4 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Jury, 1902. 
by 112,471 bushels than in 1900, the average return per acre being 21:96 bushels, ay 
against 19°20 bushels. The three principal grain crops to which attention has been drawn 
show conclusively that even in the-time of drought Queensland can hold her own for 
general farming, and that the cry that is occasionally heard, that there is not a living 
in farming, has no foundation. or all classes of produce, prices have been exception- 
ally good throughout the year. There is a tendency among small holders, whose land 
lies near towns, to give more attention towards market gardening, and especially is it 
so in situations where water is available for irrigation. A further impetus to general 
farming on the Downs has been given through the opening of the Gowrie, Mount Russell, 
and Goomburra Estates, all of which have been akan up by men who will, if seasons 
are favourable, soon make an appreciable difference in the total production of this 
State. Farmers from the South, with more or less capital, continue to come here to 
find land, and in most instances those that come are but the forerunners and 
representatives of many others. ; 
SUGAR. 
Although, during the year, in the Southern districts, drought conditions operated 
and frost was prevalent, itis satisfactory to note that for the canals State there was an 
increased yield of sugar of 28,304 tons, the total yield reaching 120,858 tons, as against 
92,554 tons for 1900. The total area under cane was 112,031 acres, as compared with 
108,535 acres in 1900. Of this area 78,160 acres were crushed, as against 72,651 
acres in 19U0, the average yield per acre increasing from 1'28 tons in 1900 to 1°55 tons 
last year. ‘aking the average price of raw sugar at £10 per ton, it will be seen that 
the year’s output represents an increase in value of £283,000 over that of the previous 
year, the canegrowers receiving about £130,000 more than in 1900 as the result of 
their labours. The quantity of sugar exported from 1s: June, 1901, to 31st March, 
1902, was 78,190 tons ; ifto this is added 28,270 tons required for consumption in the 
State, it will be seen that the quantity held in Queensland in excess of the State’s 
requirements is 14,398 tons. ‘The estimated amount required by the Commonwealth 
is 138,000 tons, and if the farmers only give the necessary attention to the cultivation 
of the fields on proper scientific lines, and, where possible, utilise for irrigation 
purposes the water now unfortunately, with very few exceptions, allowed to run to 
waste, this tonnage will not only be reached, but it can be confidently stated that with 
recurring good seasons, and the settlement of the labour problem, now unfortunately 
in a very uncertain state, the whole requirements for Australia can be supplied from 
Queensland alone. 
Frourr GENERALLY. 
Despite the phenomenally dry season, fruit culture has continued to make steady 
progress during the past year. The planting of both deciduous and evergreen fruit 
trees has been considerably increased, and, from present indications, a further increase 
is likely to be made during the current planting season. Many of the younger 
orchards in various parts of the State have produced truit for the first time this past 
season, particularly so in the Stanthorpe district, where there are nearly 50,000. fruit 
trees of various kinds planted, a large percentage of which are of selected varieties 
well adapted to the district, and producing fruit of high commercial value. The 
pineapple industry is in a fairly thriving condition. The fruit, it is true, has been 
rather undersized owing to the dry weather, but the quality has been very high. 
Prices have been satisfactory, and are likely to continue so, as a demand for cannin 
has sprung up and is likely to increase, a good Southern market having been morta 
This industry is capable of considerable extension, if properly handled, as this State 
has practically a monopoly of the business as far as Australia is concerned. The 
citrus crop, which at one time promised to be a record one, has turned out somewhat 
disappointing, as the trees in many districts have suffered severely from the drought, 
the output being small and the fruit undersized. During the year this Department. 
called together a meeting of citrus-growers in Brisbane, the result of which has been 
the formation of the Queensland Citrus-growers’ Association— the first practical 
attempt at active co-operation in our fruit industry. The association has been at 
work for about two months, and, as the results to date have been decidedly 
encouraging, it is hoped that a satisfactory solution of the best means of disposing of 
our surplus fruit has been achieved, especially as itis the intention of the Association 
to handle fruits other than citrus. 
The banana crop has, during the past year, been very free from the fruit fly, and the 
trade, with the prices obtained in the Southern States, has been good. ‘The duty on green 
fruit, that has up to the present been charged under the Federal Customs Act, has 
considerably helped the growers in the North in holding their own with their rivals 
of Fiji and New Caledonia. The production of green bananas in 1900 was 2,321,108 
bunches. In 1901 the production was 2,313,719 bunches. . 
