INSTITUTE AND COLLEGE, PUSA, FOR 1012-1 3. 49 



fruit trade as the expense and trouble of sealing 

 numerous small packages is very great. It 

 should be possible, if the matter is strongly 

 represented to the Railway Board, to fix the 

 responsibility for the packages on certain in- 

 dividuals and to prevent cases of thefts in a 

 manner which would not make it worth while 

 to continue these malpractices. 



3. Except for short distances, cheap non-returnable 



packages seemed to be the best, especially 

 in the case of small consignments to private 

 individuals. 



4. The packages most likely to be useful at Quetta ap- 



peared to be (a) non-returnable peach crates 

 with 3" and %\" chip cubes for the five seer rail- 

 way rate, (b) Grape boxes suitable for the 2% 

 and 5 seer rates, (c) Non-returnable and re- 

 turnable crates holding 24 chip baskets, each 

 holding about one seer, the whole coming under 

 the 30 seer rate, (d) Cheap climax baskets for 

 selling fruit at the markets and at the various 

 gardens. 



5. The best packing material appeared to be sunn 



fibre imported from Oudh in pressed bales. 

 This was cheaper and better than cottonwool 

 and also easier to handle than wood wool which 

 also received an extended trial. Care must be 

 taken to use onlv clean well-retted sunn for this 

 purpose. 



During the present year a supply of these packages 

 likely to be of most use in Quetta was made to order by the 

 British Basket Company of Glasgow and shipped to 

 Karachi. They were placed on the market at Quetta and 

 sold at prices sufficient to cover all expenses including that 

 connected with their sale. All the packages were taken up 

 by the Indian fruit traders and about half the supply 

 imported, was sold. In all about £45 worth was supplied 

 to the trade. It is expected the rest will be disposed of 



E 



