XI 



CAPSICUMS 375 



and capsicums can be grown in Queensland is amply 

 demonstrated in all the northern districts where chilies 

 of various kinds have become a weed, and may be seen 

 growing on the roadside for miles loaded with red 

 chilies. The plant thrives admirably all about the 

 south coast districts, and even grows in parts of the 

 southern table -land where heavy frosts occur, but no 

 commercial use is made of the chilies. 



An officer of the department of agriculture made inquiries 

 of two Brisbane firms relative to the market for chilies ; one of 

 the firms (pickle makers) are large buyers of fresh chilies, and 

 give 3d. per Ib. for good plump berries 1J in. long. The other 

 firm import in connection with their business as pepper manu- 

 facturers bird's-eye chilies, and a few capsicums from the West 

 Indies in a dried condition, and pay 6Jd. per Ib. for them, or 

 about 60 : 13 : 4 per ton. It strikes us as a most extraordinary 

 thing that we hear of people struggling to make both ends 

 meet in some parts of the north who are, at the same time, in 

 the midst of a crop which requires no cultivation, and only 

 demands picking and packing to bring grist to the mill. Mean- 

 while our local manufacturers have to import chilies from the 

 West Indies. Twelve months ago we put up a quantity of 

 chilies in a jar of salt and water to test their keeping qualities. 

 They have retained their plump, fresh, red appearance, and all 

 their pungent qualities, to the present day, thus proving that 

 they can be exported to any distance in a fresh state. 



> Truly it does seem a little absurd that Australia 

 should import chilies when they can be grown with 

 such ease. 



CROPPING 



The period which the plant takes to produce its 

 fruit is variously stated. In Ceylon, Drieberg says it 

 takes two months ; in the Malay Peninsula, about three 

 months before the first crop commences. Mukerji, for 

 India, gives about five or six months, i.e. from July 

 or August to December or February, and a writer in 

 the Queensland Agricultural Journal, vi., 1900, states 

 that there they take eight months before they begin 

 to fruit. This is certainly exceptionally long, especi- 



