36 FRUITS OF QUEENSLAND. 



similar varieties in more southern parts of Australia, we have gone in largely 

 for early varieties of apples, both for cooking and table use, but have not con- 

 fined our attention to them entirely, as good-keeping sorts are found to do 

 equally well, and have been shown at the annual exhibition that is held in 

 Brisbane during August, in perfect condition, showing that the fruit has good 

 keeping qualities. The soil on which the apple is mostly grown is largely 

 composed of granitic matter, and is of a sharp, sandy, loamy nature, often of 

 a gritty character. It is usually rich in potash, the predominating felspar being 

 orthoclase, but somewhat deficient in nitrogen and phosphoric acid. It is 

 usually easy to work, of fair depth, and retains moisture well when kept in a 

 thorough state of tilth. The trees are usually planted at from 20 to 25 feet 

 apart each way, when they are either one year or two years old from the graft 

 or bud. They are headed low, so as to shade the ground from the heat of the 

 sun, and also so as to facilitate the handling of the crop when grown, as well 

 as to prevent their swaying about with the wind. The trees make a rapid 

 growth, come into bearing very early, often bearing a fair crop three years 

 after planting, and fruiting even earlier. The fruit of the early varieties has 

 usually a handsome appearance, but lacks keeping qualities, but the later fruits 

 .are both handsome, high-coloured fruit, and good keepers. The trees are not 

 very liable to disease, as, thanks to all varieties being worked on blight- 

 resistant stocks, there is very little American blight (woolly aphis). Scale 

 insects do a certain amount of damage, but are easily kept in check by winter 

 spraying, and codling moth is not bad unless grossly neglected, many orchards 

 being quite free from this great pest of the apple-grower. So far, the growing 

 of apples has been confined entirely to the growing of fruit for the local 

 markets, no attempt having been -made to export same. A very small quantity 

 is dried, and a little is used for jelly. 



Many varieties of apples have been tested in this State, but growers have 

 found out that it pays them best to confine their attention to comparatively 

 few sorts that have proved to be the best suited to the soil and climate, as a 

 few good kinds are much more profitable to grow than a mere collection of 

 varieties. Many varieties are prone to overbear, and trees of large size have 

 produced enormous crops of fruit, whereas young trees frequently break 

 down under the weight of their crop. The usual plan is to plant a few varieties 

 that ripen in succession, so as to extend the season over as long a period as 

 possible, and not to cause a glutted market at any one time. Early fruits parti- 

 cularly are not noted for their keeping qualities, and a market glutted with 

 such would entail a heavy loss to growers, hence a succession of varieties that 

 suit the district as well as the market is grown. 



Nearly all kinds of apples do well, those that are resistant to the attack 

 of woolly aphis are, however, generally chosen in preference, even though they 

 may not be of the highest quality, as their prolificness and freedom from this 

 pest renders them more profitable than varieties of superior quality that are 

 liable to blight, and that are at the same time often somewhat indifferent 

 bearers. It is outside the scope of this paper to go into the question of 

 varieties, but I may mention that such sorts as Irish Peach, Gravenstein, 



