Climatic and Geographical Conditions 3 



CLIMATE. 



The climate of the Murray Valley is hot and dry. The 

 rainfall, which averages about ten inches per annum, 

 is insufficient for fruit culture without the aid of 

 irrigation. The months of November, December, 

 January, February, and March are usually hot, the 

 temperature often exceeding 100 degrees Fahr., and 

 sometimes reaching 110 degrees during severe heat 

 waves. Hot, northerly winds often accompany 

 these heat waves. The nights during the summer 

 months are usually cool. 



The climate during the autumn, winter, and early 

 spring is mild. The days are usually fine and 

 sunny. The night temperature sometimes sinks a 

 few degrees below freezing point, but any consider- 

 able damage to plant life from frost is rare. 



During September and October the equinoxial 

 gales often blow with considerable force and per- 

 sistence, making it necessary to take precautions 

 against the drifting of the surface soil of the looser 

 sandy slopes. 



FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR FRUIT 

 CULTURE. 



The conditions favourable for fruit culture consist 

 of: 



Fertile Soil. Soil of the highest fertility, both 

 alluvial and high land, exists along the Murray Val- 

 ley by the thousands of acres. The sites of the 

 various irrigation settlements have naturally been 

 chosen where fertile land and a plentiful water sup- 

 ply exist in close proximity. This, however, owing 

 to the impossibility of large tracts of land all being 

 of a uniform nature, does not prevent there being- 

 patches of hard-pan or shallow soil scattered among 

 the more fertile land. 



