50 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Fkbkuary 13, 1904. 



He would like to add that, while they were 

 endeavouring to build up an (?xport trade in salted and 

 pickled fish, they were particularly anxious that the 

 fish should, as far as possible, be utilized locally by the 

 people and in the public institutions of the colony. 

 In this way the importations of salted and pickled fish 

 from the United States and Canada might be reduced. 

 Barbados imported every year salted and pickled fish 

 to the value of about £47,000, and while it could not 

 be hoped to .save the whole of this large sum, it might 

 be possible, if the industry were pli*ced on a permanent 

 footing, that at least a portion of it, say one-third, 

 might be saved with considerable ad\antage to the 

 island. 



Sir Daniel stated that the subject of organizing 

 the West Indian fisheries and rendering them more 

 generally profitable had been engaging the attention 

 of the Imperial Department of Agriculture for some 

 time. He had, at one time, hoped it would be possible 

 to establish a fishery branch of the Department as was 

 the case with the Agricultural Departments of England, 

 of Ireland, and of the Cape of Good Hope. The only 

 difficulty was in regard to funds. The Seeretar}' of 

 State for the Colonies had approved of the proposal 

 provided the various West Indian Colonies would 

 contribute a share towards the cost of its maintenance. 

 He had communicated with the different governments, 

 but owing to the prevailing depression in the sugar 

 industry and other circumstances, they were unable to 

 afford material helj). This was the case especially with 

 Barbados. The reply he received in the case of this 

 colony was that the Governor-in-Executive Committee 

 regretted that owing to financial considerations it 

 was unable to assist with funds for starting a fishing 

 industry. The Governor (Sir Frederic M. Hodgson) 

 was, personally, in favour of something being done. 

 That was three years ago. In May last year, Mr. Hunt 

 approached him and asked if it would be possible to 

 obtain assistance from the Department in starting an 

 experimental fish-curing factory. Mr. Hunt mentioned 

 the desirability of obtaining the present buildings. 

 Eventually the Government of Barbados agreed to 

 transfer them with the adjoining out-offices to the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture. The main 

 building was CO feet long and about 20 feet wide, 

 and was well suited for the purpose in view. Since 

 the building had been transferred, the Department had 

 incurred expense in removing the partitions, re-arrang- 

 ing some of the out-buildings and other necessary 

 changes and additions. A jetty had been provided for 

 landing the fish, the fore-shore had been fenced in and 

 a fish-scaling shed had been ei'ected. Also water had 



been laid on from the mains of the Water Works 

 Department. Altogether, with the aid of the funds of 

 the Department, Mr. Hunt was now in a position to 

 prepare and cure .about 20 barrels offish per day. That 

 would mean something like 4,000 to .5,000 barrels per 

 annum. It would be noticed that Mr. Hunt did not 

 put up fiying fish only. There were also albacore, 

 dolphin, shark and dried sprats. The fish was either 

 pickled, salted or dried. The Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture was prepared to continue to give 

 Mr. Hunt assistance from a scientific point of view and 

 to furnish him with information, in regard to fishery 

 matters, desired from other countries. Messrs. Hiins- 

 chell & Co. were general agents for the factory ; but 

 it had been arranged that merchants in Bridgetown, if 

 they preferred it, could obtain their supplies diiect 

 from Mr. Hunt. Mr. Hunt at present had over 40 

 barrels of cured flying fish in stock. Each barrel 

 contained about GOO fish weighing in all about L50 H). 

 It was estimated that cured flying fish could be delivered 

 locally at about ?4'00 per barrel, or at about one-half 

 the cost of salted fish from Canada. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Grocery Sugars in Canada. 



The following letter in regard to the conditinn of 

 the sugar market in the Dominion «{ Canada, has been 

 received from Mr. Alexander Wills, of Montreal, dated 

 January 21, 1904 :— 



In m}' last I advised you I would refer shortly to the 

 liosition of British West Indian sugars in Canada. I have 

 now pleasure in enclosing a copy of a circular letter that we 

 have issued in the interest of the sugar shippers, in order to 

 acqnaint tlienx with the conditions at the present moment 

 existing in the Canadian markets for, especially, refining sugars. 



The letter speaks for itself and we trust it will save some 

 of our friends making losses, or at least minimizing them. It 

 may place business on a better basis by having all sugars for 

 this purpose _/fc.<^ offered direct to Canada, and so free them 

 from the depressing effects of being handled by Xew York 

 l.>rokers, who offer tliem in turn to our refiners under the 

 market conditions created by the jiassiiig of the Cuban 

 Iteciiirocity Treat}'. 



fJrocery sugars are not thus affected and a good and 

 growing market is to be found here. M(jntreal is the greatest 

 centre for liandling all classes of sugars and good results can 

 be obtained for shijinients here : but this class of sugar nnist 

 be shijiped in bags or barrels, bags jireferably, and not 

 hogsheads. This j)ackage is of no use here and stops the sale 

 of sugar. 



I understand some proposals are being considered in 

 Jamaica on the above subject, and if you can advise me oa 

 what is being done, I shall be greatly obliged. 



