Tasmanian apples in London

The export of Tasmanian apples to London opens up a wide and interesting field of inquiry to the student of physical science, as well as a source of profit to Tasmanian growers, and pleasure to consumers in England, and being intimately acquainted with the subject from the beginning, he had thought some account of its history would be interesting to this Society, and form a record of the initial steps taken to establish what now appears likely to be of colonial, if not national, importance. The soil and climate of Southern Tasmania have long been noted for their suitability for growing and maturing all the fruits of a temperate climate in perfection ; and as the industry gradually extended from Hobart, southwards to the Huon, and north-westerly up the Derwent Valley, a distinct difference was discovered in the growth, and consequent treatment necessary in the two districts.
In the Huon the heavy rainfall and damp climate, and fertility of virgin soil fresh won from the dense forests produced a luxuriant growth of large sized fruit, and orchards quickly spread along the narrow valleys and crept up the steep hillsides until it became the staple industry of a great part of the district, and the main dependence of a number of small settlers.
The Derwent Valley extending inland, and gradually widening in a north-westerly direction out of the line of the great mountain ranges of the west that cause the moist climate of the Huon, is dry and arid, and the system of fruit growing, especially that of apples, that had been so successful in the Huon, failed when applied to the Upper Derwent. But small patches of the river flats near New Norfolk that received the drainage from the hills, and some that were irrigated for hops, were found to produce excellent fruit.