Western Australia irrigation is not needed, in the accepted sense of the term. There are years when a little water is of very great benefit to the crops when they are ripening. In average years a little water when the crops are ripening will fill out the fruit and frequently add greatly to the yield. This must not be called irrigation such as is known on the Murray River or in the Goulburn Valley, Victoria. We Should refer to it as a little watering to help the fruit fill out. In Some years this watering will double the yield. An expensive irrigation scheme is not required.

11857. What is the lowest rainfall under which currants can be successfully grown? — they can be grown along the foothills of the darling range from Gingin down to Bunbury. There is ample rainfall for them with proper cultivation, with the addition sometimes of a little water in certain situations. The Great Southern also provides ample rainfall. I should say that not less than 22 inches was necessary for the growing of currants.Much depends on the subsoil and cultivation.

11858. By the CHAIRMAN : What are the conditions and prospects of the fruit trade of the State ? At present the conditions are so abnormal that it is hardly fair to argue upon them.The Conditions of the fruit industry at present are unsatisfactory.The yield of fruit is probably on the average not more than a third or one half of what it should be. Out of the 21,000 odd acres given in the statistics as being the area under fruit , I believe it will be found after careful examination that one quarter of the area should never have been planted or that the orchards are in such a state of neglect that they can never hope to become profitable, and should be dealt with in the same way as the Brunswick State orchard was dealt with. If this was done it would be in the interests of the fruit industry. All this is provided that the same rule in regard only land which is suitable should be planted with the right varieties, and looked after by the right people. I do not know of any place, California not excepted, where there is a better hope of complete success in fruit growing than there is in Western Australia. We have to go through more trouble before we arrive at that conditions of things. People will plant trees in the areas of their choice, they want to make their own conditions, and will not be guided by those who know , but there is sufficient known to prevent any more serious mistakes. If these conditions are compiled with I think the prospects are very bright indeed.

11859. By Mr PAYNTER : Would you advise anyone at the present time to plant an orchard ? — I am glad you asked that question . If you look through the whole of my writings for the last 12 years since I have been here you will hardly find a distinct advocacy of planting because there were so many blunders being made that if one advocated it I felt there was a risk, and knew that this glut would have to come. I stated definetely in the report which I wrote in 1904, that a glut was bound to come, and I think I stated until that did come one could never consider the fruit industry to be on a proper basis. Last year and this year I have stated emphatically that there is a better hope for planting apples, canning pears and canning peaches, and all good classes of fruit at present than there has been at any time during the last 10 years. Now is the time to plant because there is a glut, and because things are unsatisfactory. By the time trees come into bearing, the badly planted orchard will have been got rid of and until men would have gone out of the business, and there will be a chance of things being placed on a satisfactory basis. That is the result of experience, and the result of watching developments in different parts of the world since I have been able to take an interest in the matter. In 1888 I was in California, and you never heard of such a condition of the fruit and wine industries. It was deplorable. I went to a conference, and one or two men like Professor Hilgard, who said what I am saying now, and bade the growers to have courage and not be afraid of the industry when it got on to a proper basis. We know how enormously the California industry has developed. At the present time if any one plants by the time the trees come into bearing the usual cycle will have taken place and we shall have better conditions. It used to be said in the Mount Lofty Ranges , " when people are grubbing up, that was the time to plant. " One of the best fruit growers near Adelaide, Mr T. B. Robson, said, when apricots were a glut , " I am going to plant 10 acres of apricots ." When potatoes will not sell that is the time to plant. It is a safe general rule.

11860. By the CHAIRMAN : Do you think berries can be grown in this State for manufacturing jam ? — I have no direct evidence on the subject.

11861. We were told in various districts that they can grow blackberries and that sort of fruit, but the cost of picking is so great that it is not worth growing them ? — I think in the deep gullies of the karri hills raspberries and red currants and black currants will grow probably as well as in a good many parts of the East. When I was around last year with the Parliamentary party we discussed the matter to some extent, and I think it is so. Probably it will come by-and-by, but we shall have to get better conditions. From Nornalup to Manjimup in the narrow gullies of the karri land, which I think should be reserved for forestry, the Forestry Department does not want the gullies, and the gullies will be available for the small fruit grower and other intense culture, and in order that berry growing may be successful the timber must be kept on the hills to afford shelter so that the two things will dovetail. That is one of the arguments I would use in connection with allowing the Forestry Deaprtment to retain the forest and work it under the policy that it has briefly outlined. Those are the places that you can get raspberries to grow. I look to the time when we shall have a small fruit industry in that part of the country.

11862. What steps do you think the Government can take to ensure a supply of fruit trees true to name ? — None.

11863. Pure seed ? — Pure seed is different. As long as the fruit tree palnter allows himself to be wheedled by a plausible selling agent and allows himself to be influenced by a small reduction in the price, nothing the government can do will prevent that man from getting inferior stuff , but if he will only