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376 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1900. 
I now come to the second part of my work, which deals with the particultt 
cultivation of individual varieties of fruits, and I propose commencing wit 
those fruits which are best adapted to our climatie conditions, and are als? a 
the greatest value commercially. 
A considerable portion of what I have already written respecting frutt 
culture in general is applicable to all kinds of fruit, so that it would only be i 
unnecessary repetition to go over the same ground with each particular fruits 
but.at the same time there are special methods of cultivation, pruning; &e, 
that are particularly adapted to sateatil fruits, which will be mentioned whe? 
dealing with them in detail. 
THE ADAPTABILITY OF QUEENSLAND FOR THE CULTURE OF CITRUS 
FRUITS. 
No fruits are more generally distributed or have a wider range 1) th 
colony than those of the Citrus family, as, with the exception of the colder p i 
of the Downs, where the winter temperature is too low; the Gulf country ; 
the dry Western districts, where there is no water available for irrigation, they cay 
be grown from one end of the colony to the other, provided that they ee 
planted in suitable soil, and that in the drier parts there is an available sup a 
of suitable water with which to irrigate them during the prevalence of long ut 
spells. The country adjoining the eastern seaboard, extending from the Twe 
River in the South to Cooktown in the North—a distance of about 1,100 miles 
and extending inland for nearly 100 miles—is naturally suited to the growl) 
of citrus fruits, and there is probably no country in the world that 1s betters 
adapted to or that can produce the various varieties of these fruits to great® 
perfection or with less trouble than this portion of Queensland. Of courser 
the whole of this large area is not adapted for citrus culture, as it conta 
many different kinds of soils, several of which are not suitable for the grow” 
of these fruits, and there is also a large extent of country which is too Dr0 Ba 
and otherwise unsuitable. At the same time there are hundreds of thousan’® 
of acres of land in this area in which the soil and natural conditions &% 
eminently suited to the growth of citrus fruit, and in which the tenderer 
varieties of these fruits may be grown to perfection without the slightest chan® 
of their being injured by frost; and where the natural rainfall is such ase 
provided the trees receive ordinary care and cultivation, there is no necessttY } 
artificial irrigation. Atthe present time there are hundreds of citrus trees gtOWNP 
practically wild in different parts of the coastal country that are in vigorous nel rc 
and producing heavy crops of good fruit, even though they are uncultivated: 
unpruned, unmanured, and have to hold their own against a vigorous gt0” 
of native and introduced shrubs, trees,and weeds. When the orange, SHE hes 
citron, or common lemon become established under conditions that are fayout™ i a 
for their proper development, they apparently become as hardy as the indigen?, 
plants, and are able to hold their own against them, thus showing how we 
climate and suitable soils of coastal Queensland are adapted for the cultivate? = 
of citrus fruits. The commercial cultivation of citrus fruits is at present Pear ic 
cally confined to this coastal area, the most important centres starting from 4 t 
South being Nerang, Coomera, Redland Bay, Brisbane, Enoggera, Gatti as iE 
Toowoomba, North Coast line from North Pine to Gympie, including ihe 
Blackall Range and Buderim Mountain; the Wide Bay district, ineludins 
Maryborough, Tiaro, Mount Bauple, Gayndah, Pialba, and Burrum;, ~ | 
Burnett district, including Bundaberg and Mullett Creek; the Hitaroy ls 
district, including Rockhampton and Yeppoon ; Bowen, Tully River, Cairns ee te 
district, and Cooktown. In addition to these districts a few citrus fruits ® 
grown at Mackay, Townsville, Port Douglas, and several other places. 4? nt | Re 
fruits are also grown further inland, but their cultivation here is largely depende é ‘ 
on the ability to supply the trees with suitable water for irrigation during | ~ 
spells. Frosts have also to be taken into consideration, for, though the day 
are warm, the temperature often falls considerably during the night, owe 
