6 



COLD STORAGE OF FRUIT. 



[Sept. 1894. 



weeks, according to variety, thereby preventing to a certain 

 extent the glutting of the markets with these fruits during the 

 height of the season. 



The cost of cold storage by this method is estimated to be much 

 less than that of the method now used for the conveyance of 

 fruit to England, and the results are stated to be much better. At 

 present the three great drawbacks Australian fruit-growers have 

 to compete with in the export of fruit to the English market 

 are — first, the excessive freight ; second, the large per-centage of 

 loss arising through the fruit being carried without a proper 

 system of ventilation ; and third, the bad keeping qualities 

 of the fruit when landed, which necessitates the fruit being 

 disposed of and consumed as rapidly as possible. It is main- 

 tained that all these drawbacks would be, to a great extent, 

 prevented if the fruit were carried under similar conditions to 

 those maintained during the experiments, and a cheaper and 

 better carriage would tend to greatly increase the export of 

 fruit to England. Fruit-growers in the Colony are reminded 

 that the English market wants one class of fruit only, the best, 

 and that fruit put on the market in the best condition and most 

 attractive manner ; and that if growers or shippers try to palm 

 off any inferior grades they will get left every time, as English 

 buyers will not have them, except at low rates. 



The Government of New South Wales claim to have practically 

 shown the conditions that are necessary in order to successfully 

 keep fruit in cold storage^ and also what fruits are most suit- 

 able, and what care is necessary to be taken with the grading, 

 wrapping, and packing of the fruits so as to render them 

 suitable for cold storage, especially as adapted to an export 

 trade. It is pointed out to fruit-growers that it is to an export 

 trade they must eventually look if fruit growing is to take a 

 prominent place in colonial industries ; and by showing how the 

 export of fruit may be most economically and successfully 

 carried out, these experiments are likely to be of great value to 

 the fruit-growers and to the Colony in general. 



