Fruits of QueenslandBenson, Albert H. (Albert Henry)
Science
Fruits of Queensland
Benson, Albert H. (Albert Henry)
Fruit-culture -- Queensland
Running parallel with the coast we have a series of ranges of low
mountains, running from 2,000 feet to nearly 6,000 feet, the general
height being from 2,000 to 3,000 feet, and at the back of these ranges
more or less level tablelands, sloping generally to the west. On and
adjacent to these ranges in the Southern part of the State, there are
fairly sharp frosts in winter, but the days are warm and bright. This is
the district best adapted for the growth of deciduous fruits and vines,
table varieties doing particularly well. It is a district well adapted
for mixed farming and dairying, as well as fruit-growing; the climate
is even and healthy, and is neither severe in summer nor winter. The
average rainfall is some 30 inches, and is usually sufficient, though
there are dry periods, when a judicious watering, as recommended for the
coast districts, would be of great value to fruit and vegetable growers.
The more northern end of this tableland country has a much better
rainfall--some 40 inches per annum--and frosts, though they occur at
times, are not common. Here the climate is very healthy, there are no
extremes of heat and cold, and, lying as it does inland from the most
trying portion of our tropical seaboard, it forms a natural sanatorium
to this part of our State.
Further west the rainfall decreases, the summers are hot--a dry heat, as
distinct from the more humid heat of the coast, and much more bearable.
There are frequent frosts in winter, particularly in the Southern part
of the State. Fruit-growing is only carried on to a slight extent at
present, and then only with the help of water, but when the latter is
obtainable, very good results are obtained. Grapes do well, both wine
and table, and for raisin-making. Citrus fruits are remarkably fine, the
lemons especially, being the best grown in the State. 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;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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