337 
Craig), Boodaree (T. A. and A. E. Hardie), and at the Beagle Bay 
Mission. They blossomed ten or twelve years ago and have since 
entered the period of productiveness. 
I tasted some dates grown at Tambray on the Fortescue—one 
in particular is as good as the best date imported. 
At the Beagle Bay Mission there are some 70 odd date palms 
planted, and the community there intend setting out a larger plan- 
tation. 
It would be advisable, in view of the fact that the earlier dates 
ripen their fruit at the North-West about February, to introduce 
some of the later ripening kinds which would mature after the rainy 
season (April) when the fruit would not ferment. The climate there, 
which is dry from April on, enables us to harvest a date erop with- 
out seeing it spoilt by the rain, as is the case in Queensland in par- 
ticular, where the palms grow well, but are said not to fruit satisfac- 
torily. 
Referring to the possibilities of starting an important date in- 
dustry at the North-West, I previously pointed out :— 
Whereas there is a duty of 3d. per lb. on dried currants, raisins, 
and other fruits, the duty on dates is only 1d. per Ib., but as a good- 
sized tree bears from 1 to 5 ewt. of fruit annually, that industry is 
protected to the extent of about Ss. to £2 per tree, and if freshly 
ripened dates could be placed on the Commonwealth market—and we 
ean do it—the consumption of that fruit would increase at a rate 
it is difficult to gauge. In addition to this duty a bonus of Id. per 
lb. is offered for 15 years for quantities not less than 10 ewt. 
Date palms offer very good shelter for fruit trees. They begin 
to bear from the fifth to the sixth year, but are not in good bearing 
until ten years or so after they are planted. They continue bearing 
until they are 100 years or more old. Fair trees average 100 to 200 
pounds of fruit a year. 
As mentioned above, if the flowers have been pollinated, of 
the three fruit forming to each flower two drop, leaving but one; 
if not all three dates remain attached, and become de- 
formed through overerowding, and never mature properly, being 
without seeds, and of little value. The eutting off of the surplus 
clusters is delayed until this point is ascertained. Only two or three 
clusters, which will bear 10 to 30lbs. each, are left on young trees, 
and eight or ten on old trees. Some kinds are shy bearers and others 
overload themselves. 
Some kinds are cut, packed, and shipped as soon as they have 
ripened, and in the case of the choice dates the fruit which has first 
ripened is hand-picked, arranged in rows in boxes, and marketed. 
The inner fruit thus ripens better. 
With other kinds the whole bunch is cut off when most of the 
dates are ripe, and the rest begin to ripen; they are hung up in a 
dry shed, when any date which has begun to ferment is re:.oved. 
