The Fruit Industry and Labour.—All through our investigation the question of labour for fruit growing was a burning one. We were prepared for this as our South Australian evidence showed that the question there was acute, and the industry was, in that country, largely dependent, in the country, on German labour—cheap, laborious, and efficient. With no such assistance available to our local growers, the industry is very much crippled.

Fruit Cases.—We found this a burning question among fruit-growers, most of whom consider that the prices charged for cases by millers are not warranted. the saw-millers, on the other hand, having gone into the question fully, are not prepared to reduce having prices, and point out to us that the retail price of hardwood bushel cases in Melbourne is 1s. 6d. each. This would seem to indicate that, under present conditions, the local trade cannot produce more cheaply.

With regard to the use of second-hand cases, this has been, up to the present, emphatically turned down by the annual conferences of the Fruitgrowers themselves. Individual growers—and we think quite properly—consider that some use should be made of the second-hand cases; and the Department of Agriculture holds that, by the establishment of a fumigating plant and case exchange in Perth, this is quite possible. The whole question, however, is one that the growers must decide for themselves at their annual conference.

To facilitate the sale of surplus fruit to the Eastern States, we understand that legislation in this State is pending by which all fruit will, in future, be packed in cases containing a bushel or half-bushel. Owing to the regulations governing the question in the Eastern States, it is impossible to export our flat cases under present conditions.

Potato Culture.—As production overtakes the local market—a day which is close at hand—growers will be compelled, by increasing competition, to throw out of cultivation for potatoes the second rate land which grows the light corp, and concentrate on the land which, with proper treatment, will give not less than give tons per acre. The industry is, therefore, approaching a period of reconstruction. The local market is already characterised by annual gluts in November-December, and May-June, when the bulk of the local crops is bagged. The smaller growers, who are unable to hold, are then forced to sell in quantities which the market cannot absorb, and it will only be growers who can store and hold who can make a business profitable. Unless an opening can be found in South Africa, there seems little chance of an export market, and the competition of the Eastern States for the local market has just been materially assisted by the cheap freights to Kalgoorlie which the Federal Government has introduced.

The most successful growers are those who have paid the most attention to their seed, and who, by growing and selecting their own seed in different portions of the farm, have kept up their standard. The success of the crop is primarily a matter of good seed, and many of the failures are due to promiscuous purchases of unsuitable seed from other growers.

The local seed, however, is showing signs of diminishing vitality, and it is difficult to get outside seed, owing to the strict regulations designed to prevent the introduction of diseases into the cleaner areas of the State. New seed is a leading question among the growers, and perhaps the greatest assistance would result if the growers in the quarantined Osborne Park area, who can plant and grow new seed from overseas, were allowed, under strict supervision, to distribute new seed to the outside districts.

The average yield in the State for 1915 is given by the Commonwealth Statistician as 3.06 tones, as against 2.82 tons in Victoria and 2.69 in South Australia. Individual results show as high as 10 tons, and we have come across isolated yields of 15 tons per acre. The high yields are tempting, and potato growing has been responsible for more losses than any other industry in the South-West. The crop is subject to diseases and pests, and to inundations from summer rains on the swamps, as men who attempt to make a living from potatoes alone have found their cost.

Onion Culture.—Not many onions are raised in the State, and the local product, unfortunately, does not always keep. This, we are assured, can be overcome by growing the right varieties. Whenever our growers can produce onions, they have a good local market, but, as with potatoes, the future is circumscribed by that market. As high as 25 tons to the acre have been grown in this State, and this year, Messrs, Higgins Bros., Capel, from 1 3/4 acres secured a return of 29 tons. There appears to be, therefore, a profitable future before this crop in suitable localities.

Nurserymen's Stocks.—A source of general complaint is that trees purchased from nurserymen have not always been true to name. This is a serious matter, as the result is only detected when the trees come into bearing years after purchase. Expert opinion, unfortunately, can prescribe no remedy, beyond the obvious one of purchasing from standard nurserymen of high reputation, and paying the prices required to buy only the best trees from the best men. No nurseryman can guarantee more than his personal supervision of the business, and however close that supervision may be, when any labour has to be employed, the nursery business appears to be one where allowances must be made for the human element.

Pure seeds.—There is general demand, not only in the South-West but throughout the State, for pure seed legislation, to ensure that no seed shall be offered for sale which has not, on a clearly indicated date, passed a standard test for germination and purity.

Fertilisers.—The growing scarcity of manures, particularly potash, was generally brought before us by witnesses, but this is a phase which must be accepted, as there can be no improvement till the war is over. Some departmental witnesses held that the manures sold in the State are carefully supervised and are generally satisfactory. Growers generally appear to hold the opposite opinion and their contention is, to a certain extend, upheld by the evidence given to the Commission by the late Chief Inspector of Potatoes.

Dairying.—Assisted by the high prices of butter which have been ruling in the Australian market, the