OUR FRUIT heritage
The Argus, Melbourne, 1849:
'The brigs Swan and Raven brought about sixty tons of fruit, consisting principally of apples and plums. The Shamrock will probably add to this supply, but there is no ready sale.
The large quantity of apples produced here this season has rendered importation unnecessary. Colonial fruit is fully equal in quality, and brought to the market in much better condition.'
'The brigs Swan and Raven brought about sixty tons of fruit, consisting principally of apples and plums. The Shamrock will probably add to this supply, but there is no ready sale.
The large quantity of apples produced here this season has rendered importation unnecessary. Colonial fruit is fully equal in quality, and brought to the market in much better condition.'
The Hobart Town Daily Mercury, 1859:
(Tasmania: 1858 - 1860) Friday 11 November 1859 Page 3
A FEW NOTES ON ORCHARDS.
Any person who may have resided for a few years in Hobart Town must, in rambling in the outskirts of the City and out towards New Town and Risdon, have observed the large increase of Orchard plantations; in which the trees are principally keeping apples for the Victorian market.
When it is stated that in an Orchard situated in a sheltered valley, and having an eastern aspect, one apple tree has produced fruit which was sold on the spot for £5 12s., (five pounds twelve shillings,) I write in words so that there can be no mistake, it cannot bo a matter of surprise that every man who possesses a small allotment of good soil procures a few apple trees and plants them with care.
In the rich valley leading towards the Huon at the top of Davey-street, in the various gullies leading to the moun- tain on the New Town Rivulet towards Lady Franklin's Museum; all along the Risdon Road; on 20 acres of the Queen's Domain, recently purchased by T. D. Chapman, Esq., apple trees by thousands are planted, and every winter additions appear to be made.
The expense of an Orchard is trifling, when compared with its produce. One man will keep three acres of Orchard in order, in that portion of the year when the weeds require to be out down, and can devote much of his time to other employments ; three acres of Orchard, five years old, will produce £150 an acre; the demand for fruit being equal to its supply; so much so indeed that the gardens of the Eastern Coast, (100 miles from Hobart Town); of Bothwell, (nearly fifty miles); of Bagdad, and even as far as Oatlands, are annually sending in their thousands of boxes of apples for exportation.
I know of one extensive orchard having recently supplied 200 bushels of French crab and other valuable apples at 23s. a bushel, cash; and I know of another of three acres which produced last year £400, not profit.
Appletrees begin to bear at three years old, and there are some fine old trees at Gagebrook, which were planted in 1821, and which produce largely every other year. This is a singular fact in connection with apple trees in Tasmania, that while in one year a tree will bear luxuriantly, the produce of the next year is very small; in one garden you will find twenty trees thus bearing biennially.
I would suggest to every proprietor of even a small allotment of land to plant a small Orchard for his own use, if not for the market; to plant around it the old English nuts, such as hazel and filberts which bear so luxuriantly in Tasmania, and which will in the summer realise to many Colonists the pursuits of their possibly happy youth in the woods, and under the hedges of the old country.
(Tasmania: 1858 - 1860) Friday 11 November 1859 Page 3
A FEW NOTES ON ORCHARDS.
Any person who may have resided for a few years in Hobart Town must, in rambling in the outskirts of the City and out towards New Town and Risdon, have observed the large increase of Orchard plantations; in which the trees are principally keeping apples for the Victorian market.
When it is stated that in an Orchard situated in a sheltered valley, and having an eastern aspect, one apple tree has produced fruit which was sold on the spot for £5 12s., (five pounds twelve shillings,) I write in words so that there can be no mistake, it cannot bo a matter of surprise that every man who possesses a small allotment of good soil procures a few apple trees and plants them with care.
In the rich valley leading towards the Huon at the top of Davey-street, in the various gullies leading to the moun- tain on the New Town Rivulet towards Lady Franklin's Museum; all along the Risdon Road; on 20 acres of the Queen's Domain, recently purchased by T. D. Chapman, Esq., apple trees by thousands are planted, and every winter additions appear to be made.
The expense of an Orchard is trifling, when compared with its produce. One man will keep three acres of Orchard in order, in that portion of the year when the weeds require to be out down, and can devote much of his time to other employments ; three acres of Orchard, five years old, will produce £150 an acre; the demand for fruit being equal to its supply; so much so indeed that the gardens of the Eastern Coast, (100 miles from Hobart Town); of Bothwell, (nearly fifty miles); of Bagdad, and even as far as Oatlands, are annually sending in their thousands of boxes of apples for exportation.
I know of one extensive orchard having recently supplied 200 bushels of French crab and other valuable apples at 23s. a bushel, cash; and I know of another of three acres which produced last year £400, not profit.
Appletrees begin to bear at three years old, and there are some fine old trees at Gagebrook, which were planted in 1821, and which produce largely every other year. This is a singular fact in connection with apple trees in Tasmania, that while in one year a tree will bear luxuriantly, the produce of the next year is very small; in one garden you will find twenty trees thus bearing biennially.
I would suggest to every proprietor of even a small allotment of land to plant a small Orchard for his own use, if not for the market; to plant around it the old English nuts, such as hazel and filberts which bear so luxuriantly in Tasmania, and which will in the summer realise to many Colonists the pursuits of their possibly happy youth in the woods, and under the hedges of the old country.
The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser:
(NSW : 1843 - 1893)
Wednesday 25 May 1853
GARDENING AND AGRICULTURAL MEMORANDA FOR MAY.
- KITCHEN GARDEN : Plant cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, lettuce, strawberries. Sow cabbages, peas beans, lettuce, radishes, mustard, cress, store turnips, spinach. Hill up celery plants. Sow cabbages and onions for seed. Keep spinach beds free from weeds. Clean beds of young onions. Take up and house carrots and beetroot in dry weather. Potatoes should be taken up early this mouth. Give asparagus beds their winter dressing. Manure ground in the kitchen garden.
- FRUIT GARDEN : Prune pear, apple, plum, apricot, peach trees, and vines. Go over fig trees, and take off all the green autumnal fruit; prune next month. Plant out nut and mulberry trees.
-THE NURSERY: Protect tender plants by throwing boughs or mats over them. Transplant forest trees. Dig and manure nursery rows. Prune shrubs and trees.-
(NSW : 1843 - 1893)
Wednesday 25 May 1853
GARDENING AND AGRICULTURAL MEMORANDA FOR MAY.
- KITCHEN GARDEN : Plant cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, lettuce, strawberries. Sow cabbages, peas beans, lettuce, radishes, mustard, cress, store turnips, spinach. Hill up celery plants. Sow cabbages and onions for seed. Keep spinach beds free from weeds. Clean beds of young onions. Take up and house carrots and beetroot in dry weather. Potatoes should be taken up early this mouth. Give asparagus beds their winter dressing. Manure ground in the kitchen garden.
- FRUIT GARDEN : Prune pear, apple, plum, apricot, peach trees, and vines. Go over fig trees, and take off all the green autumnal fruit; prune next month. Plant out nut and mulberry trees.
-THE NURSERY: Protect tender plants by throwing boughs or mats over them. Transplant forest trees. Dig and manure nursery rows. Prune shrubs and trees.-
The Sydney Morning Herald:
(NSW : 1842 - 1954)
Saturday 10 September 1910
THE NORTH COAST.
COFF'S HARBOUR.
UP ON THE DORRIGO.
(BY E. J. T.)
It seems that almost every thing grown arrives at a degree or perfection that is simply astounding.
Wild fruit trees with neither the brains nor hands of man to aid them, planted by the miners or laid by the hand of chance on the old mining township, appear at this time like a large golden ball, so heavily are they laden.
There is no disease or fungus about these trees; they are absolutely perfect. Wild lemons and passionfruit are in abundance, and a host of others.
(NSW : 1842 - 1954)
Saturday 10 September 1910
THE NORTH COAST.
COFF'S HARBOUR.
UP ON THE DORRIGO.
(BY E. J. T.)
It seems that almost every thing grown arrives at a degree or perfection that is simply astounding.
Wild fruit trees with neither the brains nor hands of man to aid them, planted by the miners or laid by the hand of chance on the old mining township, appear at this time like a large golden ball, so heavily are they laden.
There is no disease or fungus about these trees; they are absolutely perfect. Wild lemons and passionfruit are in abundance, and a host of others.
PLANT TREES ON ROADSIDES
Incentive in Bill
"AN incentive to landholders to plant fruit and other trees for the beautification of country roadsides" was how the Minister of Local Government (Mr. McIntosh) described a proposed new tree-planting law.
He was explaining to the Assembly a clause in the amending Local Government Bill which provides that a council may authorise owners or occupiers of land to plant trees or shrubs on roads bounding their properties. Where necessary they could fence in the trees and shrubs. A council must not give this consent where the trees would impede traffic, and in the case of a road maintained by the Highways Commissioner he must approve the granting of the consent.
"Councils may authorise the persons who plant the trees to take the whole or any part of the produce of the trees." the Minister said. RENMARK SUGGESTION
The tree-planting scheme arose, he added, from a suggestion by the Renmark Irrigation Trust, which considered it would be advantageous to encourage landholders to plant almond and fruit trees on the roadsides. At Renmark this would have the effect of beautifying the roadsides, providing wind-breaks, and lessening drainage troubles. "It is obvious that the idea is capable of extension." the Minister told M.P.s.
Today Mr. McIntosh said that many parts of South Australia could be made much more beautiful if the proposal in the Bill were generally acted upon. He recalled a Halliburton travel book which told of the development of the idea in Europe, and of the writer's surprise at the resentment of householders when he sat under a roadside fruit tree in Bohemia and ate their fruit. The new law is applicable to the South Australian scheme for "color villages" proposed by tree and flower lovers.
Incentive in Bill
"AN incentive to landholders to plant fruit and other trees for the beautification of country roadsides" was how the Minister of Local Government (Mr. McIntosh) described a proposed new tree-planting law.
He was explaining to the Assembly a clause in the amending Local Government Bill which provides that a council may authorise owners or occupiers of land to plant trees or shrubs on roads bounding their properties. Where necessary they could fence in the trees and shrubs. A council must not give this consent where the trees would impede traffic, and in the case of a road maintained by the Highways Commissioner he must approve the granting of the consent.
"Councils may authorise the persons who plant the trees to take the whole or any part of the produce of the trees." the Minister said. RENMARK SUGGESTION
The tree-planting scheme arose, he added, from a suggestion by the Renmark Irrigation Trust, which considered it would be advantageous to encourage landholders to plant almond and fruit trees on the roadsides. At Renmark this would have the effect of beautifying the roadsides, providing wind-breaks, and lessening drainage troubles. "It is obvious that the idea is capable of extension." the Minister told M.P.s.
Today Mr. McIntosh said that many parts of South Australia could be made much more beautiful if the proposal in the Bill were generally acted upon. He recalled a Halliburton travel book which told of the development of the idea in Europe, and of the writer's surprise at the resentment of householders when he sat under a roadside fruit tree in Bohemia and ate their fruit. The new law is applicable to the South Australian scheme for "color villages" proposed by tree and flower lovers.
Burra Record:
(SA : 1878 - 1954)
Tuesday 11 July 1944
The severe frosts of a week or two ago played havoc with the fruit on the wild peach trees out here. It just shrivelled most of the berries and those that were left have nearly all fallen off. Previous to the heavy frosts, prospects of that much sought after wild fruit crop were very good.
(These might have been quandong trees - they were known as wild peaches!)
(SA : 1878 - 1954)
Tuesday 11 July 1944
The severe frosts of a week or two ago played havoc with the fruit on the wild peach trees out here. It just shrivelled most of the berries and those that were left have nearly all fallen off. Previous to the heavy frosts, prospects of that much sought after wild fruit crop were very good.
(These might have been quandong trees - they were known as wild peaches!)