232 



TBI! AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



being quite firm, and the appearance all 

 one could wish ; in fact it looked as if it 

 might have been picked within twenty- 

 four hours. There was but one exception, 

 which we came across ahowt half way 

 down the box, an orange with a large bad 

 place between the side and the top, and I 

 have no doubt it had been dropped on 

 the ground in course of packing, and 

 instead of being rejected in consequence, 

 had been picked up again and packed 

 with the fatal bruise which caused it to 

 go bad. 



Some of the oranges were kept just a 

 month, the last being eaten on 13th 

 September, and found quite fresh and 

 delicious inside, though the skin was 

 somewhat wrinkled by that time. The 

 naartjes began to get a little soft before 

 the oranges did, and would not as a rule 

 keep so long, 1 believe. 



Now, if oranges and naartjes in such 

 condition as were these could be landed 

 in England during July and August, not 

 only would they arrive when the weather 



was at its hottest, and such fruit most 

 desired by consumers, but it would fill a 

 gap in the Home fruit supply, coming in 

 as it would do between the strawberries 

 and pears. The demand in London and at all 

 seaside places would be simply unlimited, 

 and I feel sure that excellent prices could 

 be obtained for any quantity. 



I do not know of any other place so 

 well situated as Natal for supplying the 

 Home markets with these fruits at just 

 the right time to ensure a large and ready 

 sale. We should commence shipping the 

 beginning of June, and concinue till the 

 end of July, but not later than that, I 

 think. 



Careful picking by hand is easy 

 enough, and it will be observed that the 

 packing is quite simple, so that the only 

 other requisite to ensure success is cool 

 storage on the voyage Home at a moderate 

 cost. — Yours faithfully, 



F. A. Hathokn. 

 Maritzburg, 7th June, 1901. 



Coat Returns, 



Return of Coal raised and labour employed at the Natal Collieries for the month of 



May, 1901:— . u i ^ 



Labour Employed. ^ i • j 



Name of Colliery. Above Ground.^ ^ Below Ground. Coal raised. 



Natal Navigation *.3 50 117 9 340 ^ 11,573 5 



Dundee ... ... ... 1;^ ^« ^f^ ..^5 3 8,69U 4 



Natal Marine < 13U 7 7 37. ^^^J 



Elands Laagte ... ... 11 \' ^-S^ ^ ,gg q 5 430 



St. George's 12 114 U 7 Ibb u ^ 



Natal Steam Coal 7 G7 15 3 194 o ^ 



Newcastle 4 9 12 4 lUJ u ^ 



New Campbell 6 81 18 b 15J 



Inkunzi ... ... ... ? A A 1 27 507 



West Lennoxton ... ... ^ " t>„f„,r. 



Crown NoKeturn. 



Mines Office, Commissioner of Mines. 



Return of Coal bunkered and exported at the Port of Durban for the month of 



May, 1901 :— tons. cwt. 



22,430 17 



•Coal Bunkered ... ... - ^^'^^ 



Coal exported to Cape Colony ... — '''..o 



Bcira ... - % {I 4,079 17 



Chindo ... ••• " 



26,510 14 



Total bunkered and exported ^ ••• i. „f"Tmr>r>rfpd Goal 



included in this item are 4,079 tons 17 cwt. of I^P^^f'^jJ^^YSTON, 

 Customs House, Port Natal, ' Collector of Customs. 



June 5th 1901. 



