4 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. — July, 1922. 



The Sale of South African Bred Frieslands. 



Since writing the above, advice has been received of the signal 

 success of the sale of South African bred Friesland cattle in England 

 on the 8th June. Being the first of its kind, the export of tliis con- 

 signment of cattle from the Union is in itself an epoch, and the grati- 

 fying result of the sale gives it added prominence. The total sum 

 realized was £103,152, an average for the 81 lots of £1273. The 

 highest price, £4515, was paid for a two-year-old heifer; tlie top price 

 for a bull was £4095, and for a heifer of 5 months £1837. 10s. was 

 paid. It is very satisfactory to know that pure-bred cattle of South 

 Africa can command such large prices in meeting the need of English 

 breeders for new blood, and it augurs well also for future dairy 

 development in the Union that the country already possesses founda- 

 tion live stock of such higli standard. 



South African Onions : Trial Shipments. 



Two trial consignments of onions were shipped early this year 

 from the Union in order to test the London market. The larger 

 consignment, one of 120 cases and crates, reached Covent Garden 

 market on the 4th April and, according to a report by the 'J^iade Com- 

 missioner, were of good ciuality and arrived in a satisfactory condi- 

 tion. Irregulaiity in size was tlie only defect, some being fine 

 specimens but others very small, which entailed resorting. The" 

 principal package used was the standard orange box which appeared 

 to be suitable and handy; the crates, however, were too bulky anTT 

 heavy. The other shipment consisting of 20 boxes arrived on the 

 28th February, the package used being that usually employed for 

 pineapples, and here also the onions were ungraded. 



The latter shipment arrived at a time when sujiplies were short, 

 and realized 16s. per case of 50 lb., but the April consignment was 

 not so fortunate as in the meantime very large supplies of Egyptian 

 onions had come on the market and prices declined. However, small 

 cases weighing from 50 to 56 lb. fetched from 8s. to 10s., and a few 

 12s., the crates making from 25s. to 30s. 



The future prospects for this trade, says the Trade Commissioner, 

 are to some extent problematical and depend entirely upon tlie crop 

 conditions of the season. For instance, during the past year there 

 was a general shortage of onions in Europe, and supplies from Spain 

 finished very early while the Egyptian supply was late. There was, 

 therefore, a good market for onions during January and February 

 last, a period when in a normal season the market would be catered 

 for by Spanish supplies. It seems, therefore, that shipments from 

 the Union should reach the market during the above monihs and not 

 later, although some competition from Spanish supplies might be 

 encountered in a normal seascm. But the season of the latter would 

 then be closing, and the fresh South African product should be sold 

 at remunerative prices. It is a matter where advice would be needed 

 from oversea early in the season as to the most opportune time to send 

 forward supplies from the Union. In making future consignments, 

 Mr. Canham recommends that they should be graded into three 

 grades, viz.: first, large; second, medium; and third, small. 



