ORANGES AND LEMONS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 457 



My limited knowledge of horticull ure leads me to confidently believe 

 that, under a proper system of grafting, pruning, and fertilizing, the 

 oranges of the Philippine could be made to rival those sent here in large 

 quantities from China and Japan, which command a much higher price 

 and are bought in preference to the native fruit by those who can 

 afford to pay for them. 



Neither figs nor olives are found here, but I am told that a few trees 

 of both kinds have been raised in the door-yards of Europeans from the 

 seeds, yielding, however, very inferior fruit. 



Alex. E. Webb, 



Consul. 

 United States Consxtlatb, 



Manila, December, 23, 1889. 



NEW SOUTH WALES. 



REPORT BY COMMERCIAL AGENT DAWSON, OF NEWCASTLE. 



Eeferring to circular on the cultivation of oranges, lemons, olives, 

 and figs, I beg to state that I have written to several parties in regard 

 to the matter, but, thus far, I am able to make only a very meager and 

 unsatisfactory report. > 



In answer to the questions put in the circular, I will take an orangery 

 on the Allyu Eiver as the locality, about 60 miles north of Newcastle. 

 Almost any variety grows well there, and, after deducting expenses, 

 leaves a medium profit in fairly paying seasons. Mandarins, Emperor, 

 thorny, and almost any of the larger sorts are favorites. This is about 

 6 miles from Vacy, near Patterson, and about 20 or 30 miles from the 

 sea-coast. The elevation is about 100 feet above the sea-level, and 

 the trees are grown in the open hilly country around. But the orangery 

 in question is situated in an elbow of the Ally Eiver, the ground hav- 

 ing evidently been formed from time to time by sediment, sand, etc. 

 The country above this point is very ridgy and hilly — the hills, in 

 some instances, being of limestone formation, and probably on this ac- 

 count the orange flourishes, the deposit naturally containing a certain 

 amount of lime subsoil. About 20 feet deeper the soil is of a clayey 

 nature. Other orangeries are in the neighborhood, some of which 

 are on the hills, and all are in a bearing condition ; but in the opinion 

 of most people the flavor is not so rich as that of those grown on the 

 alluvial soil, and the rind of the latter is thinner. 



The bark disease has lately attacked the trees in this vicinity. The 

 trees grow better in fairly dry seasons with occasional showers, but of 

 course droughts will kill them, or partly so. Very wet weather causes 

 the fruit to drop off or split. 



No irrigation is used, and it is questionable if the increase in the 

 yield would compensate for the extra cost. The trees are in all stages 



