April i, 1S93.] 
THF TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
12 ] 
understand matters. Presently thedriver gets out, 
handing the reins to a passenger, and pronounces 
one of the axles heated. '* I '11 drive up to tliat house 
and see if we can get some butter or something.” 
We not only found a tin of grease, but a movable 
si)anuer all complete, so the wheel was taken off 
and greased. “He’s just forgotten that wheel. 
I didn't expect to find everything we wanted 
at the first house.” The hot dusty wind was 
intolerable as we drove along across the flat where 
the most of the more forward blocks lie. Let 
me quote “Telemachus” in the Aryits of 13th 
December 1890: — "Wo enter immediately on a 
series of orchards, and vineyards and gardens. 
There is tlie lemon patch of the Rev. R. Johnson 
Smith of Wentworth. Then among Its trees and 
flowers, Mr. Appelby’s neat adobe house. Next, 
well tilled and luxurious, the 25 acre vineyard 
of the late Jfr. Eric Farquharson. A sad associa- 
tion this. There are some among us who followed 
that gallant young rider to his grave not long 
ago. There are many who knew him as a 
bright and genial companion and enterprising 
colonist, and who hoped to have him as a 
neighbour through all the colony’s development 
Further along is Messrs. Troiue and Beecher’s 
plantation of apricots, oranges and vines, 22 acres 
in all — and beyond a neat gate and fence the 
newly established home of Mr. F. G. Hodge.” 
Mr. Hodge’s villa and surroundings are as nearly 
perfect as one can got in this world of dis- 
appointments and sorrows. He has 6 acres 
apricots 80 months from pi'anting and picked 
3,000 lb. He has 3 acres primes, 4 acres oranges, 
acres Godo Blanco vines; and the rest of 
the space is taken up by the buildings, the grounds 
and ornamental lawn and trees ; while there is 
a paddock of nearly 0 acres for lucerne and wheat 
for horses, <feo. Opposite is the land chosen by 
Mr, Levieu for his boys. Mr. Hodge works his 
own land with the help of one man and one 
horse. Constant omploymout, good returns, fine 
house, grand climate, plentiful water — a paradise 
indeed 1 
I called at “ the office ” which is externally a 
show place. It is surrounded by flowers and a 
beautiful lawn of buffalo grass with a fountain 
playing. I was shown into Mr. W. B. Chaffey’s 
room and was courteously received. Ho apologized 
for having been so busy, and I remarked that I 
had been for a drive round in the drag in the 
morning. “ U is a pity I did not see you sooner. 
I could have sent you round more carefully and 
had things pointed out and explained. ” I answered 
that as a planter I would like to see certain 
special things than be shown too many gardens 
and taken long distances. "Will you come and 
see the apricot drying ?” I gladly assented, and 
stopping into the covered buggy I sat beside 
Mr. Chaffey while " I'red ” his crack driver sent 
the fine brown horses along smartly. He pointed 
out his now fine villa which he modestly termed 
his "new crib,” and said he meant to make a 
good thing of it before he was done. We drove 
up to a gate where in a field of green lucerne a 
group of men were engaged ui drying and curing 
apricots. Wo wont towards them, Mr. Chaffey 
remarking that they dried in the lucerne so as 
to avoid dust. The tramping only threw it back a 
short time. The dried fruit was simply beautiful. 
It is first fumigated in sulphur fumes which 
seem to fix the syi'up. and also preserves the colour 
of the fruit which could otherwise blacken while 
drying. I tasted some of the fruit. It had not 
the slightest taste of suljihur. Mr. Ohaffoy told 
me that one place of 3J acres has given over 5 
tout} of fruit. Oue pi'oprietoi’ whose place the 
Company has opened and worked has just receiv. fl 
£00 from them from sale of fruit to the Company. 
While these men are drying the tender fruit I 
cannot do better than quote to you what the 
VuUiviitor says on the subject, hut before doing 
so I must refer to Mr. W. J. Allen, the expert, 
who is supervising the operation. He is a smart 
young fellow whom Mr. ( haffey with much coax- 
ing and trouble procured from Ids own brother- 
in-law at " Riverside,” California, at tte 
salary of £30 a montli. The Cultivator says : 
“Mr. Vf. T. Allen, the firm’s expert, is turning 
out several tons of fruit that he says will bo 
equal to any thing in the world. He handled 378 
tons of apricots at Riverside, California, during 
1890 season, and the papers expressed their sorrow 
at his leaving for Mildura becanse ho was simply 
invaluable to the place, in connection with the 
fruit growing industry. 
“ When the fruit is gathered it is placed in oases 
holding 40 lb. This carted to the spot and placed 
under a sheet covered with hessian. In tliis shed 
a long table is set up, and round sit the men 
who are employed in ‘pitting’ the fruit. This 
is children’s work— girls in particular, on account 
of their superior deftness of fingers, being usually 
employed. It is all piece work, tlie rate now 
given being 5d, per box. In California the usual 
thing 5 from 7 to 8 cents (3Jd. to 4d.), and in 
future seasons, when larger quantities will be 
handled, and children wiil be mainly emifloyed, 
probably tins will be the ruling figure. The 
operation of ‘pitting’ is very simple. 
"A knife cut is made round the fruit on the 
suture thus dividing it into halves. The two 
pieces are separated, the "pit” or stone is dropped 
on the floor, and the fruit is placed cut up on 
the drying tray. This is the ordinary raisin 
tray. When filled the tray is put in the fumi- 
gator, which is a wooden structure of two rooms, 
each 10x10 feet, with walls 10 feet high. The 
building is constructed so as to be readily taken 
down, and transported in sections; but when 
erected it is almost completely air-tight. The 
trays are stacked one above the other till the 
room is full, and then the sulphuring is com- 
menced. About lb. of sulphur is used. It is 
placed in an iron tray standing on the floor, 
and ignited. The doors are then closed, and the 
sulphur smoulders away for about five hours, and 
the fruit is left exposed to the fumes for about 
12 hours in all. The sulphuring process fixes the 
juice and flavour, and imparts a clear and bright 
appearance to the dried products (produce?) It 
also destroys any minute insect that may bo 
about the fruit, and minimizes the danger of 
attack from woavils. When the trays are taken 
out the fruit has become very pulpy, and tender 
to the touch almost as if it had been cooked. 
The trays are spread out in the sun and the 
drying process then commences. It lasts from 
3 to (> days according to the weather. Then the 
fruit, which has by this time shrivelled into 
gelatinous looking chips, is packed in sacks to 
be afterwards sorted and put up in fancy boxes 
of various handy sizes.” 
We drove away, and I asked if drying machines 
such as the ‘‘American Evaporator” would be 
necessary. “Only for the last of the croi) we 
will need something of that sort I think.” I asked 
if ho meant staying on or eventually leaving the 
Company. That was rather a “ homo ” question, 
and he pointed to his "crib” which wo were 
passing again. “ 1 know something about furnish- 
ing a house, and I don’t mean to spare money 
in this, and it looks as if I meant staying, be- 
cause 1 couldn’t expect to liud a man fool eaongU 
