350 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



Jiegradinf/. — ITuder Section 16 of tlie reg'iilations we have the 

 following: — "Boxes of frnit marked so as to represent a grade 

 higher than the correct grade shall be re-marked by the inspector, 

 and if otherwise complying with the regulations shall be branded and 

 stamped by the inspector as provided in section four of the Act." 



If packers cannot get nearer the official grades than was the 

 case last season, Section 16 will have to be altered somewhat in this 

 nninner : — "Boxes of frnit marked so as to represent a grade higher 

 ihan the correct g-rade shall be degraded l)y the inspector and held 

 over until such time a-; they can be re-marked, branded, or stam])ed 

 I\v tlie exporter, his agent, or servant before being shipped, etc." 



A certain amount of error is allowable and may occasionally take 

 l)lace in the marking- of boxes, but an inspector cannot possibly devote 

 his time to re-marking and correcting if the amount of wrong grading 

 that happened last season is continued. 



Packiuf/. — A great many i^ackers seem to have no sense of pro- 

 portion as to the ainount of wood wool to put in peach boxes. In 

 some cases there is practically none, and in others again practically 

 half the package is of wood wool, and instead of liaving twenty-eight 

 fruits the package only runs to eighteen or .so. In the first instance 

 the scant wood wool packer seems to want to save wood wool on 

 account of it being so expensive, and often says so. In the second 

 case, the idea is often to give the peaches a chance of arriving at 

 their destination in a Letter condition than they Avould otherwise do. 

 Both methods are faulty, as in both instances the fruit arrives in 

 worse condition than it should. The box with too much wood wool 

 makes a loose pack and the fruit shakes and wobbles about in the box, 

 and does so more and more as it is handled. Besides, it g-ives our 

 packs a bad name. People who buy a box of fruit like to see it as full 

 of fruit as it reasonably can be. They do not like to pa.y fruit prices 

 for wood Avool. The grape packs that I have seen are very good 

 indeed. The outstanding fault with other fruits is that the packing is 

 a little slack. 



The regulatioivs. although amended from time to time, cannot be 

 looked upon as being anything' like perfect, and niy suggestions for 

 improvements or beneficial amendments from gTOwers, exporters, and 

 shipping firms will always be welcomed and given due consideration 

 by the Chief of the Horticultural Division. Department of Agricul- 

 ture. 



Cotton Exports. 



The following interesting figures give the total, exports of cotton 

 from the United vStates. Biitish India, and Egyj)t, the countries from 

 which the world's main supply of cotton is obtained : — 



Season 1st September ,> • .^ i /o.nv n n Season 1st September /i,,-, ^„w /.da u, ^ 



to 31st August. ^""^^^^' ^220 lb.) ^^ .^j^^ _^Jg^g^_ Quintals (220 lb.) 



I'.il3-ini4 ... :iO,811,9oO J*J17-19IS ... 15,129,600 



1914-1915 ... 27,228,200 1918-1919 ... 17,762,700 



1915-1916 ... 22,057,300 1919-1920 ... 14,068,400" 



1916-1917 ... 19,450.200 



Total for 6 months, 1st Se])tember to end of Febinarv. 



