General Notes. 381 



Fruit Pulp. 



Mv. Berry of the Agent General's Office in London reports that 

 owing- to the bad English fruit season this year, there is a good 

 demand for fruit pulp in the English markets which is likely to 

 continue for the next six months, and there seems no reason why 

 Victorian shippers should not get a share of the trade. 



Apricot. — The present price of French apricot pulp is 25s. to 27s. 

 per cwt. Unfortunately in the past the pulp from Victoria has not 

 arrived in perfect condition, chiefly owing to there being too much 

 water in the pulp and to bad preservation. It is of the utmost 

 importance, if Victorian pulp is to realise the highest prices, that 

 every care should be taken to send the best pulp, well preserved and 

 with the minimum of water in it. The difficulty, met with in the past 

 and which has entailed loss to shippers is the carriage of the pulp 

 from Australia. The tins have in many instances arrived broken and 

 the contents, consequently, useless. It is suggested that smaller tins 

 than the 56 lb. ones used in the past should be tried. The French 

 use 11 lb. tins and although the initial expense would be probably 

 slightly heavier to Victorian shippers, the loss would not be so great 

 should any of the tins burst. The risk of breakage would naturally 

 not be so great, but if it is decided by the shippers to continue using 

 the large tins 1 would strongly recommend that the corners of the 

 tins be strengthened. 



Raspberry. — There is a very good prospect for raspberry pulp, and 

 it is thought by persons in the trade that good prices will continue for 

 some months. The present prices range from 36s. to 40s. per cwt. 

 and are, if anythmg, likely to rise. The New Zealand pulp having 

 reached the latter figures, and having carried well, there appears to 

 be no reason why Victorian should not also carry well and command 

 as good a market. As in apricot pulp, care must be taken in packing 

 and to strengthen the tins. The price of good raspberry pulp ,in an 

 ordinary season would be about 25s. to 30s. per cwt. 



Black Currant. — There is also a good demantl for black currant 

 pulp. The persons best able to form an opinion in London reckon 

 that the prices in January next will range about 50s. to 55s. per cwt. 



