550 Af/ricuUural Gazette of N.S.W. [July 2, 1<J08. 



Ill t!u' lirst year or Iwo ui rabbil frcc/iii.^', tliis Icaturt' w;is scjiivrly iralii-LMl. 

 The cases could be seen stacked as closely in tlic ficc/iiiLi-cliainhers as any 

 other goods. Later experience showed that the lower teiii|iei-attire was not 

 sutHeieiit to get the best results, tlie iiiaiii|iiilat iiig of the cases in the t'reezing. 

 rooms being of additional iuiportaiu'e. In other words, in a t're(,'zing-room 

 stocked sobdly full of cases of ral)l)its at zero t,ein|K'ratur,?, sonic^ in the centi'e 

 might go stale, soui-, or e\(Mi mouldy before freezing, while, if stacki^l in 

 what may be termed the orthodox way, a iem|ieiat ure of 10 or 1 1' F. will 

 do more even and cori'ect work. 



'•'lie system ii()\v usuallv adojited is to conniieiice at the lo\\-er end of the 

 freezing- room, stacking the cases on their sides four or Use deeji, and lea\ing, 

 say, '■] inches between each row, this biding eoiitinuecl at each side of the 

 I'oom, leaving a working space in the centre. With this system there is 

 always an ap|)areiit great waste of space, but such is not act ually so, seeing that 

 the temperatur(> need not lie so low as if stacked more densely, while they will 

 fi'eeze quickly, and can tlieii he stacked away in the stoi-e room foi-fuither work. 



Under the above system of stacking in the chambers, about onedialf of the 

 actual chandler space is utilised, a 5,00U-fe(!t capacity rocmi being thus 

 capable of freezing, say, 2,500 feet of case rabbits, or 1,250 of the standai'd 

 2feet cases. In a temperature of 10 oi- 15 degrees, 1,250 of these cases 

 sliould l)e fiozen hard enough for the store-room, oi' sliipjjing under a fort- 

 night, while if packed more denselv, the freezing will be slower. 



Tt is claimed for some descripthm of goods that too (|uick freezing is not 

 beneficial to the i)roducts. Such, however, cannot ajiply to rabbits, for no 

 matter how low the temperatur-e, some time is retpiired before tlie frost 

 {)enetrates the carcass. 



Tt is always absolutely necessary that rabbits intended for })i-e3ervation by 

 freezing should be forwarded from the country to the freezing works or store 

 under the most favourable mt-thod of packing that is possible. Th(> rabbits 

 should be clean, fresh, and white in the tlesh. The whiteness of the Hesh 

 can only be obtained by properly bleeding the rabbits, which is done by 

 making a small slit behind the ear as soon as the neck is broken. 



Experts ai'e of opinion that the inside of the rabbit should not be reino\cd 

 until about ten minutes liave elapsed, otheinvise the rabbits will get red or 

 discoloured ; on the othei- hand it is not, advisable to lea\'e the inside^ too 

 long, or discolouration will take place. (Jreat care should be taken not to 

 break the paunch : the bladfler, etc., should also be removed carefully. Do 

 not remove the kidneys, aiul in favourably cold weathe'- the liver mav also 

 be I'etained. 



Poultry for Export. 



In connection with the e.\]iort of ]ioultry from New South \\';des, the 

 official grade sizes as laid down bv the Agricultural Department some time 

 ago were as follow :- 



J'oiiltry j'lir Ilrifaiyi. — Grade I. 

 Choicest, I lb. and oxer. (Toslings, 9 11). and o\'ei-. 



Prime, ."U ,, ,, Turkey gobblers, 12 ,, ., 



Standard, .3 ,, ,, Turkey hens, <S ,, ,, 



Ducklings, 4 ,, ,, 



