410 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Dec., 1902. 
that some of the most stringent clauses of the “ Diseases in Plants Act of 1896’ 
should be put into force, and that the man who was breeding pests to the detriment of 
his neighbours should be compelled to keep his orchard clean. 
During the year a meeting of citrus growers, representing all the Southern part 
of the State, met at the department's office in Brisbane to discuss the best means of 
finding satisfactory markets for their fruit, and the result of the meeting was the 
formation of the Queensland Citrus Growers’ Association—the first practical attempt 
at active co-operation by the fruit growers of this State. This association has been 
in active operation for some three months, and the results to date are considered 
satisfactory. The question of the handling, packing, and marketing of our fruit has 
been gone into fully, and growers are beginning to realise that it pays well to devote 
extra care and attention to this important subject, as it is no good to produce fruit of 
superior quality if it is spoilt by careless handling or bad packing. 
During the year I have visited many parts of the State, and have delivered 
lectures and given practical instructions in all branches of fruit culture, including 
planting, pruning, spraying, cyaniding, handling, packing, &c.; and I am of opinion 
that this method of practical instruction is both appreciated by the growers, and is 
tending to the general improyement of the industry—one practical lesson being, in my 
experience, of more actual value than any amount of theory. 
ALBERT H. BENSON, Instructor in Fruit Culture. 
REPORT OF THE VITICULTURIST. 
My time has been occupied in attending to the vineyards at the State farms, 
establishing and completing experimental work in the same, the results of which have 
been and will be published in the Agricultural Journal, assisting vignerons at the 
vintage, selecting soils for vinyards, instructing in pruning and general cultivation, 
&c. I have contributed articles dealing with Viticulture to the Journal, and visited 
shows to judge wines, grapes, &c. 
I have to report upon the work performed on the vineyards at the State farms 
as follows :— 
Heritage Vinryarp.—I have nothing new to report upon this vineyard, which 
is still suffering from the effects of the frosts and hailstorms experienced in 1899, 
1900, 1901. In my opinion, it would be advisable to replant it on another site, 
as the existing vines are of no practical utility to the district; they were planted too 
far apart, and the varieties chosen are unadapted to the climate and soil. A few of 
the vines gave some fine fruit, which was exhibited at the Warwick show, but the 
bulk of the vines are of inferior winemaking varicties. 
WestBroox Vinryarp.—This vineyard continues to make satisfactory progress 
notwithstanding the drought of the past two seasons. ‘There was considerable 
“coulure” or non-setting of some varieties of grapes, which is attributable to rain and 
cold winds during the flowering period, and, later on, a persistent drought prevented 
the berries attaining full size, in some cases causing considerable loss from shrivelling. 
In spite of these drawbacks, the vineyard gave a fairly good crop, which would have 
been a heavy one under ordinary cireumstances. The greater part of it haying been 
originally planted with wine grapes, the crop of table grapes is at present small. It 
will, however, shortly be increased by that from the imported vines, which are now 
coming into bearing. I propose gradually to graft the inferior wine varieties with 
those of the recently imported whose qualities and disease-resistant powers recommend 
them as most desirable for propagation and distribution. 
Since my last report the first batch of imported vines has been trellised, and 
promises a crop for the coming season. I hope to report next year in detail upon the 
quality and value of each variety. The vineyard has been extended three acres during 
the past year; the varieties planted were the survivors of the second shipment from 
Europe, including some of the American resistant stocks, together with some table 
grapes from South Australia, which are not obtainable in Queensland. It is intended 
to trellis part of the extension this winter, as notwithstanding the continual drought, 
many of the varieties made a surprising growth the past summer. Experimental 
work has been carried on during the past year, the results of which have been or will 
be published in the Agricuétural Journal if of public interest. 
The following is a list of the varieties, wine and table, grown at this vineyard. 
Tt should be mentioned that a few are represented by a single vine, sole survivor of 
