48 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE 



seem (Trifolium aleocandrinum), which does so well in 

 Sind, will grow at Quetta but the weight of crop is small 

 and it is not likely to be of use in the valley. A Mediter- 

 ranean fodder crop known as sulla (Hedysarum coro- 

 narium) was tried in 1914 at the suggestion of Mr. A. C. 

 Dobbs, Assistant to the Agricultural Adviser to the Gov- 

 ernment of India, but it proved a complete failure and was 

 largely killed by the cold. 



Fruit Investigations. Im/proved fruit boxes. The 

 supply of improved fruit boxes for the use of dealers and 

 the public was continued during the year. The demand is 

 steadily increasing both on the part of the Indian dealers 

 and also from the general public. About 2,500 boxes were 

 sold during the year and as these are distributed all over 

 India they ought in time to help to raise the present low 

 standard of fruit packing in the country. 



Some improvements have been made in the design of 

 the packages for the five seer parcel rate. The use of chip 

 compartments is being given up while the boxes are being 

 made more thief -proof. In place of the separate chip com- 

 partments, a collapsible cardboard fitting has been used. 

 This folds flat and is imported ready for use. Peach boxes 

 entirely of cardboard were put on the market for the first 

 time in 1914. The whole of the outside of the box consists 

 of a single piece of cardboard and the boxes can be set up 

 very rapidly. The separate compartments are of collaps- 

 ible cardboard. With these boxes, thefts in transit are 

 quite impossible. The supply was sold off at once and, 

 judging by the demand, cardboard fruit boxes are likely 

 to become exceedingly popular in India. They can be used 

 several times over if necessary. 



For consignments over five seers in weight, fruit pack- 

 ing cases must be made of wood and, to travel well for long 

 distances under Indian conditions, it is essential that there 

 should be a system of small units like the two pound 

 punnets which are now being adopted at Quetta. There 

 is one difficulty, however, which must be overcome, namely, 



