10 JOUENAL OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



length of time, nor below 55 degrees at all, it can easily be seen that the 

 question of transport is a difficult one. 



From Jamaica the voyage takes about twelve or fourteen days, and 

 from Costa Rica three days longer, and all the fruit is brought in special 

 chambers cooled by refrigerating machinery of the latest type. In spite 

 of this, cargoes sometimes arrive dead ripe, and sometimes nearly the 

 whole of a consignment has had to be thrown overboard. 



The steamers specially fitted with the cooling machinery can bring 

 from 35,000 to 45,000 bunches on each voyage. 



A source of considerable loss in the smaller islands of the West Indies, 

 and in British Guiana, is the fact that shipments can only be made once 

 a fortnight, many bunches in the intervening days ripening, and having 

 to be sold locally for any price obtainable. 



The methods of collecting and shipping the fruit vary considerably, 

 and I will explain how this important work is carried out. 



In the Canary Islands, the growers very rarely ship on their own 

 account, but sell to native merchants, or the buyers of English firms, who 

 either sell on their own account to English importers, or send the fruit to 

 be sold on commission. The man who buys the fruit takes all risks, and 

 packs it himself. The question of shipping is not difficult, for steamers 

 are calling almost daily. 



In Jamaica the bulk of the fruit, and I think I may say all that is sent 

 to this country, is bought from the growers by the American Trust. 



It is taken to the ship by railway or road, and the bunches are paid for 

 according to size. The same method is in vogue in Costa Rica, where the 

 Trust is also in control. From both places the riper fruit goes to the 

 States, and the less mature comes here. 



From British Guiana, St. Vincent and Trinidad, small shipments have 

 been made by individual merchants or growers. 



In Barbados the best and most economical system of all is employed. 

 The grower packs his own fruit, marks the crates with the distinguish- 

 ing number of his estate, and carts it to the capital Bridgetown, where he 

 hands it over to the Imperial Department of Agriculture, after which he 

 has no more to do with it. The officers of the department examine every 

 crate, and also measure it, to ascertain the amount to be charged for 

 freight ; and the whole of the fruit sent in is shipped as one consignment 

 to one firm at Plymouth, to be sold on commission. 



The quantity shipped is advised by cable, and arrangements are made 

 at Plymouth to land the quantity required there, and any surplus goes on 

 to Southampton, and is either sold there or sent to other towns where 

 there are good markets. When the consignments are sold, an account is 

 made out for each shipper, all the accounts are sent to the Imperial 

 Department, with one remittance, and the accounts are sent to the 

 growers, and payments made to them by the Department. 



It is interesting to note that at present every grower in the island 

 ships in this way. All intermediate profits are eliminated, and the 

 grower gets more for his fruit, although it can be sold cheaply to the 

 shopkeeper. The consignments being all in the hands of one firm, useless 

 competition does not occur ; and they can be so regulated, in accordance 

 with the demand, that losses from glutted markets are unknown. 



