: 5 
West Australian climate which point to the particular suitability 
of this country for fruit-growing. 
For the purpose of illustrating this statement, no more con- 
vineing means offer than comparing the climate of the South-West 
Division of this State with the climate of some of the most noted 
fruit districts of the world, and especially California, in—Ist, tem- 
perature; 2nd, light; 3rd, air humidity; which are all climatic 
conditions, absolutely necessary to fruit ripening. According as 
these three conditions are met with in a more or less suitable degree 
the fruits ripen with greater or less perfection. 
TEMPERATURE. 
When compared with the chief fruit-growing districts of Cali- 
fornia, the West Australian climate shows to advantage, its chief 
characteristics being—Ist, freedom from extremes of low and high 
temperature ; 2nd, an abundance of sunshine; 3rd, summer atmos- 
phere, with a low percentage of humidity. 
The following table, which gives the lowest thermometric read- 
ings during a period of five years, at six places which can well serve 
as land marks in dealing with the fruit-growing districts of this 
State, compares favourably with some Californian stations where 
fruits of the citrus tribe, for instance, are known to attain to great 
perfection :-—— 
Deg. Fah. Deg. Fahr. 
Geraldton -. 38 San Francisco ... .. 28 
Perth... ads ve 82 San José _ we 22 
Bunbury ae ww. 35 Los Angeles... ws 728 
Albany ... aes w. 82 San Diego a8 we 382 
York... aus gees 29 Sacramento ass ive 19 
Katanning ae aa 2 Fresno... es ae 18 
If, on the one hand, temperature must not be too low for the 
profitable cultivation of trees such as those belonging to the citrus 
tribe, which retain their foliage all the year round, it must not, on 
the other, rise to too high a degree in the summer months without 
exposing the trees to sun seald. 
Careful experiments made tend to demonstrate the fact that 
“a temperature above a certain minimum of heat is found neces- 
sary for germination, another for chemical modification, and a third 
for flowering, a fourth for the ripening of seeds, a fifth for the 
elaboration of the saccharine juices, and a sixth for the develop- 
ment of aroma or bouquet.” 
The same botanist who laid down the above rule (Boussin- 
gault) determined that, in the case of the grape vine, while a mean 
of 59deg. Fahr. during the growing months will allow the plant to 
flourish, a much higher mean temperature is necessary during the 
summer and autumn months from the time the seeds are formed 
until full maturity, to bring the fruit to perfection, and there must 
