Under this heading I will include all the Anonas, such as the sour sop,
sweet sop, bullock's heart, and cherimoya. The sour sop is purely
tropical, and is very sensitive to frost, but the other species are by
no means so tender, and can be grown anywhere along the coast where the
soil is suitable, as well as at many inland places. All the species
produce very fine fruits, that vary somewhat in shape, in the roughness
of the skin, and in size. The sour sop is the largest, and attains a
size of 6 to 8 lb. The fruit is covered with soft spines, and is of an
irregular oval, or even pyriform, shape. It ripens very soon after it is
gathered, consequently cannot be sent any distance. It is a pleasant
fruit of an aromatic sub-acid flavour. The pulp surrounding the seeds is
of a woolly consistency, and this is surrounded by a custard-like mass
which is much appreciated by those who have acquired a liking for it. It
is a comparatively uncommon fruit, and is confined to the tropics.
The sweet sop is the commonest of the Anonas, and is grown throughout a
considerable part of coastal Queensland. It is usually of an irregular
roundish shape, very full of seeds, which are surrounded by a
custard-like pulp of very pleasant flavour. It is usually a heavy
bearer, and is the variety most commonly met with in our fruit stores.
The tree is hardy and is easily grown.
The bullock's heart is a stronger-growing variety than the previous one,
the fruit is larger, and, as its name implies, heart-shaped. It is also
fairly seedy, the pulp of a light-brown colour, and more gritty, and
not, in my opinion, of first-rate quality. It is most commonly grown in
the North, where it is a very hardy and prolific tree.
The cherimoya is the best of the custard apples. The tree is a strong
grower, with large handsome leaves, but, as a rule, it is not a very
heavy bearer. There are many varieties, the fruit of which varies
considerably in size and shape, and the skin is sometimes smooth and
sometimes warted, or even covered with short soft spines. It has
usually comparatively few seeds, and these are surrounded by a rich
custard-like pulp, which in the better kinds is of very fine flavour,
and is generally much liked. The fruit is not a good keeper, still,
given careful handling and packing, it can be kept for nearly a week.
All custard apples are easily raised from seed, but the better varieties
are propagated by grafting strong seedlings with wood taken from a tree
producing fruit of especial merit. Any good fruit soil will grow them,
and they do not require any especial treatment.
[Illustration: Custard Apples, Brisbane District.]
There are still a large number of tropical fruits that I have not
mentioned, but space will not permit of my giving them more than a
passing notice, as they are not of any great value from a commercial
standpoint at present. Of these fruits the litchi, whampee, averoha,
longan, vi-apple, and Chinese mangosteen are practically confined to the
North. The guava, of which there are many species, grows anywhere; in
fact, it is a pest in many cases, taking complete possession of the
land. It is not cultivated to any great extent, as it grows so readily
without, and, further, it harbours several pests whose presence it is
desirable to remove from the orchard. It is a useful fruit for home
consumption, as it stews well, makes an excellent jam, and its jelly is
one of the best.
The rosella, a species of hibiscus, is an annual fruit that is grown to
a considerable extent in several parts of the State, and is used for
pies, jams, and jellies. The latter is remarkably good, equal to that
made from the red currant of colder climes, and will no doubt become an
article of export at no very distant date. The fruit also dries well,
and makes an excellent pickle. It is raised from seed, the young
seedlings being set out in well-prepared land when all danger of frost
is past. It is a rapid grower, and forms a bush some 4 feet across by 4
or 5 feet high. It is a heavy bearer, and the fruit meets with a ready
sale. To do well, the plants require a warm, free, well-drained soil, as
they do not thrive where there is any stagnant water at or near the
roots.
The avocado or alligator pear is not grown to any extent, though it
thrives well, particularly to the north of the tropic of Capricorn, and
can also be grown successfully as far south as the New South Wales
border. It is a fruit that deserves to be cultivated to a much greater
extent than it is at present, and once it becomes better known I have no
doubt that it will be planted in considerable numbers, and prove a very
welcome addition to our already long list of fruits, as it is
unequalled, in my opinion, as a salad. As far as my experience goes, it
is likely to become a profitable fruit to grow, as once persons acquire
a liking for it, they become very partial to it, and eat it whenever
they can get it.
In addition to purely tropical fruits a number of semi-tropical fruits
are grown on our eastern seaboard, but are not entirely confined
thereto, as many of them are cultivated to a considerable extent in some
parts of our coastal and inland tablelands, particularly in sheltered
positions. Under the heading of semi-tropical fruits, all kinds of
citrus fruits, persimmons, loquats, date palm, wine palm, pecan nut,
Brazilian cherry, Natal plum, ki-apple, and many other fruits are
included, as well as several fruits that more properly belong to the
temperate regions, such as Japanese plums, Chickasaw plum, peaches of
Chinese origin, figs, mulberries of sorts, strawberries, cape
gooseberries, &c. Of all of these the citrus fruits, which include the
orange, mandarin, Seville, lemon, lime, grape fruit, kumquat, citron,
and pomelo are by far the most important, and are grown successfully
over a very large portion of the State, so that we will consider them
first.
[Illustration: Sour Sop, Mossman District.]