PROBLEMS OF EMPIRE.
In the first place, it is generally acknowledged that the climate and most of the soil of Mildura is admirably adapted for growing fruit under irrigation. There are great varieties of soil. The bulk of the land is mallee scrub. There are, besides, pine ridges and box flats; the soil on the pine ridges is generally considered the best. Fruit trees are said to make more progress in five years at Mildura than they do in other parts of the Colony in seven. Vines, apricots, lemons, oranges, peaches, pears, olives, are amongst the principal trees grown. Lemons are the most paying crop, apricots probably come next. Olives can be grown on the inferior soil—even on that which is affected to some extent by seepage. Fruit-growing at Mildura has been carried on, as we have seen, in spite of many initial difficulties, such as want of a proper supply of water, want of knowledge of the proper trees which were suitable to the different soils, and the dishonesty of nurserymen in supplying trees not true to name. Yet the statements made to the Commission undoubtedly show that, in spite of these drawbacks, fruit-growing at Mildura can be made an exceedingly profitable business. In some cases the returns are extraordinary. Mr. T. Wilkinson, an old Lincolnshire farmer, who had been many years in New Zealand, received in 1895–96 742l. for the produce of eleven acres of vines on his twenty acre block—the net return being about 340l. Mr. Mitting from nine acres of raisins netted 362l., but this apparently does not allow for the value of his own labour. Another witness gives 80l. as the net return from one and a half acres of peaches not yet four years old. The returns from lemon-trees, as given by Mr. Pickering,
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