and frequent; in fact, in all the coastal and coastal tableland districts of the State one is kept daily in touch with all the important matters that are taking place in the world. In the home life there is a freedom not met with in older countries; there is an almost entire absence of artificiality--people are natural, and are interested in each other's welfare. They are certainly fond of pleasure, but at the same time are extremely generous and hospitable. The writer can speak of this from a large practical experience, as for some years past he has annually travelled many thousands of miles amongst fruit-growers and others who are settled on the land, and, without exception, he has everywhere been met with the greatest kindness from rich and poor alike--in short, a hearty welcome--and the best that the house affords is the rule, without exception. In brief, should any of my readers decide on coming to Queensland, the only difference that they will find as compared with the older countries is, that our climate is somewhat warmer in summer, but to compensate for this we have no severe cold in winter. There is more freedom and less conventionality, life to all who will work is much easier, and there is not the same necessity for expensive clothing or houses as exists in more rigorous climates. The people they will meet are of their own colour and race, no doubt fond of sport and pleasure, perhaps inclined to be a little self-opinionated, but solid grit at the bottom. As previously stated, Queensland offers exceptional advantages to the intending fruit-grower, and the following may be quoted as examples. The ease with which fruit can be produced, when grown under conditions suitable to its proper development, is often remarkable, and is a constant source of wonder to all who have been accustomed to the comparatively slow growth of many of our commoner varieties of fruits when grown in less favoured climes, and to the care that is there necessary to produce profitable returns. Here all kinds of tree life is rapid, and fruit trees come into bearing much sooner than they do in colder climates. In addition to their arriving at early maturity, they are also, as a rule, heavy bearers, their fault, if anything, being towards over-bearing. Fruits of many kinds are so thoroughly acclimatised that it is by no means uncommon to find them growing wild, and holding their own in the midst of rank indigenous vegetation, without receiving the slightest care or attention. In some cases where cultivated fruits have been allowed to become wild, they have become somewhat of a pest, and have kept down all other growths, so much so that it has been actually necessary to take steps to prevent them from becoming a nuisance, so readily do they grow, and so rapidly do they increase. The very ease with which fruit can be grown when planted under conditions of soil and climate favourable to its development has had a tendency to make growers somewhat careless as