffee, tea, etc., and the preparation of 

 these for market. 



In what may be termed sylvan wealth, Fiji is also rich. 

 But the quantity of useful timber is not so abundant as it 

 would at first appear to the inexperienced. However, there is 

 a sufficient quantity of home-grown timber to meet the home 



