1 Sepr., 1897.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 219 
Fruit Culture in Queensland. 
By ALBERT H. BENSON, 
Government Fruit Expert. 
Berore proceeding with the important question of drainage, I wish to refer 
briefly to my last paper on “Fruit Culture,” in the August number of the 
Agricultural Journal, as I find that, when dealing with the preparation of the 
soil for the orchard at the Westbrook Experiment Farm, I have omitted to 
mention the nature of the soil, as this, of course, determines to a great extent 
the kind and strength of ploughs to be used and the power required to do the 
work. ‘The soil shown in the illustration of breaking and subsoil ploughs at 
work is a dark-brown, strong volcanic loam, more or less stony, that scours 
badly, but which, if worked at the right time, can be reduced to a fine tilth. 
The subsoil is more gravelly, with a substratum of rotten basaltic rock, 
insuring a good drainage when once subsoiled. The land also has been 
recently cleared of green timber, so that, taking this and the nature of the soil 
into consideration, heavy implements were absolutely necessary to do the work ; 
in fact, I question the advisability of using anything lighter on the Darling 
Downs for this work; though on the light sandy loams of the interior, or the _ 
sandy or light alluvial loams of the rivers and coastal districts, much lighter 
tools can be used, provided that the land is free of stumps and roots. In free, 
sandy, loamy soils, subsoiling is not a necessity, though always beneficial; but 
where the subsoil is impervious or forms a hard pan, it is of the first importance 
DRAINAGE. 
No soil is suitable for fruit culture in Queensland unless it has good 
drainage ; and if naturally deficient in drainage, then it must be artificially 
drained before it is fit to grow fruit. When speaking of soils suitable for fruit 
culture, I emphasised the necessity of selecting those possessing good natural 
drainage, and stated the reasons for doing so; but such soils are not always 
available in all districts, so that less suitable ones have to be chosen by those 
wishing to grow fruit in such districts, and these less suitable soils must be 
artificially drained. Drains:are of two kinds—open drains, and sub or under- 
ground drains; and both are used by orchardists. 
Open Drains.—These answer two purposes: First, they enable the 
surface water to be rapidly carried off; and, secondly, they are of considerable 
value for intercepting seepage water from higher land. Open drains should be 
constructed wherever required to carry off surface water, and their size and 
depth will entirely depend on the quantity of water they have to carry. Where 
the quantity of water to be carried is only small, then they can be most cheaply 
constructed with a plough, a man following the plough with a long-handled 
shovel to throw the loose dirt out of the furrow; but when they are required 
to carry more water, although the plough can be used to advantage for 
removing the surface soil, the bulk of the work has to be done by hand. In 
open drains don’t be afraid to make them too big or too wide for their depth, 
as it is always advisable to give them a good batter—at least 1 in 83—as there 
is then little chance of the sides falling in. Deep, open drains form good 
outlets for the subdrains, and when used for this purpose should always follow 
the natural watercourse, which is usually where the fall is greatest. Ordinary 
