104 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



what the traffic will bear, is not only unreasonable, but in reality 

 furnishes the railway companies with the power to indirectly 

 levy a tax upon the food of the people, which they have exercised, 

 to a very great extent. 



Had the companies, for the extra charges they have made, 

 provided any of the additional accommodation or facilities that 

 perishable goods require, either in transit or delivery, the addi- 

 tional charges might have been excused ; but it has been an 

 invariable rule of all the companies not to undertake any respon- 

 sibility in respect to perishable goods, unless a special additional 

 rate was paid. "Owner's risk" and '* Company's risk" are 

 terms well known to every consignor of produce. Many have 

 often, to their cost, been advised that their goods arrived an hour 

 late for market, or just after the market was over, and therefore 

 made no price at all. 



Thus, a special feature in this matter that fruit growers must 

 bear in mind for traffic purposes is, that their especial produce is 

 divided into two classes — the perishable and the non-perishable, 

 and that these need different treatment. In connection with 

 the former, in which soft fruits take a front rank, effective collec- 

 tion, safe transport, and speedy delivery are matters that require 

 much greater consideration than even the actual rates charged ; 

 therefore I propose to direct attention to two points : — 



First : What the railway companies should do in connection 

 with perishable food transport. 



Second : What they should charge for doing it. 



Under these circumstances it will be wise for the fruit 

 farmers to look upon themselves as one of the branches of our 

 national agricultural industry, and determine the absolutely 

 necessary conditions that are essential for the effective transport 

 of their produce ; at the same time those engaged in grazing, 

 dairy farming, market gardening, and the other branches of 

 agriculture should do the same, and then make a combined effort 

 to obtain the facilities that are necessary for each, to enable 

 them to profitably carry on their operations. 



The traffic in home-grown perishable foods possesses a 

 remarkable characteristic feature in being largely composed of 

 comparatively small consignments. This is not only the neces- 

 sary outcome of our system of production, but promises to 

 largely increase with the growing tendency to small holdings, 

 allotments, &c. This traffic should not only be encouraged, but 

 every possible facility should be furnished to enable it to develop 

 itself; for in that system will be found the means by which pro- 

 ducers and consumers will naturally drift into more direct 

 communication with each other. And it is to aid the growth 

 of this condition of things that it is advisable for such provision 

 to be made as will inherently develop a traffic by the facilities it 



