50 Agricultural and Horticultural Resources. 



THE ORCHARD PRODUCTS. 



Perhaps there is not a more favored land upon earth than 

 Victoria for producing, in abundance and perfection, a variety 

 of the finest fruits, whether these are considered as a mere 

 article of luxury, or as constituting one of the necessaries of 

 life adapted to the wants of man in this hot climate, or as 

 likely to become one of the staple articles of our commercial 

 exports at no distant period. Nearly all the fruits that can 

 be cultivated in any of the temperate latitudes can be pro- 

 duced here in the briefest space of time with the most certain 

 success. However sterile and unpromising the land may 

 appear, the simple act of breaking up the earth, and of intro- 

 ducing drainage when necessary, appears to act as magic on 

 the newly-planted ground, converting the barren looking 

 wilderness into the fruitful garden. 



It is astonishing to observe how very rapidly and how vigo- 

 rously the trees grow, when placed in favorable situations, 

 under good treatment. But horticulture has to contend with 

 the long parching droughts of the summer months, experi- 

 enced particularly in low open districts, and occasionally with 

 fierce burning winds, which, in some years, have had the effect 

 of destroying the crops of fruit on the trees. A hot wind, 

 however, seldom continues for more than two or three days at 

 a time, and is almost certain to end in a good fall of rain, 

 which soon rallies up the exhausted powers of vegetation. 



Fruit realized this season the following average prices : — 

 Apples, Id. to 8d. per lb. ; pears, 2d. to Is. ; plums, 3d. to 6d. ; 

 cherries, 6d. to Is. and Is. 6d. ; apricots, 6d. to Is. per dozen ; 

 peaches, 2d. to Is. 6d. per dozen ; walnuts, 3d. to 6d. per dozen. 

 This may suffice to show that fruit is freely available for all 

 classes, both for dessert and cooking purposes ; and the com- 

 munity will no doubt soon be placed in a position to provide 

 for the preservation of fruits on an extensive scale. The rea- 

 sons why, comparatively speaking, but little land is as yet 

 devoted to this lucrative and pleasant branch of industry, may 

 be sought in the slow return for the capital expended, as long 

 as the price of labor and the outlay for garden land continued 

 so unusually high. 



An eastern aspect, having a gentle declivity, is here the 

 most eligible for fruit gardens ; the trees are there least ex- 

 posed to the inclemencies of the climate, such as late spring 

 frosts, hot winds, and heavy rains. It is invariably found that, 

 upon naturally sandy poor soils fine fruitful orchards can be 



