44 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Jan., 1916. 



not, been manured, or of the quantity, nature, and frequency or appli- 

 cation of svicli manure. 



The fruit was placed in the Government Cool Stores, Victoria Dock, 

 on the following dates: — Ardmona consignment, 14th January, 8 a.m.; 

 Kyabram consignment, 16th January, 11 a.m. During the period of 

 storage, the fruit was kept at a uniform temperature of 31 degrees F., 

 in a chamber specially constructed for experimental purposes, which 

 was fitted with the direct-expansion system. No tests were made under 

 the air-circulating system, as all the chambers installed with that system 

 were utilized for meat. The consignments were removed from the 

 chamber on Friday, 5th March, 1915 — seven weeks from date of storage, 

 a period which would cover the time required to ship fruit to any part 

 of the world. The cases were opened in the butter-grading room adjoin- 

 ing the storage chamber, in the presence of the Hon. the Minister of 

 Agriculture, the Exports Superintendent, and a representative gathering 

 of fruit-growers, merchants, agents, and departmental ofRcials. After 

 the Minister had explained the object of the experiment, the fruit was 

 examined by those present, and found to be remarkably sound and fine 

 in appearance. 



As one or two days elapse before fruit sold in the London and Euro- 

 pean markets can be disposed of by the retailers to the consumers, it 

 was decided to keep the fruit for a corresponding period out of cool 

 storage before examining it in connexion with the judging. 



A committee, consisting of Mr. A. V. McNab, Secretary, Ardmona 

 Fruit-growers Association; Mr. F. W. Vear, member of the executive. 

 Central Fruit-growers Association; Mr. S. A. Cock; Orchard Super- 

 visor, Department of Agriculture; and the writer, were accordingly 

 appointed to carry this out; and on the following Monday, 8th March, 

 1915 — three days after the original examination and removal from the 

 cool chamber — the fruit was re-examined. It was decided to judge from 

 the following stand-points: — {a) appearance, (h) soundness, (c) flavour; 

 and the maximum points to be awarded with respect to these were 

 appearance, 75 points; soundness, 75 points; flavour, 100 points — a 

 total maximum of 250 points. 



The appended tables show results of analyses of the judging. 



Some of the data, which were given on the record sheets supplied to 

 growers, are not shown in the headings to the tables, but are included 

 in the foot-notes. This data, such as rainfall, type of car used, tempera- 

 ture of car at time of despatch, date of despatch, &c., were uniform for 

 each locality and grower, and their inclusion in the tables would have 

 necessitated unnecessary repetition. It was tlierefore decided to include 

 in the tables variable factors only, such as date and hour of picking, 

 temperature and time of picking, kind of package, and number of 

 wrappers used, to determine the influence which these might have upon 

 the keeping qualities of the fruit. 



Nos. 1 and 2 Tables show the general results of the examination; No. 

 3 Table indicates the influence of the different types of package (see 

 illustration) ; No. 4 Table shows the effect of double wrapping, single 

 wrapping, or absence of wrapping; No. 5 Table shows the points scored 

 by each variety. 



Regarding the above, it would appear that slightly better results 

 were obtained through the use of nests of three trays than from the use 



