7 



3. The Central Coastal Division, extending from Gringin, an 

 including the Swan to the Collie River. 



4. The Blackwood and adjoining districts Eastward to Albar 

 and Esperance. 



A better understanding of the requirements which underlie tl 

 pursuit of modern fruit-growing one of the most interesting an 

 profitable branches of agronomy brings out several features in ib 

 West Australian climate, which point to the particular suitabilit 

 of this country for fruit-growing. 



For the purpose of illustrating this statement, no more coi 

 vincing means offer than comparing the climate of the South- Wes 

 Division of this State with the climate of some of the most note 

 fruit districts of the world, and especially California, in 1st, ten 

 perature ; 2nd, light ; 3rd, air humidity ; which are all climat: 

 conditions, absolutely necessary to fruit ripening. According 8 

 these three conditions are met with in a more or less suitable degn 

 the fruits ripen with greater or less perfection. 



TEMPERATURE. 



When compared with the chief fruit-growing districts of Cal 

 fornia, the West Australian climate shows to advantage, its elm 

 characteristics being 1st, freedom from extremes of low and hig 

 temperature ; 2nd, an abundance of sunshine ; 3rd, summer atmos 

 phere, with a low percentage of humidity. 



The following table, which gives the lowest thermometric reac 

 ings during a period of five years, at six places which can well sen 

 as land marks in dealing with the fruit-growing districts of th: 

 State, compares favourably with some Calif ornian stations whei 

 fruits of the citrus tribe, for instance, are known to attain to gres 

 perfection : 



Geraldton 

 Perth 



Bunbury ... 

 Albany . . . 

 York 

 Katanning 



Deg. Fahr. 

 28 

 22 

 28 

 32 

 19 

 18 



If, on the one hand, temperature must not be too low for th 

 profitable cultivation of trees such as those belonging to the citru 

 tribe, which retain their foliage all the year round, it must not, o 

 the other, rise to too high a degree in the summer months withou 

 exposing the trees to sun scald. 



Careful experiments made tend to demonstrate the fact tha 

 " a temperature above a certain minimum of heat is found neces 

 sary for germination, another for chemical modification, and a thir< 

 for flowering, a fourth for the ripening of seeds, a fifth for th 

 elaboration of the saccharine juices, and a sixth for the develop 

 ment of aroma or bouquet." 



