38 _ REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



Hofs.—ln anticipation of my deputation to Kashmir 

 to advise the Durbar on the improvement of the hop indus- 

 try in that State, three visits were paid to Kent to see the 

 latest forms of hop-drying oasts and the developments 

 which have taken place in hop growing during the last 

 five years. The information obtained was made use of in 

 my subsequent visit to Kashmir. 



Fruit 'packing. — In connection with the proposals for 

 developing the fruit industry of Baluchistan then under 

 the consideration of the Secretary of State, some time was 

 devoted to studying the methods of packing and trans- 

 porting fresh fruit both in use in England and also em- 

 ployed by the various countries which export fruit to Lon- 

 don. Very valuable information was obtained which will 

 be of considerable use in working out the best methods of 

 sending fresh fruit from Baluchistan to India. By a for- 

 tunate circumstance I got in touch with one of the Direc- 

 tors of the largest company in Great Britain engaged in 

 the manufacture of fruit packages on the American sys- 

 tem, and in consequence have had no difficulty in importing 

 into Baluchistan a large selection of model packages and 

 packing materials for use in the experiments of the present 

 year. 



A study of the methods of packing used for transport- 

 ing fruit from France, the Channel Islands and South 

 Africa to London shows how backward India is in this res- 

 pect and what great improvements are necessary in this 

 country. 



Part III. 



The Hop Industry in Kashmir. 



In accordance with the orders of the Government of 

 India the months of August and September 1910 were spent 

 on deputation in Kashmir for the purpose of advising the 

 Durbar as to the best means of extending and improving 

 the hop industry. A detailed report on this subject was 

 submitted, which was afterwards printed by the State. 



