156 



Agricnltiiral Jounial of Victoria. 



were also lined with this material, as used under the Sutherland 

 process. The balance were packed in the usual way, and, in point of 

 condition, both were sound and in good order, with the exception of a 

 few cases in a wasty or ov^er-ripe condition. A few cases of pears 

 were simpl}^ packed in chaff, no ])a]jer l^eing used ; the fruit in these, 

 in some instances, was rather over-ripe and did not realise a good 

 price. The chaff keeps the fruit from being bruised, but would 

 appear to be a substance which prevents the fruit from receiving the 

 same amount of cold air as if only wrapped in paper in the ordinary way. 

 The vainety of pears embraced Winter Nelis, Vicar of Winktield, St. 

 Germain, -losephine. Napoleon, Marie Louise, Clairgeaii, and Calabash. 

 A large quantity of pears have been arriving from Tasmania by each 

 steamer recentl_y, packed in trays and generally in good condition. 

 The grapes, packed in large cases in cork dust, were stowed in 

 among the apples in the ship's chamber, and did not appear to be in 

 very good condition. I'he chief engineer informed me that he did not 

 know that grajjes were being shi})ped, the result being that they were 

 not kept separate and stowed near the air shoots, which woidd have 

 been more favourable to their transportation. This is a matter to 

 which attention has been drawn in previous reports. 

 The prices realised were as follows : — 



Apples. 



Grapes. 

 The grajjes, ex OrirMha, which have been sold at the time of writ- 

 ing, have only realised about 5s. per case. There is not the slightest 

 reason why grapes should not be carried in sound condition from 

 Victoria, if they are joacked in trays and carried at the proper tempera- 

 ture as has been suggested in frequent reports. AVhen stowed in 

 among apples, and carried at a temperature which will not suit them, 

 as has been proved in numbers of shipments during the past six years, 

 they rarely ever arrive in sound condition, and sell for prices which 



