March 1897.] THE FRUIT CROP OF 1896. 



367 



Plums did not make such good prices as the under average crop 

 led the growers to expect, but the importations were very large, 

 amounting to 138,023 bushels in July and to 340,841 bushels 

 in August, as against 59,040 bushels in July 1895, and 187,389 

 bushels in August 1895. Prices ranged from Is. 2d. per half 

 sieve of 28 lbs. for common " bush " plums to 5s. 4<d. for best 

 Pond's seedlings, and the average price was about 2s. lOd. per 

 half sieve, free of cost of carriage and commission. 



Damsons, though not a large crop, were low in price, and did 

 not bring more, on the average, than Is. Sd. per half sieve of 

 28 lbs. clear of commission and carriage. The general appearance 

 and quality of this fruit were, however, not so good as usual. 



By far the most unsatisfactory prices were obtained for 

 apples, in spite of the fact that the crop was small. Fine 

 varieties, as Lord Suffield, Beauty of Kent, Golden Noble, 

 Blenheim Orange, Lord Derby, Wellington, Cox's Pomona, and 

 Warner's King, only made from 2s. to 5s. per bushel, or sieve, 

 clear of charges. Very showy sorts, such as Quarrendens, 

 made 6s. to 7s. per bushel, and for Cox's Orange Pippin, where 

 well grown and clear, as much as from 9s. to 10s. per bushel 

 was obtained, free of charges. It is computed that the average 

 net return from apples was not more than 2s. 6d. per bushel to 

 the grower. Seeing the enormous importations of apples into 

 this country, these low prices for home produce are easily 

 explained. During 1896, 6,177>192 bushels of apples were 

 imported, valued at 1,582,471^., or 5s. Id. per bushel. This is 

 the largest importation of apples ever known in this country. 

 The greater part came from the United States and Canada, 

 where the apple crops were very abundant last year, but 

 quantities of apples came from Tasmania and Australia in 

 April, May, and June. 



In January 1897 there was a further large arrival of apples, 

 and probably the influx from America and Canada will continue 

 until March. 



The average value of the imported apples in 1896, viz., 5s. Id. 

 per bushel, appears large compared with the average price obtained 

 for English apples, which was 2s. 6d., or 3s. 4sd. with the expenses 

 of carriage and commission added, which may be put at lOd per 

 bushel. It must be remembered, however, that Australian, 

 American, and Canadian exporters take care to pick out the 

 " wormy " specimens (attacked by the Codlin Moth), and to grade 

 the apples, and that only those of good size, colour, and quality 

 are exported. Their apples, therefore, can always be depended 

 upon, and large orders are given for them by dealers in Great 

 Britain to supply co-operative stores and shops. Only the best 

 fruit is sent from abroad, whereas with regard to British apples 

 the whole crop is consigned at once to market, except in cider- 

 making counties, in most cases without any grading or sorting, 

 and no pains, as a rule, are taken to consign an even sample. 

 In the above-named apple-exporting countries there has been 

 great improvement in respect of the quality and appearance of 



