38 A NATURALIST IN TASMANIA ch, 



planted out in bare fields, the soil of which is 

 kept perpetually crumbly by constant ploughing ; 

 the trees are all pruned when young so as to 

 assume a rather low cup-shaped growth, the 

 central shoot being cut off and five or six lateral 

 branches being encouraged. This artificial method 

 of growth doubtless detracts from the beauty of 

 the trees, but for commercial purposes, in saving 

 expenses of picking and difficulties in spraying, 

 it is undoubtedly the best. Besides the export 

 trade in apples, the softer fruits are made into 

 pulp for jam, and supply the material for a very 

 large local manufacture. The fruit grown in 

 Tasmania — and I speak from a personal experi- 

 ence of almost every kind — is in every way a» 

 fine as anything that Europe can show, and this 

 is an achievement of which the Hobart fruit- 

 growers may well be proud, since the land where 

 their orchards now flourish was fairly thick bush 

 only a few years ago. They have also to contend 

 with quite the usual quantity of pests, all of 

 them introduced from other countries ; Codlin 

 Moth, Black Spot, and the Pear Slug ; but with 

 the adequate legislative precautions and the ad- 

 vice of a Government entomologist which are pro- 

 vided, and also the scientific spirit in which the 

 industry is conducted, the fruit-growers have 

 every chance of success. 



In driving about the suburbs of Hobart and 

 the neighbouring villages further afield, the visitor 

 from England, and even more so the visitor from 



