548 



Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



GRADING RABBITS FOR EXPORT. 



By R. Croire. 



Practically the whole of the rabbits exported from Victoria are 

 packed in crates bearing the Government stamp " Approved for 

 Export." The conditions attaching to the use of this brand are 

 that all Freezing Works requiring it shall undertake to submit 

 rabbits packed there for shipment to a grader appointed by 

 the Department, and only those passed by him and stamped to be 

 exported. The rabbits are classified into two grades only, and each 

 grade is divided into three sizes. The fattest and best conditioned 

 rabbits are packed as " 24 Large Rabbits/' each 2^ lbs. and over in 

 weight ; " 24 Young Rabbits," each over 2 lbs. in weight, or 

 "24 Small Rabbits," each 1^ lbs. and over in weight. The outside 

 measurement of the crates is "Large," 33in. x 16in. x Gin. or r83 

 cubic feet, and 21 of them go to the ton measurement ; "Young," 

 31in. x loin, x S^in. or 1*48 cubic feet and running 26 to the ton 

 measurement ; and "Small," 30in. x 15in. x 5in. containing 1'33 cubic 

 feet and running 30 to the ton. The brands of those three sizes of 

 crates holding first grade rabbits are black in color, and the Govern- 

 ment stamp includes an index to the month and year in which they 

 were packed, and the name of the grader. 



Fig. 1 is a representation of the stamp without index : — 



Fid. ]. 



The second grade rabbits are not so prime in condition as those 

 of the first grade, and the different sizes are designated as "24 Rabbits 

 2nd grade. Size 1," over 60 lbs. net ; " 24 Rabbits, 2nd grade, Size 2," 

 over 48 lbs. net ; " 24 Rabbits, 2nd grade. Size 3," over 36 lbs. net. 

 The crates containing those rabbits are stamped as in Fig. 2. 



