Fruits of Queensland Part 4

A handsome evergreen tree, that can be grown in the more Southerly coast districts, in the foothills of the coast range, and on the coast tablelands. There are several types of the fruit, whose chief value consists in that it ripens its fruit in early spring, when there is a shortage of stone fruits, and that it withstands wind well, so makes a good break for the protection of exposed orchards. Its cultivation is not extensive, nor is it likely to become so.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fruit of Loquat (1/2 natural size).]

THE DATE PALM.

Although this extremely valuable fruit is grown in this State more as an ornament than for its commercial value, there is nothing to prevent its culture on a scale sufficiently large to supply the Australian requirements. It is grown in many places along the coast, as well as in the foothills country of the coastal range, but it does best in situations that more nearly resemble its natural habitat--viz., in districts having a hot dry air, a deep sandy loam or sandy soil, and a good supply of moisture in the soil. This latter condition does not occur naturally, but can be supplied artificially in our Western lands, where there is a good supply of artesian water of a quality suitable to the plants' requirements. Here the date palm thrives, and produces huge bunches of fruit. Little, if any, cultivation is necessary when once the palm is firmly established; provided it has an ample but not excessive supply of moisture, it is able to take care of itself.

The date palm is a dioecious plant--that is to say, the male organs, or stamens, are produced on one plant, and the female organs, or pistils, on another, and this necessitates the growing of the two s.e.xes in proximity to each other, in order that the female flowers may be fertilised and produce perfect fruit. This is best accomplished artificially, the pollen from a fully developed bunch of male flowers being shaken over the bunch of female flowers. Infertile fruit contains no seeds, and is of small size and inferior quality, whereas the fertile fruit is both large and good.

The date palm is a handsome ornamental plant, and in the hot and dry Western districts, where it thrives best, it forms a splendid shelter from the sun for both man and beast. So far, very little attention has been given to its growth, few persons knowing how to fertilise the flowers or even taking the trouble to see that they have plants of both s.e.xes. There is no reason why this should be so, as there would be a good local demand for the properly-cured fruit, and I believe that, were its culture carried out in a thorough business manner, it would become a profitable industry, and one capable of supplying our Australian market.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Date Palms in fruit at Barcaldine.]

THE PECAN NUT.

Another little-known fruit which does well in this State. It belongs to the hickory family, and closely resembles the walnut. There are trees now growing in the Maryborough district that are some 15 inches in diameter at the trunk, and from 40 to 50 feet in height, that bear regular and heavy crops of nuts, and that have stood drought and been under flood. For years the trees have received no cultivation, and they have shown themselves to be as hardy as the adjacent indigenous trees.

The trees are easily raised from seed, and come into bearing in about eight years. Like all nut fruits, it is advisable to set the nut where the tree is to remain permanently, if it is possible to do so, as it produces a very deep taproot, with few laterals, and is consequently difficult to shift. The soil on which it does best is an alluvial loam, and, if possible, it should not be more than 30 feet to water, as the tree, being a very deep rooter, will penetrate a free soil to that depth. It will do on other free loamy soils, but will not make the same growth as when planted in free alluvials. It has been tested in several parts of the State, and it is probable that it will be found to thrive over a considerable area of the coastal and coastal tablelands districts. It produces an olive or acorn shaped nut, having a thin sh.e.l.l, and of a flavour closely resembling that of a good walnut, and will be a valuable addition to our list of nut fruits once it becomes better known.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Date Fruit (natural size).]

j.a.pANESE PLUMS.

All varieties of this fruit thrive well and bear heavily in the more Southerly part of our coast country, as well as on the country immediately adjacent to it, the coastal tablelands, and several other parts of the State. The trees are rapid growers, come into bearing very early, and often bear enormous crops of fruit. They are good fruits for home consumption or for the fresh-fruit trade, but are not equal to European varieties of plums for preserving, drying, or jam-making. In this State they have one very great drawback, and that is their liability to the attack of the fruit fly, a pest that very frequently destroys the entire crop. For home use they are, however, a very useful fruit to grow, provided that the trees are kept dwarf, so that they can be covered with a cheap mosquito netting as a protection from the fly, as they are very easily grown, are by no means particular as to the kind of soil on which planted, and are heavy bearers.

CHICKASAW PLUMS.

This family of American plums does well in the same districts as the j.a.panese varieties just dealt with, but has the advantage of being resistant to the fruit fly. The trees are usually more or less straggling growers, the fruit is of small size, but good for cooking or jam-making. One or more of the varieties of this plum are bad setters, though they blossom profusely, but this may be overcome either by working two varieties which bloom at the same time on to the same stock, or by planting varieties that bloom at the same time together, as the pollen from the one will set the fruit of the other. It is a good plum for home use or marketing, despite its small size, as it is easily grown, requires little attention, and is not over particular as to soil.

CHINESE PEACHES.

Peaches of Chinese origin thrive well on the coast, and are extremely hardy. The fruit is not, as a rule, of high quality when compared with that of the Persian varieties, but their earliness and ease with which they can be grown causes them to be planted by many who have small gardens. Like the j.a.panese plums they are, however, very subject to the attack of fruit fly, and require to be kept dwarf and covered in a similar manner if any good is to be got from them. On the coast, they are practically evergreen, as they never lose their leaves entirely, and are in blossom during the winter. When grown on the tablelands, this early blossoming is a disadvantage, as the blossoms are liable to be injured by frost, but in these districts peaches of Persian origin can be grown instead.

FIGS.

Several kinds of figs can be grown successfully in the Southern coast districts, the first crop ripening before Christmas, but the second or main crop is often a failure, owing to the fact that it ripens during our wet season, and the fruit consequently sours and bursts. As one recedes from the coast, the fruit does better, and is less liable to injury from excessive wet. The coastal tablelands and the more Western Downs grow it well, and the trees, when planted on soil of a rich friable nature, grow to a large size and bear heavily. Many varieties are grown, which are used fresh or converted into jam, but no attempt has been made to dry them, though it is possible that this industry may eventually be found profitable in the drier parts of the State, where there is water available for the trees' use at certain periods of the year, but not during the fruiting period, as it cannot well be too dry then if a good quality of dried figs is to be turned out. This fruit is easily grown, and is not at all subject to serious pests, so that anyone who will take reasonable care can produce all that is required for home use or local sale, as its softness renders it a difficult fruit to ship long distances in a hot climate.

THE MULBERRY.

This is one of the hardiest fruits we have, one of the most rapid growers, and one of the most prolific. There are several varieties in cultivation, and those of j.a.panese or Chinese origin will grow from the coast to the interior, and thrive either in an extremely dry or humid climate. The common English or black mulberry does not do too well as a rule, though there are many fine trees scattered throughout the State, but the other sorts are as hardy as native trees. The fruit is not of any great value, still, as it is so easily grown, it finds a place in most gardens, and in time of drought the leaves and young branches are readily eaten by all kinds of stock, so that it is a good standby for stock as well as a fruit.

THE STRAWBERRY.

To those who have been accustomed to look upon the strawberry as a fruit of the purely temperate regions, it will be somewhat of a revelation to know that exceptionally fine fruit can be grown right on the Queensland coast, and well within the tropics, and that on the coast, between the 26th to the 28th degrees of south lat.i.tude, we are probably producing as fine fruit and obtaining as heavy crops as are produced in any of the older strawberry-growing countries. Not only this, but that we are able to supply the Southern markets of Australia with finer fruit than they can produce locally, and at a time of the year that they cannot grow it.

As I have already mentioned when dealing with other fruits, one thing that particularly impresses strangers is the early age at which our fruits come into bearing. This is borne out in the case of the strawberry to a marked degree, as runners set in April fruit in July, and often earlier, and will continue to bear, given reasonable weather, right up to Christmas or even longer. New plants are set out every year, and the plantation is seldom allowed to stand more than two years, as the young plants produce the finest fruit. There is a good demand for the fruit, the larger berries being packed in flat cases holding a single layer of fruit, as shown in the ill.u.s.tration, and being sold for consumption fresh, whereas the smaller berries are packed in kegs and sent direct to the factories for conversion into jam. The strawberry grows well on various soils, but does best with us on a rich loam of medium texture, of a reddish-brown or even black colour. It should be planted in districts that are free from frosts where early fruit is desired, as frosts injure the blossoms, but where jam fruit only is wanted this is not so necessary. The land requires to be thoroughly well prepared, and the plants are usually set out in rows about 2 feet apart, with the plants about 1 foot apart in the row. Under favourable conditions they grow very rapidly, and soon start flowering. Their cultivation is usually confined to comparatively small areas of 2 or 3 acres in extent, as the labour of picking and packing is usually done by the grower himself with the a.s.sistance of his family. They are often planted between the rows of trees in young orchards, thus bringing in a return whilst the trees are coming into bearing, and helping to keep the pot boiling. They grow well on our coastal scrub lands, and have proved a great a.s.sistance to many a beginner, as one has not long to wait before obtaining a return.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Strawberry Garden, Mooloolah District.]

The productiveness of this fruit in Queensland is phenomenal, as high as 5 tons of berries having been taken off 1 acre in a single season. There are many varieties of strawberries in cultivation, some of which have been produced locally from seed, and have turned out extremely well, being of better flavour, stronger growers, and heavier bearers than introduced varieties--in fact, local seedlings have adapted themselves to local conditions, and stand our climate better than those varieties which are natives of colder countries.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Marguerite Strawberry.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Marguerite Strawberry packed for market.]

The case berries, which are used for fresh consumption, fetch a fair price, especially early in the season, but jam fruit sells at an average of 2-1/2d. per lb., at which price it pays fair wages, but is not a bonanza. As a rule the plants are very healthy, and any fungus pests to which they are subject, such as leaf blight, are easily kept in check by spraying, a knapsack pump being used for this purpose. The ground is kept well worked and free from weeds, whilst the plants are fruiting, and occasionally the ground is mulched, as is the case in the plot shown in the ill.u.s.tration. No special knowledge is necessary for their culture, but, at the same time, thorough cultivation and careful attention to details in the growing of the plants make a considerable difference in the total returns.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Forman's Strawberry, Brisbane District.]

CAPE GOOSEBERRY.

This Peruvian fruit, introduced into this State _via_ the Cape of Good Hope, hence its name, has now spread throughout the greater part of the tropical and semi-tropical portions of Queensland. Its spread has largely been brought about by the agency of fruit-eating birds, that have distributed the seeds widely by means of their castings. It is one of the first plants to make its appearance in newly burnt-off scrub land, and often comes up in such numbers as to give a full crop of fruit. In other cases it is usual to scatter a quant.i.ty of seed on such land, so as to be sure of securing a plant. No cultivation is given; the plant grows into a straggling bush bearing a quant.i.ty of fruit which is enclosed in a parchment-like husk. The fruit is gathered, husked, and is then ready for market. The bulk of the fruit is grown in this manner, and as it can be grown on land that is not yet ready for any other crop (gra.s.s or maize excepted) it is a great help to the beginner, as a good crop and fair prices can usually be obtained. The name "gooseberry" is somewhat misleading, as it is not a gooseberry at all, is not like it, nor does it belong to the same natural order. It is a plant belonging to the order Solanaceae, which includes such well-known plants as the potato, tomato, tobacco, &c., and altogether unlike the common gooseberry, which, by the way, is one of the fruits that we cannot do much with. In addition to being grown in the wild manner I have described, it is occasionally cultivated in a systematic manner, somewhat like the tomato, but not to any extent; growers preferring to depend on it as a first return from newly fallen and burnt-off scrub land. As a fruit it meets with a very ready sale, as it is one of the best cooking fruits grown; plainly stewed and served with cream, made into puddings or pies, or converted into jam, it is hard to beat. The jam has a distinct flavour of its own, one that one soon becomes very partial to, besides which it is an attractive-looking jam that, were it better known in the world's markets, would, I feel sure, meet with a ready sale at satisfactory rates. The plant is somewhat susceptible to cold, hence it does best in a district free from frost, but it is not killed out by light frosts, only killed back, and its crop put back.

Like all plants belonging to the same natural order, it likes a good soil, rich in available potash, and this is probably the reason why it does so well on newly burnt-off scrub, the ashes of which provide an ample supply of available potash.