GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 255 



require a larger area, and there is a choice, then the best 

 soil for the majority of fruits is a good stiffer loam, 

 such as would yield good consecutive crops of grain. A 

 lighter soil, while working more freely, does not give such 

 stamina to the trees as to ensure long life, nor is the fruit 

 so long keeping. These remarks are especially true of 

 the apple tribe, and apply to fruits generally. Under- 

 drainage is an absolute necessity ; where it does not exist 

 naturally (which is rarely the case) it must be provided by 

 the careful, forecasting orchardist, as described in the 

 chapter on draining. The exposure of land intended for 

 fruit is worthy of consideration, experience pointing to the 

 eastern and north-eastern slopes as being especially 

 favorable. Accessibility to market speaks for itself, and 

 needs no comment. The cultivator who resolves to either 

 wholly or in part prosecute fruit-growing as a business will 

 spare no trouble in order to obtain a suitable piece of land 

 for his orchard ; fertile soil, not too steep, good exposure, 

 sufficient under- drainage, and an accessible market, are 

 absolutely necessary in order to ensure success. Skilful 

 manuring tells effectively in the orchard. 



Fruits Available. The experimenting stage has long 

 been worked out in Australia. In the elevated districts, 

 immediately west of the great Dividing Ranges, the apple, 

 pear, plum, peach, nectarine, cherry, apricot, grape vines. 

 &c., the fruits of the temperate zone are thoroughly at home, 

 In the coastal districts, the orange, lemon, lime, date plum, 

 loquat, mango, olive, banana, &c., find a congenial climate, 

 and flourish abundantly; while in both sections of the 

 country the grape thrives well, but does best where the 

 rainfall is between twenty and thirty inches. Some of the 

 plums, Japan plums, apples, pears, &c., thrive also on the 

 coastal lands, as do peaches of the Chinese races; and the 

 orange succeeds in favourable situations further inland, as 

 well almost as in the coast country. 



Experiences With Varieties of Fruits. Every district 

 in the country has its experiences of varieties that do well, 

 and of others, found excellent in some parts, which prove 

 unsuitable in others. Suggestions from neighbours, from 

 the catalogues of nurserymen, and from the experiences of 



