te. The trees are less
liable to the attack of many pests, the dryness of the air retarding
their development, if not altogether preventing their occurrence. The
date palm is quite at home here, and when planted in deep sandy land,
and supplied with sufficient water, it is a rapid grower and heavy
bearer. As an offset to the smallness of the rainfall, there is a good
supply of artesian water, distributed over a wide range of country, that
can be obtained at a reasonable rate, and that is suitable for
irrigation purposes. All bore water is not suitable for irrigation,
however, as some of it is too highly mineralised, but there are large
areas of country possessing an artesian supply of excellent quality for
this purpose. It will thus be seen that we have in Queensland, roughly,
three distinct belts of fruit-growing country--

1st.--The Eastern Seaboard, and the land adjacent to it, suitable
for the growing of tropical and semi-tropical fruit;

2nd.--The Coastal Tablelands, suitable for the growth of deciduous
fruits, vines, olives, and citrus fruits in parts;

3rd.--The Central Tablelands, suitable for the growth of grapes,
for table and drying, dates, citrus fruits, &c., but requiring
water for irrigation to produce profitably.

So far, I have confined my remarks mainly to the climatic side of
fruit-growing, and, before dealing with the growing of the different
kinds of fruit, I will say a few words about our fruit soils, and will
deal with them in districts, as I have endeavoured to do in the case of
climate.

1st.--Soils of Eastern Seaboard, and Land adjacent to it, suitable to
the Growth of Tropical and Semi-Tropical Fruit.

Several distinct types of soil are found that are well adapted for
fruit-growing, but they all have one general characteristic which is a
_sine qua non_ of success--viz., they must possess good natural
drainage, so that there is no danger of their becoming waterlogged or
soured during periods of continued or heavy rainfall, as these
conditions are fatal to fruit culture under tropical and semi-tropical
conditions. Of such soils, the first to be considered are those of
basaltic origin. They are usually of a chocolate or rich red colour, are
of great depth, in parts more or less covered with basaltic boulders, in
others entirely free from stones. The surface soil is friable and easily
worked, and the subsoil, which is usually of a rich red colour, is
easi