748 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



Insect pests. Red spider, Tetranichus telarius, or some nearly allied 

 insect, is a serious enemy. Ko futile attempts are made against it by 

 the cultivators. They think sacrifices to idols effectual. Much yet re- 

 mains to be done in the entomology of the fig. 



Cuttings. I have never sent cuttings as far as America, but I think 

 that if cut in February, packed in moist sand in a tin box and sent by 

 post, a few would survive the journey. Whether it would be profitable 

 is doubtful, as I am of opinion the fig of the Deccan is synonymous 

 with brown Turkey, which you probably have in cultivation. I will be 

 glad, to send you cuttings if wanted. 



Publications. The Government of India does not issue statistics 

 regarding figs. The latest edition of my book on gardening in India, 

 published at the end of 1889, has the fullest account I know of, but it 

 is not as full as this report. 



Olives are not grown in India ; the tree lives but does not fruit. 



G. MARSHALL WOODROW. 



POONAH, March 14, 1890. 



AUSTRALASIA. 



REPORT BY CONSUL GRIFFIN, OF SYDNEY. 



The fig is not cultivated to any great extent in the Australian colo- 

 nies. The tree will grow and bear excellent fruit all over the country, 

 but its cultivation can not be called an industry in any part of Austral- 

 asia. Figs are not dried or prepared in any way for export. There are 

 growers who have experimented with drying figs, but I have never heard 

 of locally dried figs being offered for sale. The figs that find their way 

 to the Sydney market are in a green state. Baron Fred, von Mueller, 

 government botanist for Victoria, in his work entitled " Select Extra- 

 Tropical Plants," strongly urges the extensive planting of the fig through 

 favorable portions of desert waste for shade and fruit and in warm dis- 

 tricts where the fruit could be dried with particular ease. He directs 

 attention to the ease with which small cuttings of the fig tree were sent 

 by horse post in the early history of these colonies from Port Phillip 

 (Melbourne) to the Central Australian Mission stations, a distance as far 

 as from St. Petersburg to the Black Sea, or from San Francisco to the 

 Upper Missouri. Baron von Mueller mentions two main varieties which 

 have been successfully introduced into Australia. One includes the 

 purple, white, and golden fig-trees, producing two crops a year, but are 

 not suitable for drying. The other main variety embraces the Marseil- 

 laise, Bellonne, Barnisote, and the Aubique. These produce but one 

 crop a year and supply the greatest quantity of figs for drying. The 

 Marseillaise and Bellonne are usually regarded as the best varieties. The 

 Barnisote and Aubique are dried with fire heat and are usually consumed 

 fresh. The ordinary drying is effected usually by the sun. Mr. Angus 



