Fruits, Vegetables and Gener'al Interests. 13- 



have been most unsatisfactory to the sellers. In the beginning 

 of the 3^ear, a second line of steamers was inaugurated between 

 Hobart and Sydney, reducing freight generally 50 per cent,, 

 but owing to irregular sailing dates, the result has, as was an- 

 ticipated by many, proved disastrous to the orchardist. The 

 fruit was placed in shipments of ten to thirty thousand bushels 

 per steamer, with sometimes only one and two days interval, 

 on the New South Wales markets, the results being as afore- 

 said. Fruit merchants and others were unable to judge when 

 a second steamer would arrive with a heavy shipment, there- 

 by reducing the value of fruit purchased by 40 per cent, to 

 75 per cent. Briefly, the average net return to the pro- 

 ducer for last five years for sales in Tasmania and adjacent 

 colonies may be put three shillings six pence to four shillings 

 per bushel at the orchard. During the past season, we have 

 opened a new market for the sale of our apples in San Fran- 

 cisco, with most satisfactory results and every encouragement 

 to materially increase our annual consignment thereto. Prices 

 ranged, according to quality and packing, from two to four dol- 

 lars per bushel, with an average of about $3. 



'*In dealing with results obtained in London, I shall con- 

 sider it as the center of European markets. As far back as 

 1870 small test shipments of fruit were consigned as ordinary 

 cargo, the result being, as a rule, unsatisfactory. Five years 

 ago the matter was inquired into and arrangements made with 

 the shipping companies for conveyance of fruit in the cool or 

 refrigerated chambers of the ocean steamers, since which date 

 our shipments annually have materially increased. For the 

 ensuing season arrangements are in course of completion for 

 the consignment of probably about one hundred thousand 

 bushels of apples to be placed on London markets. Com- 

 plete returns for past season's sales. are not yet to hand — ac- 

 count sales for last two shipments being still wanting. The 

 average realized for shipments by four steamers is 



Ribston Pippins ig i-. \ d. per case of say 43 lbs. 



King of Pippins 1=^ s. \o d. 



New York Pippin 15 .r. 6^/. " 



Cox's Orange Pippin 15 j-. 5 </. " " 



Sturmer Pippins 14 .f. 11 </. " " " 



''The foregoing averages may be considered as conclusive of 

 the qualit}' of Tasmanian apples, and as fully bearing out the 



