744 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Dec, 1918. 



tie consisting of a short piece of rope or other suitable material. The 

 fastening is usually supplemented by four or more nails in the usual 

 manner for securing the lids of fruit cases. This type of case is largely 

 used by growers in ISTew South Wales and Queensland for packing choice 

 oranges, mandarins, and passion fruit, and may be recommended for 

 this purpose, and also for packing peaches, as it is easily packed and 

 fastened, and is suitable for transporting soft fruits, and is easily 

 handled. 



Grape Cases. 



Plate V.(a) and (&) show grape cases, which are recommended for 

 use in packing grapes for export. The first case, which, when packed, 

 holds about 28 lbs. of grapes, measures 22^ inches long by 7 inches wide 

 by 13^ inches deep=cubical content of 2,126i cubic inches. The second 

 case (Plate IV.(&)) contains, when packed, about 25 lbs. of grapes, 

 and measures 26h inches long by 5 inches 

 wide by 13A^ inches deep = cubical con- 

 tent of 1,7883 cubic inches. The 28-lb. 

 case, being the easier to pack on account 

 of its greater width and the easier to 

 handle by reason of its shorter length, is 

 recommended as the better of the two. So 

 far, the use of these cases has been almost 

 exclusively confined to the oversea export 

 trade, but they are strongly recommended 

 for use in the local and Inter-State trade. 

 When used in the transport of grapes 

 over long distances, the case is usually 

 filled with cork dusk, which is shaken into 

 the case until the spaces between the 

 bunches are filled. T^is forms a pad which 

 prevents bruising of the fruit, the quan- 

 tity of cork dust required for the purpose 

 being usually from 2| to 4 lbs. 



Plate V. 



(a) Export Grape (28 lb.) Case; 

 (h) Export Grape (25 lb.) Case. 



Trays for Soft Fruits. 



Plate VI. illustrates trays used in the 

 export of soft fruits, such as apricots, 

 peaches, pears, and plums. These measure 

 respectively 18 inches long by 14 J inches 

 wide by 3 ^ inches deep^cubical content of 



833f cubic inches; and 18 inches long by 14^ inches wide by 2| inches 

 deep^cubical content of 737 7-16 cubic inches. For oversea export 

 each tray is lined with wood wool, and three trays are fastened together 

 to form a package or " nest." The fastening is usually effected by nail- 

 ing two strips of wood at each end of the " nest." These serve to cleat 

 firmly together the three trays, which comprise thfc ^ nest." Another 

 method is to pass around the nest near each end a strip of hoop-iron, 

 which is strained and then nailed on. The illustration shows one of 

 these trays packed singly, and also three such trays hoop-ironed together 

 to form the " nest." A full description of the packing, branding, and 

 fastening of all the packages mentioned, together with illustrations of 

 same, will be supplied later. 



