F SUITS OF QUEENSLAND. 79 



FIGS. 



Several kinds of figs can be grown successfully in the Southern coast 

 districts, the first crop ripening before Christmas, but the second or main crop 

 is often a failure, owing to the fact that it ripens during our wet season, and 

 the fruit consequently sours and bursts. As one recedes from the coast, the 

 fruit does better, and is less liable to injury from excessive wet. The coastal 

 tablelands and the more Western Downs grow it well, and the trees, when 

 planted on soil of a rich friable nature, grow to a large size and bear heavily. 

 Many varieties are grown, which are used fresh or converted into jam, but no 

 attempt has been made to dry them, though it is possible that this industry 

 may eventually be found profitable in the drier parts of the State, where there 

 is water available for the trees' use at certain periods of the year, but not 

 during the fruiting period, as it cannot well be too dry then if a good quality of 

 dried figs is to be turned out. This fruit is easily grown, and is not at all 

 subject to serious pests, so that anyone who will take reasonable care can pro- 

 duce all that is required for home use or local sale, as its softness renders it a 

 difficult fruit to ship long distances in a hot climate. 



THE MULBERRY. 



This is one of the hardiest fruits we have, one of the most rapid growers, 

 and one of the most prolific. There are several varieties in cultivation, and 

 those of Japanese or Chinese origin will grow from the coast to the interior, 

 and thrive either in an extremely dry or humid climate. The common English 

 or black mulberry does not do too well as a rule, though there are many fine 

 trees scattered throughout the State, but the other sorts are as hardy as native 

 trees. The fruit is not of any great value, still, as it is so easily grown, it 

 finds a place in most gardens, and in time of drought the leaves and young 

 branches are readily eaten by all kinds of stock, so that it is a good standby 

 for stock as well as a fruit. 



THE STRAWBERRY. 



To those who have been accustomed to look upon the strawberry as a 

 fruit of the purely temperate regions, it will be somewhat of a revelation to 

 know that exceptionally fine fruit can be grown right on the Queensland 

 mast, and well within the tropics, and that on the coast, between the 26th to 

 the 28th degrees of south latitude, we are probably producing as fine fruit and 

 obtaining as heavy crops as are produced in any of the older strawberry-growing 

 countries. Not only this, but that we are able to supply the Southern markets 

 of Australia with finer fruit than they can produce locally, and at a time of the 

 year that they cannot grow it. As I have already mentioned when dealing 

 with other fruits, one thing that particularly impresses strangers is the early 

 age at which our fruits come into bearing. This is borne out in the case of 

 the strawberry to a marked degree, as runners set in April fruit in July, and 

 often earlier, and will continue to bear, given reasonable weather, right up to 



