

the bananas are exhausted, will remain a permanent 

 source of revenue. It is on thi* aCi^ount that I look 

 upon the fruit trade of the West India islands, a 

 indeed many other small industries, as calculated in th ■ 

 aggregate to baild up, little by little, and impr ve 1 

 cOQilition for the people of these islands — a con- 

 dition which ultimately will enable them to meet 

 much more successfully than they otherwise would 

 the depress on under which they are now suffering. 



PEESRRVED FRUIT. 



In my previous remarks I have not touched part" 

 icularly on preserved fruits, and on such special pre" 

 parations as jams, jellies, and candied fruits. Where 

 fresh fruit is abundant, local circumstances will deter- 

 mine, whether that fruit can best be utilised in a 

 fresh or preserved state. For Oolonies beyond reach 

 of a convenient market for fresh fruit, and where 

 sugar pf good quality is obtainable at a moderate 

 price, it would, no doubt, as at Singapore, be advis- 

 able to preserve such fruits in syrup, and export 

 them in that state. Taking the preserved fruits at 

 the Colonial and Indian Exhibition as fair samples of 

 productions in this class, the general impression 

 produced was not satisfactory. Pineapples from Singa- 

 pore and Bahamas were an exception, and appeared 

 to be fairly appreciited. Bat mxny other pre.served 

 fruits were not presented in an attractive and satisfactory 

 manner, and, compared with the general character of 

 preserved fruits received ia this country from California, 

 they were deciiedly inferior. This arose from various 

 causes, but it ia only necessary to mention here that 

 the syrup was generally too thick, the quality of sugar 

 used too low, and the fruit generally was put up 

 when too ripe, and consequently the flavour was lost. 

 Those who undertake to preserve fruits should obtain 

 a tin of Califoruian Bartlett pears, and carefully 

 study the nature of the syrup and the excellent man- 

 ner n which both the flavour and consistency of the 

 fruit are preserved intact. I mention this as the 

 highest standard I know of what a canned fruit should 

 be. If tropical fruit coul 1 be preserved with such 

 success as the Californiau fruit I have just mentioned, 

 it would commind relatively high prices. Sach pre- 

 parations as guava jelly and lovi-lovi jelly (the latter 

 from the fruit of Flacourtia inermis) would become 

 recognised articles of commerce, if prepared by ex- 

 perienced and skilled persons. 



As regards jams, there is practically no market for 

 those from the Colonies. The abundance of E iglish 

 and continental fruit suitable for jam-making, and 

 th^ low price of sugar, enable Euglish-made jams to 

 be the cheapest, and possibly the best, of any. 



There is, on the other hand, a good opening for 

 attractive and tastefully-prepared candied and crystal- 

 lised fruits, which come to us now chiefly from 

 France. Of candied limes, oranges, kuraquat, ro^e- 

 apple, loquat, shaddock, coconut, guava, mango, skil- 

 fully prepared, and with the characteristic flavour 

 of each duly preserved, there would arise a moderate 

 demand; but, as they would enter into competition 

 with candied fruit.s now so successfully prepared by 

 ihe French, thii? is a fine art department in fruit 

 itsdustry in which the Colonies can only attain succes's 

 when they have devoted considerable attention to 

 ihe subject, 



There is no reason, however, why they should not 

 S,t once enter upon preaerving their best fruits in 

 syfup, and as I have pointed out above, their chief 

 cort!petit<3r in this brancn Is California, which has 

 established a T'eputation not easily to be surpassed. 



Binanas would appear not to be palatable preserved 

 in syrup, on account of a slight astringency which 

 is developed in them, and, in competition with fi?s, 

 th'y are practically unsaleable in a dried state. Hence 

 l.h»» truit at present is only marketable iu a fresh 

 state. A proposal has been made to inaport bananas 

 in pulp for the purpose of making champagne. Bat 

 if fruit pulp, that is, fruit reduced by partial boiling 

 and preserved with salicylic or boracic acid were to 

 become a commercial article, I believe this plan would 

 utilise an enormous quantity of fruit which is now 

 i»apt«d for want of a proper outlet. Fruit pulp, if 



imported in large cask^, might be very successfully 

 treated iu this country, where sugar is so cheap ; and 

 the conserve made from it could easily be put up in 

 neat and attractive bottles and sold at a moderate 

 price. In the Colonies, strange to say, sugar is much 

 denrer than iu England, even in those that grow sugar. 

 Re.^ined sugar has to bo imported, and generally costs, 

 for instance in Jamaica, as much as 5d. to 7d. per lb. 

 Again, attractive tins or well stoppered bottels would 

 be fully one-third more than in England : hence, it 

 is almost impD.ssible for the Colonies to compete with 

 the Mother Country in any preparations of fruit 

 preserved with s>igar. With fruit pulp simply packed 

 in casks the ease is different: and I r:ommend the 

 subject both to fruit-growers in the Colonies and to 

 m rchanta at home in search of a new industry. 

 Some hundreds of tons of bananas, where the bunches 

 are too small for export, and several thousand tons 

 of mango puip could be exported from Jamaica, to 

 say nothing of guavas, pineapples, red plums (Spoodias), 

 star-apples and naseberries. 



PACKI.'^G AND SHIPPING FBESH FRUIT. 



Before closing my Paper it might be useful to 

 growers of fruit in the Colonies to say a few words 

 as rejjards the various methods adopted for selecting 

 and preparing fresh fruit for export purposes. When 

 fruit is produced in large quantities, ' and it possesset 

 a distinct value in foreign markets, it is a matter 

 which concerns the Government, no less than the 

 people geuerally, to take everj' step that is practicable 

 and suitable to place that fruit in such a market in 

 the best possible condition. Great care is taken 

 generally in the preparation of crops of sugar, coffee, 

 cacao, pimento, tobacco, ginger, and other produce ; 

 but the careful and scientific treatment of fruit, 

 although capable of yielding returns proportionately 

 quite as large as many of these, is practically over- 

 looked, and C'lusequently the loss entailed upon both 

 growers and shippers is enormous. The fruit growers 

 of America, France, Spain, and Italy, who at present 

 command the English market, have given for many 

 years past the most careful attentiou to the subject, 

 and the result is seen in the large sums which they 

 realise for their shipments and the general prosperity 

 of their industries. It is clearly not enough to grow 

 good fruits, but it is necessary also to study carefully 

 how and when they should be packed, under what 

 conditions they should be shipped, aud the special 

 requirements of buyers in the markets to which they 

 are consigned. Those who study these matters most 

 thoroughly and effectually must reap their reward in 

 good prices, and their marks would become in time so 

 well known and trusted as to be firmly established. It 

 would be impossible here to enter into practical 

 details respecting the treatment of each class of fruit. 

 As regards apples : given fruit of attractive appearance 

 and f^ood quality, they might, as in America and 

 Canada, be racked iu barrels witlnut paper, but so 

 arranged as to lie iu tiers and keep firmly together to 

 prevent rubbing or bruising. Apples from Australia 

 and New Zealand of the more delicate sorts would be 

 better wrapped in paper, aud with the layers divided 

 by thin strips of cardboard or wood. The best New 

 Zealand apples arrived last year packed in chaff, but 

 it is a question whether this is really necessary. Fears 

 might be wrapped in paper and packed in two or three 

 layers in light boxes. 



Oranges for the American market are preferred hand- 

 picked and with a portion of the stem attached, which) 

 it is believed, ensures better keepir.g qualities, aud they 

 are carefully wrapped in soft tissue paper and packed 

 in boxes or barrels. For the Euglish market " stem-cut *' 

 oranges are not speciallj' sought ; but the plan might 

 very well be tried by Australian growers, to test whether 

 such oran^'es arrive in better condition than those 

 without stem. 



Pineapples will keep very well for ten or twelve days 

 without special stowage. The best fruit received in 

 England from the Azores and Madeira is packed one 

 ;or two in a compartment in a light bo.'c, or in flat cases 

 with about ten or a dozen fruits. Early in the season 

 tbey fetch as high asSi to Si, each, but sometirass 



