14 An7ials of Horticulture. 



opinions expressed b}^ the English pomological experts quoted 

 in my opening remarks. I may also add that our last ship- 

 ment this season was placed on the market at the same time 

 as consignments from Nova Scotia, the latter averaging accord- 

 ing to catalogue returns 15 j. to 17 j-. 6 <^. per three bushel bar- 

 rel, whereas Tasmanian one bushel case realized about 15 j-. 

 each all round. Against the foregoing high averages we re- 

 gret to add that this season's experience again emphasizes the 

 risk to which our fruit is subject in the cool or refrigerated 

 chambers during transit. 



"To maintain the high averages in the European market ob- 

 tained in past two 3^ears, experience demands that only primest 

 quality of fruit should be shipped. Orchardists, instead of al- 

 lowing the tree to prematurely exhaust its resources, and spend 

 its energy and vitality in producing the necessary greater num- 

 ber of 'pips' consequent upon growing large and small ap- 

 ples, must give greater attention to growing the maximum 

 number of saleable apples which can be included in the 

 'graded' requirement of our English market. B}^ this means 

 the heavy freight expenses are reduced, the strength of the 

 tree is conserved, fruit of a finer quality produced, and instead 

 of having heavy crops every alternate year, a nearer approach 

 to continuous annual 3aeld is obtained. Other vital elements 

 are the picking and wrapping of each individual apple in good 

 impervious tissue paper. The past 5^ear's experience has con- 

 clusively proved that finest 'wrapped' realizes shillings 

 more per case than unwrapped. Economically it pays the 

 fruit producer so to do. A given quantity of apples wrapped 

 will fill eleven per cent, more cases than unwrapped, the sur- 

 plus increase defraying extra initial expenses incurred in labor 

 and paper. 



"Tasmania maybe considered • as the best countr}^ in the 

 world for the production of pears, peaches, apricots and small 

 fruit. The pear has received special attention, some growers 

 having a very fine collection of best European varieties. The 

 apricot and peach are now being largely grown. It may par- 

 ticularly interest many of my readers to know that young 

 peach trees have been shipped from here this 3^ear to the Del- 

 aware Experiment Station for experimental purposes, with 

 the view of growing trees from this new stock that shall resist 

 the fatal '3^ellows.' Plums of ever3^ description are exten- 



