young stock, animals can be produced equal to those bred in any part of the world. With good draught stock the farmer reduces the cost of his production: it is the power he requires; without it he cannot succeed with his own cultivation, and, having a surplus, the ruling prices at all times leaves him a large margin of profit.
Area for Fruits.—All the belt of country known as the Darling Range, say from Bindoon, and Chittering, down past Narrogin, Pin jarrah, as far as Bunbury, and from thence to the Blackwood, might be described as one huge area for fruit growing.
Speaking more particularly in regard to the Darling Range, and without coming into the lower levels between the Range and the sea, we find that nearly every description of fruit grows in luxurious abundance; its hill slopes and its valleys, its alternations of soil, its diverse aspects, single out the area as specially adapted for wine making, for fruit growing, fruit preserving, and fruit drying.
Where the grape thrives, as it does in this area, the Commission can give no distinct preference to any particular variety of grape, as the character of soil and aspect of the land will at all times guide the grower in producing the exact variety suited to the conditions of his holding. Among the varieties already growing will be found the Shiraz, the Verdeilho, Fontainbleau, Crystal, Sweet Water, Muscatel, the Wortley Hall, and Black Hamburg.
The variety of fruits, including those grown on the Blackwood, is oranges of all descriptions (except the green orange), lemons, peaches, plums (of all varieties), apricots, pears, quinces, figs, apples, medlars, cherries, English and Cape gooseberries, citrons, currants, guavas, mulberries, nectarines, loquats, limes, nuts, filberts, almonds, rasp berries, shaddocks, bananas. With such a range and variety of fruit, and growing each variety in localities suitable for their production, the Commission can point hopefully to the time when Western Australia will compete against the world in these productions.
As an industry, wine making, both for local consumption and for export, should occupy the attention of a large section of those settling this area of the colony; while fruit drying, jam making, and preserving could be successfully and profitably pursued by others. The methods of cultivation can only be laid down on knowing the nature of the soil and locality; but as a general thing it is thought wiser to have plenty of roon1 for all plant and tree life. In the case of vines, from 8 to 9 feet, under the bush system of planting; trellis system for large vineyards is not recommended; while fruit trees
