June 1896. J 



GENERAL AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 



also that the jealousy which exists amongst growers in different 

 districts, must do a lot of harm to the industry. 



It is maintained that the great need of the fruit-growers is 

 some kind of co-operative organisation, founded on lines some- 

 what similar to those of the Dairymen's Association of Victoria. 

 Such an organisation should be thoroughly representative, and 

 be governed by a central council chosen from its own members. 

 From a council of this kind would be issued general instructions, 

 gained from practical experience, that would be of immense 

 advantage to all engaged in the industry. Combination in this 

 direction would, it is believed, put the fruit-growers in as strong 

 a position as the dairymen, and it is admitted that the success 

 of the dairying industry, to a very large extent, has been owing 

 to the influence wisely exercised by the Dairymen's Association. 



As regards the prospects of the development of the export 

 trade in fruit, the journal already referred to remarks as follows : 

 " At present there exists a comparatively small output for the 

 enormous quantity, and great variety of fruit which is produced 

 in Victoria. Year after year reports have been received of fruit 

 being allowed to fall off the trees or being fed to pigs, because 

 of no profitable market presenting. And yet there are unques- 

 tionably great avenues of trade which can be opened up, and of 

 which co-operation is the sesame. The facilities that exist to- 

 day for the carriage of fruit, even of 1 he most delicate description, 

 either over land or sea, are immeasurably superior to those of a 

 very few years back. If we go back to a decade ago, it may be 

 said that there were no facilities at all for long distance ship- 

 ment, and certainly not so far as perishable fruits were concerned. 

 To-day the grape and the strawberry, the ripe apricot, and the 

 luscious peach and nectarine can be sent over miles of land and 

 ocean, to arrive at their destination in perfect condition. That 

 has been proved by practical test. Fruit not of so easily 

 perishable a character, can be sent away over sea still more 

 easily and less expensively. The Tasmanian apple-growers have 

 established a large and profitable trade, which they have carried 

 on now for several years. In this respect they have shown the 

 way to Victorian fruit raisers. The factory, of course, is intended 

 chiefly for the preservation of fruit for its manufacture into jams 

 and jellies, and its conversion into half a hundred different forms 

 for table and cooking use. But it will also serve as a convenient 

 storing centre for fresh fruit, and a point from which to carry 

 out the shipments. Given a sufficiently large output, and a 

 proper regularity of shipments, there can be little doubt of the 

 success of such an effort to establish a trade. A country which 

 can grow the strawberry and the orange, the lemon and the 

 pear side by side, need experience no difficulty in maintaining 

 an export trade all the year round. It will entail some pre- 

 liminary expenditure, hard work, and watchful attention. The 

 fruit growers of Victoria should have no difficulty in fulfilling 

 all these conditions." 



O 91921. 



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