238 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



July 16, 1904. 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



Drugs and Spices in the London Market. 



The following is Mr. J. R. Jackson's report on the 

 London Drug and Hpicc market for the month of Ma}-; — 



The same (juiet time reiiorted for April lia.s contimied 

 in tlie drug and spice markets throughout the mouth of Ma\-, 

 and but little change may be expected through the 

 summer months; consequently, there is nothing of any s[iecial 

 character to note, and this applies not only to West Indian 

 products but to those of other countries generally. 



AliKOWKOOT. 



As an illustration of the effect changes in cultures have, 

 or are likely to have, in different countries, on the several 

 markets, it may Ije noted that, with regard to arrowroot, the 

 following has appeared in that well-informed and up-to-date 

 journal, the C/icmu<t nrul DrwjglM: — 



'It is said that a considerable number of the jiroprietors 

 of arrowroot estates in St. A'incent are, in the near future, 

 to devote themselves to the cultivation of cotton, which fact 

 may eventually bring about dearer prices for arrowroot. No 

 supplies were offered at the London auction on Tuesday, 

 May 3, and privately, the market is reported firmer, added to 

 Avhich deliveries dtning the first four inonths of the year 

 amounted to 8,068 barrels against 5,487 barrels last year. 

 The stock is now 9,022 barrels, against 11,20.'3 barrels.' 



Some proof of the above statement has been sliown by the 

 quotation of later prices. Commencing a week after the 

 above statement appeared, good manufacturing St. A'ineent 

 realized \\d. to 1^(/. per Dj., while a week later, 236 barrels 

 were offered and bought in at 1\d. to 3i(7. per Iti. 



OISGEn. 



At the first spice auction of the month over 700 

 packages of .Jamaica ginger were offered and srvmewhat more 

 than half .sold at stead}- prices, viz., 57.«. for bold : 46s. to .50.*. 

 for fair to good washed : 39f.-. to 43s., for medium dullish to 

 medium washed, and 34s. to 38,<!. 6rf., for ordinarj- to 

 ordinary dullish. Cochin was in slow demand, fetching 2.3s. 

 for shrivelled brown Calicut rough, and 21s. 6(/. for small. 

 A fortnight later, viz., on May 18, as many as 1,300 packages 

 of Jamaica were offered, and about 6-50 sold at the following 

 rates: — Good washed, 47.?.; bold, 4.5s.: medium to fair 

 ■washed, 40s. to 44s., small and middling dulli.sh, 36s.; 

 ordinarv, 34s. to 36?. 6(/., and common dark, 31s. 6(7. to 33.?. 

 PiOugh Cochin was quoted at about 2s. lower. It may be of 

 interest to note in connexion with the ginger trade, that sales 

 have been effected in Li\erpool of the new crop of Sierra 

 Xieone at 20s. per cwt. 



M.\^CE, XrXMEOS, PIMENTO, ETC. 



Of Other West Indian si)ices, the cpiotations at the first 

 sale of the month were as follows: — Mace, fair qualit}-, Is. 9rf. 

 to Is. 10(7. : ordinary, Is. 7*^?. to Is. 8rf., and pickings, Is. 6(/. 

 to Is. 1(1. per tt). A fortnight later the prices had slightly 

 advanced, good West Indian realizing Is. lb/.: ordinary to 

 fair, l.<. 8(7. to Is. 9(7., and broken. Is. 5(7. 



Kiitmci/s. — These were from Id. to 1(7. per lb. dearer than 

 in the preceding month, chiefly in the smaller and medium 

 sizes, and these prices remained steady throughnut the month. 



Pimento. — Of pimento G80 bags of 1901 import were 

 offered at the first .sale, greyish to fair quality selling at 

 3^(7. to 3i|(7. per Iti. On the 18th. a large quantity of 

 jiimento was again offered and disposed of, mnstly without 

 reserve, at prices varying but slightly from the above. 



Sarmpaiilla. — On INIaj- 12, 3 bales of genuine grey 

 Jamaica, of common quality, were offered and bought in at 



Is. 1(7. per Ui. There was a fair supply of native Jamaica,. 

 but no fine red was ottered: 6(7. to 11(7. per Iti. was obtained 

 for common mixed to fair red ; Lima sold at 10(7., and 

 several bales of Honduras were limited at Is. 1(7. to Is. 2(7. 



KOL.l NUTS, ANN.VTTO SEED, TAMARINDS, ETC. 



At the first sale, on the 12th., good West Indian kola 

 nuts sold at 51,(7. to 6(7. ; and two bags of good East Indian, 

 said to be from Ceylon, were disiwsed of at 5(7. per lb. 



At the .same sale, 31 packages of annatto .seed were 

 offered and 9 of fair Madras sold at 3|(/. per It). 



At the same sale, 3 bags of ordinary West Indian musk 

 seed were offered and 2 sold at 7<7. per lb. 



Tamarinds were also offered in (piantity, good Ijright 

 Barbados, of new crop, selling at 10s. per cwt., in bond; 

 while low stony East Indian .sold at 5s. A week later, viz., 

 on the 19th., it was announced that tlie steamship 'Inchniona' 

 from liarbados had arrived with 264 barrels, and the 'Winnie' 

 from Antigua with 217 barrels and 33 lialf-barrels. The 

 last named ve.ssel had also brought 24 casks of Tonka beans 

 from Trinidad. 



West Indian distilled lime oil was cpioted at the end 

 of the month at Is. 6(7. per &>., and new raw AVest Indian 

 lime juice at from Is. 2(7. to Is. 5(7., according to quality 

 and quantity. 



BAHAMAS ISLANDS. 



Appointment of Curator of Botanic Station. 



A Board of Agriculture has recently been estab- 

 lished in the Bahamas, and it is proposed to start 

 a Botanic Station for which a Curator is re(]uirod. 

 Particulars as to this appointment are contained in tlie 

 following extract from a letter addressed by the Acting 

 Chairman of the Board of Agriculture to the Imperial 

 Commissioner of Agriculture : — 



Believing that a man who has become familiar with the 

 climate, soil and }ilaiits of the West Indies would best suit 

 these islands, the Board would be much indebted to j'ou if 

 you would kindly let it become known that such a man is 

 wanted and forward to them, with your indorsement, any 

 ai>plicati(>ns that may be made. 



The candidate is to state his capabilities. The proposed 

 salary is from £150 to £200. 



The Board would prefer a practical mnn with some 

 .scientific training, and, as you may suppose, a knowledge of 

 the sugar industry is unnecessary. The Bill aiii)ointing 

 a Curator is for a period of three years only, but may be 

 renewed if the experiment is found to be satisfactory : aiul it 

 is ex}iected that the Curator with reach here not later than 

 October. 



It would be well if ajiplications for this post were 

 addressed, in the first instance, to the Imperial Commis- 

 sioner of Agricidture for the West Indies, Barbados. 



Lawn Grasses in Egypt. According to the 



Journal of till' Alciaiidria llorticnltuntl .S'uc/t/y, among the 

 grasses most frequently used iu Egyjit for making lawns are 

 t^tenotiijiltrtim aincrlcantim (the .Jamaica pimento grass) and 

 Cynodun Dacti/lon (the Bahama or Devil's grass of the West 

 Indies.) Of the latter it is stated : 'Experience has shown the 

 absolute necessity of obtaining a fiat surface before planting, 

 as no amount ef earth added after the grass has taken root 

 will have the same effect in levelling up the soil.' 



