Climatic and Geographical Conditions 5 



commercial success, are apricots, peaches, nectar- 

 ines, pears, currants, sultanas, and gordos (raisins). 

 The Australian markets for dried stone fruits are at 

 present fair, while conditions seem favourable for 

 the opening up of a good export trade with Great 

 Britain in dried apricots. 



The supply of locally-grown currants has for some 

 time been in excess of Commonwealth demands, 

 and owing to the tremendous output of cheap cur- 

 rants from Greece there is at present no prospect of 

 being able to compete with the product of that 

 country on a footing of equality in the markets of 

 the world. Gordos (pudding raisins) have also long 

 passed the Commonwealth consumption. 



The sultana has been the most extensively planted 

 of all the different varieties of vine along the Mur- 

 ray. Its product has also passed Australian re- 

 quirements; but there, appears more probability 

 that high-class fruit will be able to compete with 

 Mediterranean sultanas on the European markets 

 with a greater degree of success than would be the 

 case with currants or gordos. 



Canned Fruits. Very little fruit is at present 

 canned at the various irrigation settlements. Where 

 railway facilities are available a considerable amount 

 of fresh fruit from the river has during the past few 

 years found its way to the Melbourne and Adelaide 

 canneries. Owing to the large quantity of high- 

 class fruit that can be grown on the irrigation settle- 

 ments it seems probable that the canning industry 

 will, in the future, become an established fact at 

 most of the irrigation centres along the river. 



Fresh Fruits. Apricots, peaches, and pears are at 

 present being sent away from the irrigation areas in 

 some quantities for consumption fresh to the chief 

 centres of population ; but to do this successfully 

 railway facilities must exist. The most important 



