EXPORT OF APPLES TO LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8272, 3 June 1890, Page 6

EXPORT OF APPLES TO LONDON.

We take the following important and interesting information on the requirements, etc., of the London fruit market from a letter published m the supplement of the Waikato Times by a well-known Waikato settler :— A TRIAL LOT. During last year Mr. 11. Swarbrick, of Hamilton, visited England, and knowing the extent to which the fruit industry of this colony is likely to grow, went deeply into the question while in London, and has gained considerable knowledge of the trade, which he has kindly consented to place at tho disposal of our readers. Before leaving New Zealand Mr. Swarbrick got a small shipment of apples of tho sorts thought here to bo the mast suitable for export, and had them conveyed home under the most favourable conditions. On arrival in England he submitted the fruit to Mr. George Munro, fruit salesman, of Covent Garden, who reported on the different varieties as follows :—Northern Spy, good ; Esopus Spitzenburg, fair ; Blue Pearmain, ugly, too large ; Rome Beauty, good ; Five Crown Pippin, doubtful; Lodgemore Nonpareil, doubtful ; Swar, good ; Kittagaska, very good ; Walter Peat, good ; Hamilton, common ; Hokianga, very good ; Colville, good ; Cleopatra, fair.

On the subject Mr. Swarbriek writes as follows :—" Tho experience that I have learnt from both visiting the markets and interviewing those directly interested in the English fruit supply is that whilst we cannot expect big results, and shall have to be guarded in what we may export, there seems a very fair outlet at home for all the fruit we can send for many years to come ; and if carried out systematically, under favourable conditions, might become a very profitable business. The fruit must arrive in England between Christmas and early June, when the American and other supplies arc exhausted, and before the new crops are ripe. The American crop is said to be very short this year, and this ought to be a favourable season to start this enterprise. Then, as our output increases and good brands become known, we may expect better results. The small quantities already sent from New Zealand, that have, boon carefully selected and well packed, and arriving in good condition, I have heard highly spoken of, and are said to rank with any brought into the market. From Tasmania they have been exporting for some years, and their apples are now becoming known in the home market, and much sought after. The kinds they export are : —Ribstone Pippin, Adams' Pearmain, Scarlet Nonpareil, Stunner Pippin, French Crab, New York Pippin, Wellington, Codlin Russets, Pearson's Plate, Blue Pearmain, Braddon's Nonpareil, Crow's Egg, Stone Pippin, Alexander, Blenheim Orange. They pack in 40lb boxes, each apple is wrapped separately in tissue paper, no two sorts in the same box. Must be plucked ripe and free of all bruises, packed tight, be of an even size, marked and sent off at once in a coolbut not freezing— chamber. I notico tho packing and general appearances when arrived in the market practically rules the sale. It is in this way how lie French and Channel Islands fi nit heads the market. Coven Garden, London, is the market we have to look to to sell our fruit. Here the wholesale and retail dealers buy and sell and send to all parts of England. The home fruit is mostly disposed of by private treaty, but tho foreign fruit has a separate building and market to itself, where it is mostly sold by auction as it arrives. Before sale a sample case or more is opened for inspection, and if tempting to the eye, has a wonderful effect on the market value. American fruit in December was

fetching from 10s to 15s per bushel, according to quality (which was inferior to our New Zealand production), and they anticipate a rise. Thus if care is taken in selecting and preparing for export, I feel sure instead of apples being a glut with us in Waikato, it will become a growing industry in our midst." RELIABLE LONDON A(iESTS. In conclusion he furnishes the names of reliable agents at Covent Garden to whom to send fruit for sale, viz.:— E. .Jacobs and Sons, Garcia and Jacobs, J. B. Thomas, Isaacs and Sons, and W. N. White. This latter gentleman, who is the largest receiver of all kinds of fruit in the English market, in November, ISSB, addressed a letter to the fruit-growers of Tasmania on the subject of cultivation of Australian fruit for the London market. As apples are the fruit whirh most interests New Zealand as regards export, wo now append a few extracts from Mr. White's letter : — THE VIEWS OF AN EXPERT. " Apples to arrive in good condition, it has been conclusively proved, must come stowed in cool chambers, and not as ordin-

ary cargo, nor in freezing chambers. Some of the apples that were sent last season as ordinary cargo arrived in good condition ; some were indifferent and some rotten. In order to make this a profitable trade, as was said before, the apples must come only in cool chambers, with a temperature not higher than 4-1 degrees, nor lower than .'{.j degrees. '.''rait should not be chilled. Reducing the temperature to freezing point is alone sufficient to chill it, and then when it is discharged here in the month of May, with the temperature perhaps at 80 to 100 degrees, the heat causes the fruit immediately to 'fret' and turn black, and decay within a short time of being unloaded. In shipping, preference should be given to the line of boats that brings the fruit forward at the most uniform temperature, and from my experience I would give that preference to the P. and O. Company, as their goods always seem to come in better condition than the others. If these points are attended to the question of good or bad deliveries is reduced to a minimum, and there only remains the question of rates, mode of packing, and the sorts to send. " During last season we received a strange variety of packings—some packed in chaff, some in wheat dust, some mixed with hay, some papered each apple, some papered the cases round the sides only. If the apples are to be wrapped in paper, I advise that the whole of tliem should be so wrapped, not a part only. Avoir! chaff and dust by all means, as they only depreciate the value. , If the cost of wrapping your finest apples in paper is not much, you might do so, but I question whether it would add Gd per case to the value of the fruit. The secret of packing is to pack tightly. I would advise stiff, strong paper being placed round the wood to keep the apples from touching the case, and to exclude dust or anything that might got. in the crevices ; then if the apples are properly and tightly packed, in my opinion, it is sufficient. 1 have been given to understand that the mode adopted in filling the cases your side is to place the case on its side, till it up. and nail down when full. That is not the best way. I recommend the following :—Take the case, lay it on its flat, then place the paper round the wood, and commence packing from the bottom of your case, placing either the stem or the head of the apple downward, whichever you think the best. Fill the case as tightly as possible, and nail it down, then turn the case over and mark on the end of it the name of the apple, with the brand of the shipper. Thus the bottom of the case your side will be the top that we open here. I do nob tell you this so that you shall ' top' your fruit, and put all the finest apples at the bottom of your case; at the same time if there are any fine fruit, you, as a merchant or sender, would be perfectly justified in putting some of the finest on top, but ' topping' to, mislead is ,

a mistake, and only brings the brand into disrepute. In giving you these ideas in packing I am borne out in them when we consider how the Americans pack their fruit. For instance, someone sends me 200 cases of fruit, consisting of so many Nonpareils, so many Sturmer Pippins, so many Wellingtons, &c. Those are sorted when delivered according to the mark on the case ; and if a parcel consist of 100 or more, perhaps four cases will be exposed, and the parcel sold according to the four samples shown. Now, if these fruit are not properly marked, supposing wo open four cases and find two of them very ordinary, that ■would tell against the seller's interest, because we cannot open any more. We have to be fair to the buyers as well as sellers— the buyers arc present when the goods are exposed, and they judge for themselves so, if wo are so unfortunate as to open two cases of inferior quality through being insufficiently marked, it becomes a misfortune to the senders, which misfortune should be avoidable. On the other hand, if we open two very fine cases, and the bulk turns out not so good, the buyers avoid the brand on a future occasion. I trust I have mado this most vital part of the subject perfectly plain to you. "The Tasmanian Fruit-growers' Union sent forward last year a quantity of goods under numbers which corresponded with the sort of the apple. Ido not think this numbering is suitable. A stencil-plate would far better describe the title of tho apple contained in the package." CRITICAL KKMAKKS. The following remarks are made as to the varieties to semi :—

"The Ribstone Pippin is a good apple, one that you cannot send too many of, and one that sometimes realises the splendid price of 30s to 35s per caso ; seldom do they make less than 12s. Adams' Pearmain is a very good apple, but it will not command extra prices. It has averaged from 8s to 14s per case. Scarlet Nonpareil: This is a very fine apple, but your people seem to have two kinds, viz., the true Scarlet Nonpareil and the Cox's Orange Pippin — both are sent under the name of Scarlet Nonpareils. The Cox's Orange Pippin in a larger apple than tho true Scarlet Nonpareil, and of a more exquisite flavour. We made last season, of some really fine fruit, 20s to 25s per caso readily. The Sturmer Pippin is a good apple, but one that should only be sent when large. It is not so good a keeper as some of the other sorts. French Crabs are grown by you far better than in England; they are a large, clear, and good apple for culinary purposes, and always arrive here in sound condition, but they do not make extreme prices—Bs to Pis per case is about their value ; on tho other hand, they are splendid keepers, and are much liked. New York Pippins'—only the very finest should be sent. Wellingtons : One of our best apples in England, but a cooking apple, and wo only want your large fruit. Codlins : You should only send the large fruit. Russets, Pearson's Plate, Blue Pearmains: I do not advocate their being scut to England unless the fruit are largo and clear. Braddock's Nonpareils are a good apple, and when well grown will command fair prices. (.'row's Egg and Stone Pippin, in a plentiful season, will only realise medium prices. Alexander is a splendid apple, but too soft to carry. I do not advocate it being sent here. Blenheim Orange is a beautiful apple. If gathered at the proper time, it should then come forward and do well. Now, with all these sorts of apples you should impress on your people that, above all things, they are not to send us the small fruit. The freight and cost of handling is the same as with the large, and the small fruit never realise more than half the price."

OTHER FRUITS, POTATOES, ETC. The letter then goes on to deal with other fruits and vegetables. PkAKS, some sorts of which. Duchess' Clou Morceau and Vicar of Winkfield, if very carefully packed, might answer well (some last season realising from 30s to ,'lus per case), while other sorts did not pay for the cases. Plums will not pay for export, as there is no inquiry for thorn at the time of their arrival. Crapes would prove a valuable export, selling at high prices here in February, March, April, and May, providing a suitable package can be adopted and the right sort of dust in which to pack them found. The most suitable dust is cork dust, which, being tasteless, the flavour of the grape is unimpaired. New Potatoes arriving here in February, March, and April should yield a handsome return, the price here in February ranging from £37 to' £50 per ton to £10 per ton in April. The potatoes should be put up in packages containing 561b (which should be such as not to allow the air to enter and dry up the potatoes), and they could come as ordinary cargo, not requiring cool chamber storage. By "new potatoes" is meant those that the skin can bo scraped off with the greatest ease. To reach this result it would be necessary that the potatoes are not loft to mature in the held, but are dug when in a young state, but sufficiently matured to carry the distance without turning black. Tomatoes, if packed in cases about the same size of apple cases, and shipped in the cool chamber at a temperature not below 36 degrees, should show good results.

SHIPMENTS. —As regards shipments, I fail to see why goods cannot be shipped from Australia in the same way as they are shipped from other ports, viz., that the senders make their own terms with the steamship companies, using their own bill of lading through their agent, whoever ho may bo, allowing him to charge his regular percentage for transmitting the goods, which he can charge for as " disbursements," and, instead of drawing on the people of England, let the goods come forward and the broker pay the freight here when the goods :>rriv>. Nothing is gained by paying the freight on your side. I will undertake to pay the freight on all goods shipped to me, no matter what the quantity may bo, providing they are shipped in the cool chamber. I think that a combination of fruitgrowers guranteeing to forward a certain quantity by each steamer, should have a great inlluence with the s.s. companies, and induce them to oiler such facilities as would meet the growers' wishes, but I do not agree with the growers forwarding their goods down to an irresponsible agent, to ship them to whom he pleases. What has been the result last season ? Wo have seen people (I say "we," meaning myself and several gentlemen who have corao over in the boats from Tasmania) —wo have seen people here receiving apples who have never sold an apple before in their lives, and who have handed them over to others to sell who did not have the same thought for the sender's interest as those who had worked up the business. Their only idea seemed to be to sell the goods for the time being at whatever price could be obtained, not taking into account anything as to what might happen in the future, but simply getting rid of the goods.