James Brimmer examined.

2250. In what district do you live?—In Ararat.

2251. Are these fruits that you produce grown by yourself?—All but two—[handing in samples].

2252. Are they grown with or without irrigation?—We had to water them.

2253. How do you irrigate?—We have not got enough to irrigate; we got the water laid on from the Ararat waterworks, and when we require a little we give it to them, but they do not get enough.

2254. Are oranges grown in your district generally?—No.

2255. How many trees arc there?—I have only got about twenty, and they are dying out for want of attention; still this shows that they would grow well with attention; the lemon is more healthy growing than the orange.

2256. What number of lemons would there be on a tree?—This tree was grown at the printing-office in Ararat, about fifteen years old, and came up from seed.

2257. What number of lemons would there be on a tree?—At the present time there are 400 of different sizes, perhaps a couple of hundred like this.

2258. How high is the tree?—About 12 feet.

2259. And healthy?—Perfectly healthy.

2260. How long have you been cultivating fruits?—Twenty-eight years I have been up there.

2261. Always at Ararat?—No, not always at Ararat, but at the Wimmera and Mount Cole. These fruits were not picked out expressly page 128

James Brimmer, 18th June 1886.

for being better than any one else's, but, as Mr. Nichols was saying, I know it myself too, that these volcanic soils here are not good for apples.

2262. Is yours grown no volcanic soil?—No, it is like where all the gold diggings were.

2263. That is the Northern Spy, is it not?—Yes.

2264. It is a very fine one?—That is not the largest.

2265. You think all these fruits could be grown in the district?—All of them; there is not a better place in the colony.

2266. But not without irrigation?—Not with us; not on that poor gravelly ground where our garden is.

2267. Have you had any experience in the novel products, if I may so call them—flax or hemp, or rape, or mustard, or any of those?—In the beginning, in 1865 I think, when the Novel Industry Act came out, the first year I made application, and I could not get the GO acres I wanted for me and my son; it was all disposed of, so many hundred lots for one year; and the next year I was soon enough, and I got the 60 acres.

2268. What did you try to cultivate upon it?—We were to try tobacco, hops, opium, or anything else in the novel industry line. I began with tobacco, hops, and opium; but it was a failure with us, though not with every one; but it did not answer our purpose.

2269. Was it in that particular district where you now live?—No, that was at the other end of the Mount Cole Ranges; they call it Warrackeep now.

2270. You have some specimens of potatoes there?—That is to show what a little watering will do. Those were planted no the 19th December, and I dug them up for young potatoes. The large one is the Fluke Kidney, the other one is the Magnum-bonum, that had perhaps an inch and a half at three waterings.

2271. An inch and a half at each watering?—No, they would have gone rotten.

2272. At what period did you water those potatoes?—That all depended upon the heat.

2273. Did the potatoes come up of their own accord without any watering?—No, we watered the drills first. We put them in, and it was dry last December; we watered them, and then they came up, and they did not want any more till after Christinas, and they were watered twice beside. I think the last watering they had was about, the end of February; but I was going to observe the effect of water upon these things. The Magnum-bonums produced eight pounds to every root in the bed, and that is a wonderful crop, and there were very few little ones among them, and the Fluke produced six pounds.

2274. And you think you did not use more than an inch and a half of water?—I am certain of it, for we have only got a half-inch pipe put on; we are limited as to the quantity we may use.

2275. Do you find the orange and lemon grow well with you? Yes, they grow very well with attention.

2277. All kinds of fruits?—It is equal to the Sandhurst district; they are the only two districts in the colony that are similar for the beautiful colour; I brought these apples to show the colour. I have got any amount of varieties, but these are a few of the coloured varieties.

2278. Have you had any oranges in?—I planted some 22 or 23 years ago, but the place is not in my possession now, and they are growing there now. Brierly and Wilson have got it now at Warrackeep. The orange trees there are 25 feet high.

2279. Are they bearing well?—Yes; but they cannot give them sufficient water when they want it, and the oranges are not good; they are all fuffy inside for the want of water at the proper time. That tree, of which you have the fruit before you, was as good as any of the Sydney oranges we get. I keep a fruit shop in Ararat, as well as the garden I have there. I shall be glad to write out some of my ideas for utilizing some of the waste lands round Ararat in particular.

2280. Will you mention the kinds of fruit your district is suitable for?—All kinds of fruit you can mention, except almonds, and they bloom too early. The frosts come and cut them after blossoming.

2281. Are these some of your lemons?—Yes; they are from the printing-office.

2282. And are there lemons upon the tree at all times?—Yes, there are all sorts from the blossom up to the ripened fruit.