lo Aug., 19 io.] T lie Fruit Ex fort Trade. 521 



an apple for local sale and Inter- State trade, also, it stands without a rival 

 and may, therefore, be considered the best apple yet grown, both from a 

 grower's, exporter's and local salesman's point of view. Though not gene- 

 rally known, it is also not only one of the best dessert, but one of the best 

 culinary apples. In localities suitable for its culture, no intending grower 

 who planted all his orchard with Jonathans, and grew a few other 

 varieties merely for the purpose of cross-fertilization, could go far wrong. 

 Cleopatra, Prince Bismarck and Munroe's Favourite are varieties which 

 stand out prominently on account of the high prices which they have 

 realized. Cleopatra and Munroe's Fa\ourite should only be grown north of 

 the Dividing Range. 



The trade badly needs a good tirly export variety which would be 

 available for first shipment about tlie middle of January. We cannot 

 ■extend our seasons any further towards their close, as our fruits would 

 then come into competition with the soft fruit crops of the Northern 

 Hemisphere. We could, however, with decided advantage, commence our 

 shipments some three or four weeks earlier than w^e do, as the American 

 apples and European oranges have usually been disposed of some weeks 

 before our first shipments arrive. The chief drawback to this is the 

 want of a good variety which would be available at the required time. 

 Several varieties have been mentioned in this connexion, but their claims 

 remain to be proved. 



The export of pears has not been quite so profitable as during former 

 years, but the prices obtained quite justifv a continuance of the export 

 of this fruit. 



Handling and Transportation. — These are now receiving more careful 

 attention on the part of the Railway Commissioners and the Shipping 

 Companies. The old time-honoured practice of dispatching fruit from 

 country stations in tarpaulin-covered " I " trucks, was happily less in 

 ■evidence this year ; the fruit as a consequence arrived at the inspection 

 sheds in better condition. There still remains much room for improve- 

 ment ; as the rail transportation can never be considered perfect until 

 the present style of truck is replaced by refrigeration cars. In fact, 

 if the present movement towards the provision of cool storage accommoda- 

 tion in the various fruit-growing centres rapidly spreads (and there is 

 ■every prospect that it will), the refrigeration car transport of fruit will 

 become pressingly urgent, as one is the corollary of the other. The 

 ocean transport, too, judging by the results, has received more careful 

 attention than formerlv. The average temperature at which the fruit is 

 •carried is, however, still higher than those which experiment has proved 

 most suitable. It is pleasing to note that the question of installing " tell- 

 tale ' ' thermometers on the fruit-carrying steamers, which has been advo- 

 cated in this Journal for the past three seasons, is now being taken up by 

 the leading Fruit Growers" Assopiations. 



Bitter Pit. — The absence of this enemy of the exporter is difficult to 

 account for ; but it is maintained in many quarters that altered methods of 

 pruning, whereby lateral growth is not unduly interfered with and a more 

 even distribution of the sap is obtained throughout the tree, is largely 

 responsible. Whether this is so or not is an open question, but it is certain 

 that manv growers, who during recent years have pruned their trees in such 

 a manner as to induce the growth of long straight spurs, have now altered 

 their methods. 



Cases. — The quantity of hardwood cases used for the export of fruit 

 is still on the increase and bids fair to supersede the softwood case 



