FRUIT CULTURE AT THE CAPE. 



133 



companies what we do ask is that they find increased accommodation to 

 keep pace with the development. 



One thing we must keep before as. If the Cape fruit caters for the 

 European trade, it must be in every respect first-class. At dinner this 

 evening I tasted a Peach which was hardly to be known as a Peach by 

 its flavour ; but these are things which we feel satisfied we can remedy. 



I am told that you would like to know something of the number of 

 the trees in Cape Colony. I hope I have already made it clear to you 

 that the western province is the only part of the colony where we have 

 winter rains, and therefore the only part from which deciduous fruit will 

 be able to be exported ; but the extension of the development of the 

 Colonies and the increase of irrigation may, however, alter this later on. 

 However, as to the number of trees in the western provinces. On Mr. 

 Rhodes' farms we have got a quarter of a million, and I should think there 

 are about half a million in outside plantations, and another quarter- 

 million in other scattered orchards, although a great number of these bring 

 in nothing, and the sooner they are destroyed the better. Then in scattered 

 spots about the eastern provinces and the Karoo there is considerable 

 planting being taken in hand by farmers ; and it may interest you to 

 know that many of these people are mortgaged to wealthy commercial 

 men in the ports and other business men of more ingenious minds than 

 the owners of the land. I have known instances of these merchants 

 insisting on the farmers planting out a certain number of fruit trees per 

 annum, and I think you will all agree that this is a wise and healthy 

 practice, for the orchards will thus keep on increasing the value of the 

 property both for owner and mortgagor. These orchards in the eastern 

 provinces are not by any means extensive at present ; the whole might be 

 covered by 150,000 trees ; but still they have only been coming on during 

 the last few years, and I consider the progress so far satisfactory. A 

 great number of Apple trees are being planted there, and seem to be doing 

 fairly well. The majority of these trees have been planted under the 

 summer rains and with no artificial moisture ; but whether these rains 

 are of sufficient precipitation to enable the trees to grow and carry their 

 fruit without irrigation I am not sure. This irrigation is one of the 

 great things necessary for the development of our country, and its intro- 

 duction will increase to an enormous extent the land capable of carrying- 

 successful orchards. 



Before I conclude I would just mention what I think to be the future 

 of the African fruit trade. Lord Milner and Sir H. Goold-Adams, the 

 Governor of the Orange River Colony, are, as you all know, taking the very 

 keenest interest in the question of the settlement of the land, and they 

 have not overlooked the possible bearing fruit growing may have on 

 the question. Many of you know from your own experience that there 

 is no agricultural interest that will place so many men on the soil to the 

 square mile as fruit growing. The State of California is an example of 

 this ; and for reasons such as this the respective Governments are paying 

 the keenest attention to the possibilities of extensive planting of fruit trees. 

 Of course it is quite possible to overdo the thing. In my opinion the 

 indiscriminate planting of fruit trees would be a great danger to the 

 trade. There are certain things, however, which, taking into consideration 



