NEW ZEALAND FRUIT IS LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2368, 20 July 1899, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND FRUIT IS LONDON.

RESULTS OF THE SHIPMENT,

(Frosi Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, June 3.

The shipment of New Zealand apples and pears sent Home by the Canterbury Fruitgrowers' Association by the New- Zealand Shipping Company's now steamer, the Papanui, was landed a few days ago, and offered at the Covent Garden Market and City Fruit Salerooms to-day. On the whole, the apples arrived in very good condition. Some of the apples and nearly all the pear's, however, were gathered in too ripe a condition. The consequence naturally is that these have been completely spoiled diiring the voyage, some, indeed, being absolutely rotten. One urgent matter in regard to . future shipments is that special care must be taken to see the fruit is gathered at i>recisely the right time. It must be neither too green nor too ripe. If too green it suffers in flavoxir and juiciness ; if too ripe il ia apt not only to decay rapidly, but also to affect the rest of tho fruit in its neighbourhood. This then is the first moral to be deduced, and it is one of serious moment to fruitgrowers. Secondly, although great, care was obviously taken in the packing, one vital point was ovexlooked. The apples were very "carefully and... 1 suitably wrapped up in paper,' and there waa' sufficient padding at the top r and bott<si& -ofeach case. But from some strange oversight, the sides" were left 'entirely" unpacked, the con-, sequence being 'that as the steamer rolled, the mass of apples pressed alternately against each side of the box. The effect is very*clearly seen' in the case of those next to the wood, for each apple has a. flat spot caused by the pressure, and in some instances this has caused decay. It is essential that the apples should bo firmly packed, that is to say in the sense of padding, on all sides so that they may not be unduly forced against tho hard and unyielding woodwork. The third thing which is learned from this experience is that some different plan should ba adopted with regard to the titular designation of the different kinds of apples. Several of the sorts sent Homo in the shipment were utterly unknown to the London market by the names appended to them. The result was that buyers, being unaware of the particular qualities of the brand, were distrustful, and held aloof. In other cases the names .of the varieties, .according to a rather celebrated and experienced market gardener, with whom I conversed on the subject, were entirely misapplied. Through some mistake apparently the apple? ware given their wrong names, arid as the buyers at once detected that the apples were not the kind they purported to be, and as they did not know what they re* V.v might be, in thia case again a good deal of aloofness wag manifested.

These four causes — (1) over-ripeness of some of the fruit; (2) slight damage caused to the apples by the absence of side packing; (3) the use of names not known to the London market; and (•!) the mis-naming of other varieties, all combined to prevent such good prices being realised >as otherwise would .hane been the case. AH .the fruit not fliffeeteoTby the "drawbacks .which I have specified, arrived in splendid condition, and was pronounced to be .of excellent quality. And these kinds sold fairly well, although not at such high prices as would have been the case had the entire shipment been of uniform quality, and not subject to' the disadvantages I have mentioned. On the whole, I think the experiment may be regarded as having resulted satisfactorily, and as affording encouragement to future efforts of the kind. Only if full success be desired, it is essential that the points to which I have drawn attention should be strictly observed. For tho purpose of thoroughly testing the market, tho consignment was divided into two equal lots, one being sent to Covent Garden and the other to tho City Salerooms, Mr Wilson a member of the association, at present in London, giving close attention to the sales at both places.

Nearly all the pears and the Cox orange pippin apples were orer-rioe, evidently they were so when shipped. The other varieties were in gooS condition. A number of tho varieties of apples, however, were not quite suitable for the trade here, and some descriptions were unknown. As tc such there was considerable diffidence on the part of buyers in bidding. Prices for the best qualities of apples ranged up to 12s 6d down to as low a* 8s Gel. the latter prices being for Russet Nonpareils, which apparently are not favouxablv regarded in the London market.

■ Unfortunately, although the shipment was reported to havo been graded, this appears not to have been done in quite the right way. Consequently dissatisfaction was expressed as to the unevenness of the grading, large and medium apples being, in many instances, found in the same cases. This, of course, told strongly against the realisation of top prices, as buyers for the large fruit would only bid the figure ruling for the small fruit, white those who wanted medium-sized apples would, of course, not exceed the value of the size they required^ although the larger were also in the case.

This, question of grading is most material, and the success of any shipment of produce, whether fruit, meat, or butter, depends largely upon it. But to proceed with the fruit. Some of the cases contained apples which had been gathered too green and ha<l a, dull and " untaking " atroearance. This naturally contributed to *

lowering "of the price. Taken all round, however, the shipment is considered fairly successful. Generally speaking,, the producers will get back Id per 1b after payment of- all charges. This may not bo considered a rennmerative price by them ; still, the experience gained should be of great benefit in the future* Of course, when compared with Australian fiuit, that from New Zealand suffered; Victorian apples come to hand "much more attrac-tive-looking in colour. Possibly this is caused by the larger measure of sunshine in Victoria, than in Canterbury. It should be stated that tho officials at the "Agency-general gave every, attention to the consignment at the sales, as well as holding quite a fruit show at the Vic-i torin street offices, and Mr Wilson has ex-i pressed great satisfaction at the way in which everything was looked after, and particularly at the efforts of Mr H. C. Cameron.