icOcT.. 19TT.] Cool Storage Grapes at the Royal SIioi, . 677 



COOL STORAGE GRAPES AT THE ROYAL SHOW. 



F. lie Cast ell a, Govertuneut Yitkulturisi. 



Tn thf \iticultural section of the exhibit of the Department of Agri- 

 culturt' at the recent Royal Agricultural Society's Show, some grapes were 

 displayed which liad been stored for five months in the (Government Cool 

 Stores, with the object f)f providing an object lesson as to the great future 

 which awaits the fresh grape shii)ping industry. 



Msitors to the Show were much struck with the condition of these 

 grapes. It has, of course, been amply demonstrated that grapes of suit- 

 able varieties, properly packed, can be preserxed for several months in 

 this way. The large shipments regularly sent to London from ^^'ester^ 

 Australia pro\e this conclusixelv, but the duration of storage in the pre- 

 sent ca.se was far longer than is necessary for shipment; they had been 

 stored for five months, whereas transport to Lijndon only takes five weeks. 



The majority of those shown were of the Doradillo variety, this being 

 the only one. ca])able of withstanding prolonged storage, as vet readily 

 obtainable in Victoria. Considerable plantations of proved " shippers." 

 such as Ohanez, Flame Tokay and Purple Cornichon. which have been 

 recently made, are not vet in. bearing. The Doradillo is a less handsome 

 grape than the.se, though it possesses considerable keeping power. 



The.se grapes were grown by Mr. (rrimmond, of Wahgunyah, and 

 Messrs. Young Bros., of Mooroopna. neither of whose \"ineyards was irri- 

 gated ; it must, however, be remembered that they were only gathered 

 after the exceedingly heavy rains of last autumn, which were more than 

 equivalent to, and much later than, any ordinary watering. That they 

 shouhl have kept so well, after such a season, is therefore all the more 

 remarkable. The test was a \ery severe one. In addition to Doradillo, 

 there were two cases of Ohanez. the well known Almeria grape; one from 

 the Rutherglen Viticultural College, borne by vines imported bv the 

 writer and ])lanted in 1908. and one from Mr. Crimmond, who has grown 

 this variety for .some years under the name of Daria. 



The Oiiancz opened in really magnificent condition. There was not 

 a bad Ijunch in the two cases ; tlie few faulty berries requiring removal 

 did not amount to 2 per cent., and these were merely discoloured but quite 

 firm and with no sign of mould. 



The Doradillo were, on the whole, in very fair order, though not e<|u.d 

 to the Ohautv. Some ca.ses were much sounder than others from the same 

 vineyard. in the best cases, about 5 percent, of faulty berries required 

 remf>val, and these were .soft and jui( y and had to be cut out carefully. 

 Tn the worst cases, there might br 20 p<'r cent, of waste. Some of the 

 bunches Were of large si/c jiid nciv coni|)aci, nnd<"ring it difficult tor the 

 granulated cork to i)enetr.it(' sufficiently Iw'lwt'cn the berries. Sucii very 

 large l)unches could, with advantage, be Iiroken up into .several srr.aller 

 ones when packing. 



The grapes were removed from cool storage and imjiacked on Monday, 

 llu' first d.iy (if tile Show. On tlie Saturday, alter six days' expo.siire. they 



