io6 



Another possible danger we see standing out is the following. 

 Our fruit in export markets is increasing in popularity each year, 

 and keen competition is exhibited amongst agents to secure con- 

 signments. This is admirable, we being fully alive to the benefit 

 of competition amongst agents for the growers business. It is 

 the outright sale to the speculator that is often dangerous, and it 

 is additionally dangerous to sell part of a crop, as it is more than 

 likely that such an one may find part of his crop up for sale in 

 the auction room at Covent Garden and part for sale through a 

 private treaty salesman. This inevitably means a reduction in 

 price and a reduction in the value of that particular brand. 



Again a caution. Some of our fruit agents in this country 

 are private speculators on their own account. You may find they 

 are selling their own American and Australian apples up against 

 your Colonial grown, or you may find them speculating in and 

 selling for their own account imported lemons whilst handling 

 yours, thus creating a most undesirable position. Our advice is 

 that if you find your agent, whoever he may be, doing this drop 

 him at once and place your fruit in the hands of somebody whose 

 sole interest is to get you as high a price as possible. We see 

 from the Australian press that leading growers there are calling 

 public attention to this unhealthy position, recognising it is as 

 great a menace to their future as we recognise it is within the 

 Union. 



EXPORT TRADE. 



Our export trade in fresh fruits is advancing steadily -and 

 surely, and each year it is getting on to a more firm and satisfac- 

 tory basis. Fruits of the best quality, and arriving in good con- 

 dition, during the months from January to May, which are the 

 months during which fruit can be exported from the Cape, will 

 always fetch a good, honest, satisfactory paying price, and often 

 a very high price is obtained ; but we think as growers we must 

 be satisfied with a good fair margin of profit for bulk consign- 

 ments. We cannot accept the ideas of some growers that a re- 

 strictive output and high prices is of any value to South African 

 trade. We trust to see the day when upwards of a million cases 

 will be exported annually; these mainly will be grapes, pears and 

 apples, and oranges. 



GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS COVERING THE EXPORT OF * 



FRUIT. 



i. Every person who intends to export fruit from the Union 

 to a place outside the limits of the Union, but not declared by 

 Proclamation No. 143 of 1914 to be an exempted place, shall give 



