THe JOURNAL 



OF 



^fie ©eparfmenf of flgricufiure. 



Vol. VI. Part 2. 



8th February, 1908. 



LIBRAR 

 NEW vol 



PACKING FRUIT FOR EXPORT. botanic 



/. G. Titnicr, Senior Iiispcciur of Fruit Exports and Imports. OARDEf 



Since the publication, in former numL>ers of this Journal, of articles 

 on the packing of fruit for export, new conditions have arisen. These 

 conditions owe their existence to the inception of the new regulations which 

 ha\-e been brought into operation -within the last year or so, viz. : — The 

 Commerce Act and the Fruit Cases Act. .It is therefore thought necessary 

 to bring before those growers, who may be unaware of the new laws, 

 the principal points to be observed in putting ui) their produce so as to 

 conform with all requirements. 



In the endeavour to establish ami maintain a pri>titable over.^ea market 

 for the rapidly-increasing output of our Victorian orchards too much atten- 

 tion cajinot be given to the important item of putting up fruit in an 

 attractive and honest manner. In advices received from the United King- 

 dom, South Africa, and other oversea markets, the one kev-note is 

 invariably soimded : — " Pack nothing but the choicest fruit, grade evenly, 

 pack full cases and pack them honestlv throughout ; inferior, badlv-graded, 

 fliseased and dishonestly packed fruit we do not want at any price, as it 

 gi\es us more trouble than it is worth, injures the good reputation of other 

 shipments and results in loss to every one concerned." Growers cannot 

 give too much attention to this important matter. It is obvious that it costs 

 just as much to pick, pack and export inferior fruit as it does to handle 

 only the best. Against this labour the grower often realizes dead loss 

 or barely sufficient profit to pay his expen.ses. to say nothing of the bad 

 reputation gained — a reputation unfortunatelv shared by other growers A\ho 

 have taken trouble to put up only the best. It may be said that nowadays 

 with our Vegetation Diseases Act, Fruit Cases Act and Commerce Act. it 

 is impossible for any but the choicest of fruits to be shipped for export ; 

 but, unfortunately, such is not exactly correct. The grower may put up 

 fruit of an uneven size, or his fruit mav !:« too green or withered or over- 

 ripe, or packed in newspaper or other inferior wrappers. Under certain 

 circumstances none of these faults can be dealt with under existing enact- 

 ments, but there is no doubt that fruit put up under such conditions will 



302. c 



