174 



GENERAL AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 



[Sept. 1896. 



with sufficient moisture at every season of the year. There has 

 thus been developed in Bosnia a special variety of plum tree, 

 bearing a fine, large fruit, which, when fully ripe, contains a 

 very high per-centage of sugar. 



The annual production is considerable. In 1894 it amounted 

 to 183,111 tons, while the quantities produced in the four 

 previous years were 70,960 ; 93,990 ; 89,561 ; and 128,043 tons, 

 or an average of 95,639 tons. 



Some of the fruit is consumed fresh, and a quantity is used 

 for making brandy, liquor or jam ; but the bulk of it is dried. 



The plum production of Bosnia was very considerable before 

 1878, and the dried Bosnian fruit was well known and in great 

 demand under the name " Turkish plum," not only in Europe, 

 but also in America. When the Government of the country was 

 taken over by Austria-Hungary, great efforts were made to 

 improve the fruit and increase its sale. Accordingly, experi- 

 mental stations were established, which may be looked upon as 

 nurseries for fruit culture, and which, though instituted only a 

 few years ago, have already considerably increased the production. 

 Moreover, very favourable results have followed from the intro- 

 duction of new drying ovens after the French pattern. 



Proposed Australian Export Regulations, 



At a conference between the Ministers of Agriculture of the 

 Colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and 

 Victoria, recently held at Adelaide, it was resolved to endeavour 

 to secure uniform legislation by the Colonies to carry into effect 

 regulations to the following effect : — No meat should be placed 

 on board any vessel for exportation unless such meat had been 

 certified by an inspector as sound and free from disease. An 

 uniform system of inspection and marking should be adopted 

 with regard to dairy produce, fruit, and wine, and there should 

 be a federal brand, having the words " Approved for export " 

 in a semicircle above a crown, with the name of the Colony 

 and of the grade of quality, each Colony to determine whether 

 such inspection and marking be optional or compulsory. The 

 producer should be assisted to overcome the difficulties attendant 

 on the distance and the delay of the returns from, the world's 

 markets, either by direct advances by the State on f. o. b. value 

 of approved produce, or by facilitating the obtaining of such 

 advances by the issue of a certificate negotiable and payable 

 on return of proceeds, or by such other method as may best suit 

 the requirements of each Colony. The experts of the various 

 Colonies in London should consult together and report through 

 their Agents -General as to the best system of distribution 

 calculated to obtain full value for agricultural products of 

 Australia. The Colonies should join in exhibiting once a year 

 for three years, at one of the principal agricultural shows in 

 England, an Australian federal agricultural exhibit. 



