372 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



the last two years, may be accepted as fairly indicating the conditions 

 in the other colonies unless in the Transvaal, where, owing to the 

 greater" and more rapid increase of the ])0]mlation, the ratio c»f 

 increase of im])orts is more pronounced. 



Madeika Eulis. 



A glance at the comparative statement of the imjjortations of eggs 

 into Cape Colony for 1901-2 shows that although Madeira maintains 

 her position as principal contributor to the local requirements, her 

 trade actually suffered a decrease of 1 1,583, as compared with 1901, 

 whilst the value of the United Kingdom's trade jumps from 4,2,H14. to 

 £17,319. Portugal also shows an increase. 



That Madeira still continues to contribute more than half Caj)e 

 Colony's requirements in eggs, is, no doubt, mainly due to her 

 excellent climatic conditions which assist cheap production, and the 

 favoured geographical position she occupies in the track of the mail 

 steamers, thus possessing ample, regular, rapid, and — being carried on 

 deck — cheap transit for all she can produce. 



Notwithstanding these advantfiges, her trade for the ])ast year 

 shows a decline, and the reason is that the United Kingdom is now 

 landing eggs as cheap as those from Madeira, with the further 

 advantages that by their improved methods of packing they have 

 reduced the percentage of breakage to a minimum, and the eggs 

 themselves are better value, being bigger than those from Madeira, 

 and therefore command a better price in the nuirket. 



The Madeira eggs are packed in willow baskets of 20 dozen each. 

 The baskets are lined Avith paper, and the eggs are packed in rice or 

 other husk, the thin end downwards. They are mostly carried on 

 deck, and, because of the shortness of the ti-ij), and the fresh-airiness 

 of the conditions under which they are carried, usually ai-rive in good 

 condition. 1'hey escape the customary rough handling incidental to 

 the storing of ordinary cargo, and the })ercentage of lireakage is 

 consequently very small. I am assured by one reliable importer that 

 with him it has never exceeded 5 per cent., and generally averages 

 from about 2^ to 3 per cent. 



The present cost of Madeira eggs is from 8s. to 9s. per lOO, duty 

 (71 per cent.) paid, Capetown. The baskets are always a good asset, 

 being easily marketable for the carriage of fruit, etc. 



En<}LISH Boos. 

 The United Kingdom, as the statistics indicate, is second on the 

 list in value of imports, and showing a very considerable increase on 

 her figures for 1901. This satisfactory result is due, as already 

 stated, to the improved methods of packing, and to the recently 

 adopted conditions under which they are carried. Several methods of 

 packing have been tried, but the one most ajiproved is that of a long 

 case about 6 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 18 inches deep, containing 

 1,400 eggs each. The cases are divided by wooden partitions of 

 *-inch.deal into four spaces, each compartment is lined all through 



