Fit U ITS OF QUEENSLAND. 9 



No branch of agriculture has made a greater advance during the past 

 quarter-century than that of fruit-growing, and none has become more popular. 

 The demand for fruit of all kinds, whether fresh or preserved, has increased 

 enormously throughout the world, and it is now generally looked upon more 

 as a necessity than a luxury. Hence there are continually recurring inquiries 

 as to the best place to start fruit-growing with a reasonable prospect of success. 

 It is not only the increased demand for fruit that causes these inquiries, but 

 fruit-growing has a strong attraction for many would-be agriculturists as 

 compared with general farming, dairying, or stock-raising, and this attraction 

 is probably due to a certain fascination it possesses that only those who have 

 been intimately acquainted with the industry for years can fully appreciate. 

 In addition to the fact that living under one's own vine and fig-tree is in itself 

 a very pleasant ideal to look forward to, there is no branch of agronomy that 

 calls for a keener appreciation of the laws of Nature, that brings man into 

 closer touch with Nature, that makes a greater demand on a man's patience, 

 skill, and energy, or in which science and practice are more closely related, 

 than in that of fruit-growing. To all those who are considering the advantages 

 of taking up fruit-growing as an occupation, and to those who feel the attrac- 

 tion I have just described, these few words on fruit-growing in Queensland 

 are addressed, as the writer wishes them to learn something of the fruit-grow- 

 ing capabilities of this State, so that before deciding on the country in which 

 they will make a start they may not be in complete ignorance of a land that is 

 especially adapted for the growth of a larger number of distinct varieties of 

 fruit than any other similar area of land with which he is acquainted either 

 in the Old or New World. 



Queensland is a country whose capabilities are at present comparatively 

 unknown even to those living in the Southern States of Australia, and, 

 naturally, very much less so to the rest of the world, hence a little general 

 information respecting our country and one of its industries may be of some 

 help to those who are looking for an opening in this particular branch of 

 agriculture. 



Queensland is a country having a population of a little over half a million, 

 and an area of 429,120,000 acres; the population of a city of the second 

 magnitude, and an area of some seven and one-half times greater than that of 

 Great Britain, or two and one-half times greater than the State of Texas, 

 United States of America. 



A country embracing 18 degrees of latitude, from the llth to the 29th 

 degrees of south latitude, and extending from a humid eastern seaboard to an 

 extremely dry interior, some 15 degrees of longitude west. A country, there- 

 fore, of many climates and varied rainfall. A country possessing a great 



