V3-2 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



May 



1908. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT 



SHIPMENTS OF PAPAWS. 



Experiments designcil to ascertain the praiticilnlity 

 of shipping papaws from Hawaii to San Francisco have 

 been carried out, and are rejiorted upon in Bullffin /J/ 

 of the Hawaiian Experiment Station. 



The papaw is a fruit which offers good pro.spcits nf find- 

 ing a ready market, since it i.s one which is practicidly certain 

 to be popular wdth consumers. 



The results of the trials would indicate that under 

 proper conditions, papaws carefidly selected, hari'ilL-d and 

 packed, could be successfully shipped such a distam-e as that 

 from Hawaii to the Pacific coast. 



It was found that fruit of the long type was more 

 .suitable for shipping than round fruits, being less ]i.d:)le to 

 damage <ind consequent decay. I'rovided the voyage is direct 

 aud no transhipment is involved the best stage at whi(di to 

 gather the fruit is just wlicn it is beginning to sliow slight 

 tinges of yellow. If the voyage is longer, and the fruit has 

 to undergo transhijiment, it is reconunended that thr papaws 

 be gathered green. 



The fruits sliould be \vra]iped sc|iarately iu glazed 

 jiaper, with an exterior urap|icr of crimped strav l)o:i,rd if 

 j)ossible. Papaws will undergo refrigeration in sliipmcnt 

 without deterioration in flavoni'. 



Ill fact it possesses a ' bouipiet ' all its own, and would, it is 

 believed, become iiopular at once with European consumers. 

 The East Indian banana, both yellow and red, grows abund- 

 antly throughout the southern provinces and the supply could 

 be made practically unlimited. All the Indian needs to learn is 

 how to cut the bunches at the right time, to handle the fruit 

 without bruising, and so that it can be lauded in twenty-five 

 days on the English market before it begins to get yellow. The 

 only thing lacking, it is claimed, is the necessary transporta- 

 tion, and this will be forthcoming if encouraged. The fruit 

 is in India and nced,s a market, and if enough money is raised 

 to back tlie enterprise, it is believed that India can get her 

 share of the banana trade of Europe and hold it. 



INDIAN BANANAS; PROSPECTIVE 

 EXPORT TO ENGLAND. 



The United States (.Atnsul at Calcutta, in a report 

 published under date of March last, states that some of 

 tlie more enterprising banana growers of India are 

 giving consideraljle attention to the question of develop- 

 ing an export trade in this fruit to(Jreat Britain. Tiie 

 Consul writes: — 



It is claimed that vessids properly fitted up ean reacli 

 the Ijivcrpool market from Calcutta in twenly-fivc ilays, and 

 that .several kinds of fruits, especially the ]ilantain, ean be laiil 

 down in Liverpool to coni|iete with the \\'est Indian banaiui, 

 •vvhieli now niono])olizes the English market. It is.-lated that 

 one firm trading between the West Indies and Liverpool has 

 thirteen ves.sels, each of •'?,O0O to 5,000 tons capacity, and 

 each one capable of stowing away 60,000 Ijuiiches of Itananas, 

 without crushing or bruising the fruit. This trade has 

 increased to vast proportions, and it is urged tliat li.dia 

 should have part of it. ■''• 



The native East Indian banana is smaller by half than 

 tlie fruit grown in Jamaica, Co.sta Ri "i, aud along the coast 

 lines of Central America, but the former is as rich in favour. 



CITRUS FRUIT IN NEW SOUTH 

 WALES. 



Efforts are being made in New South Wales to 

 extend the cultivation of the best kinds of citrus fruit 

 (oranges and leuions), in the iiope of developing an 

 export trade to Enghmd and America. 



A sample shipment of fruit was despatched from Sydney 

 to ].,ondon about a year ago. The Washington Xavel oranges 

 realized very satisfactory prices, ranging from 7s. 6d. to 

 Ifi.v. Gil. ])cr ca.se, the greater number bringing from 12.'i. to 

 Ifi.s-. ()(/. Oranges of the .Jaffa, ^Mandarin, and other varieties 

 commanded corri'S[)ondingly lower prices. whiU' the lemons 

 realized only .S.<. to ").<. 3iK 



It is liclicved that the Wa.shington Xa\el orange will do 

 well in the colony and return a handsome profit, more 

 csijecially if the soil is well worked and manured. Growers 

 in many cases are cutting back trees of the Seville and other 

 varieties, and gri,ifting with the Washington Xavel. The 

 .Jatta is another, .profitable variety. Valencia Late is also 

 grown, but owing to lateness iu ripening is hardly sweet 

 euimgh for export to Europe iu June or July. It w-ould, 

 however, be in proper condition to .ship to America in August, 

 September, and October, when such fruit usually commands 

 a good price. 



The report on the trial siupmcnt mentioned states that 

 if the cost of [)acking, marketing, aiul shipping in cool 

 storage to England could be reduced to about ■!.<. 6'/. to 5.<. 

 per ca.se, the results would be sufficiently jirofitablc to 

 encourage tlie trade. The lirokers in London recommended 

 tliat only the best .selected fruit .slioidd be sent, and that the 

 oranges be packed sei)arately in silky or oily i)aper, instead 

 of in conunou white paper. In the case of one or two of the 

 oranges decaying, the use of the former kind of paper 

 prevents the decay spreading to other fruits. 



