THE PLUM.
As already mentioned, plums of Japanese and American origin (Chickasaw) do well in the more coastal districts. They also bear heavily on our coastal downs and more western country, but some kinds of Japanese plums blossom too early for the Stanthorpe district. European plums, however, do well, and are heavy bearers. All kinds do not bear heavily, the freest bearers being those of the damson family—White Magnum Bonum and Diamond type. Prunes also do well. Plums of European origin do best in the coldest districts, but their cultivation is not confined entirely to these, as some varieties thrive well in warmer and drier parts of the country. So far, there has been a ready sale for all the plums we can produce for fresh consumption, excepting some of the smaller plums of the damson type, which have been converted into jam. It is not a fruit, however, in which there is much money, as it is too easily grown in the Southern States, and can there be converted into jam or canned at a lower rate than we can do here, hence our cultivation will be more or less confined to the growing of large fruits for supplying our local markets rather than to the production of the fruit in quantity.
THE APRICOT.
Most varieties of this fruit do well on our coastal downs country in the South, and to a certain extent further west. The trees are very rapid growers, and bear heavily. The earlier ripening fruit usually escapes damage from fruit fly, but the late fruit often suffers considerably.
The apricot does best in a fairly strong rich soil, when it makes a great growth, and bears heavy crops of large-sized fruit. It also does well on sandier soils, which produce a firmer and better-drying fruit. So far, although a number of trees are planted throughout the State, the cultivation of the fruit is mainly confined to the production of table fruit, drying or canning having been carried out to a small extent only. The apricot grows to a large tree, and lives to a good old age. Like the peach, it is a very vigorous grower when young, requiring severe pruning in consequence, but, when once shaped, the trees require little in the way of pruning other than the removal of superfluous branches and an annual shortening in winter.
THE CHERRY.
Queensland is almost outside the limit of the successful growth of this fruit, but not quite, as we produce the first fruit to ripen in Australia, which realises a high price on account of its earliness. Many varieties have been tested, but, so far, no one variety can be said to be a complete success in our climate, nor do the trees grow to the large size or produce as heavily as they do in the Southern States, where the winters are more clearly defined than they are in Queensland. Another drawback to the growth of this fruit is that the soils of our coldest district are not the best of cherry soils. The cherry likes a deep, moderately rich loam, whereas we are growing it mostly on sandy loams of a granitic origin. What fruit we do grow is good, and pays well on account of its earliness, but I do not consider that this State will ever be able to compete with the South in the growth of the cherry.
