AUSTRALIA A GOOD MARKET FOR CANADIAN APPLES. 



nstead of 8/0. In such case the net 

 yield to the shipper would have been 

 $1.55 per bushel. Five dollars were 

 offered for the Snows mixed with the 

 other varieties, and probably eighteen 

 shillings could have been got for the 

 Baldwins. A consignment of Snow 

 apples arriving in as good condition as 

 did these, would have netted the Cana- 

 dian shipper $2.65 per bushel case. 



The second was a larger consignment 

 sent to Mr. Duffy, a successful com- 

 mission man. A statement of its finan- 

 cial result cannot be yet given, but it 

 will be an unfavorable one. In the first 

 place, it appears it should have been 

 shipped a month earlier, but was delayed 

 by the strike on the C.P.R. They were 

 in such condition when shipped that 

 they had to be picked over on the 

 wharf. Though provision had been 

 made for ventilating the cases, this was 

 neutralized by lining the cases with 

 paper and failure to put slats on the 

 cases. The apples were not a selected 

 lot, some being very good and properly 

 wrapped and others being not so good, 

 nor properly assorted. It is no marvel 

 that they arrived in a very bad condi- 

 tion, and it is probable that not one- 

 third will be really fairly good fruit. 

 Mr. Duffy's opinion is that if they had 

 arrived in fairly good condition a month 

 ago, he could have got from sixteen to 

 twenty shillings per case. He sold 



California apples at eighteen, not nearly 

 so well flavored as these are. He thinks 

 he will get fairly good prices for the 

 marketable fruit in this lot. Medium 

 sized fruit is worth two shillings per 

 case more than the largest. The re- 

 tailer does not care to ask more than 

 fifty cents per dozen, though he gets 

 proportionately higher for a single apple, 

 hence he requires a considerable num- 

 ber in a case to net him the profit his 

 business requires. 



These shipments warrant the conclu- 

 sion that if properly picked, cased and 

 handled on rail and steamer, Canadian 

 apples can be landed here in good con- 

 dition. It is just as important to see 

 that they reach Vancouver in good con- 

 dition as it is to have them cared for on 

 the sea voyage. California apples arrive 

 in so good state that, in many cases, it 

 is not necessary to pick them over. 



If the proper varieties are sent at the 

 present rates of freight, it would appear 

 that Canadian apples, arriving here 

 about the last of October, November 

 and December, will bring better net 

 prices than when sent to any other 

 market. I have nothing to add to the 

 recommendations made in my report on 

 the shipment of last year. If followed, 

 they will, I think, ensure a profitable 

 export trade of some dimension. 



J. S. Larke. 



Sidney, N. S. VV. 



BEGONIAS. 



Start tubers in small pots in March, 

 do not keep too warm or they will be- 

 come leggy, 60 degrees is about right. 

 When warm weather arrives turn them 

 out of pots into a bed about one foot 

 apart, place them where they will be 

 shaded in the hottest part of the day 

 and provide plenty of moisture after 

 growth is well started. In autumn take 

 ui) bulb, dry off, and place in sand in a 



dry cool] place. If wanted for house 

 or veranda culture plant exactly as 

 above in small pots, but afterwards turn 

 into 8-iuch pots with good drainage. 

 In autumn when foliage will have turned 

 yellow, gradually withhold water until 

 the soil is perfectly dry, then put pots 

 in a dry place until following spring, 

 when the earth can be shaken off well 

 and it re-planted. — T. A. W., Napanee. 



