THE AGP.ICULTUEAL NEWS. 



November 19, 1904. 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



Canada. 



The following report on West Indi.in products in 

 the Canadian niarkets (hiring the month of September 

 has been forwarded by Mr. J. Russell ilurray : — 



Canadian bu.'iine.s.s in general may be con.sidered good, a.s 

 tl:c- realization of harvest boiie.s are being confirmed and 

 orders from all outlying points are coming forward freely, and 

 Mitliin the next five weeks the jiort of ^[ontreal will be very 

 busy completing the exi'Ort and imiiort busine.--,-. jirior to the 

 clo.sing of navigation about November 1'). 



Steamship Communication. — In interested circles the 

 steani.ship communication with the West Indies is gradually 

 assuming a more definite tone, and all the islands and P.iiti.sh 

 Guiana should be drawing the attention of the authorities to 

 the necessity of a much imjiroved .service and direct 

 communication during the summer months to ifontreal. It 

 is mentioned that at least three companies will tender for the 

 contract which is now held by a Halifax firm and which 

 expires in July next. As the consumption of West Indian 

 fruit has largely increased of late years in Canada, and as 

 many as eighteen cars of bananas have arrived in ^Montreal 

 in a single week during the summer months by rail, this 

 affords proof of the possibilities for a direct service if special 

 fruit accommodation should be insisted upon. 



Sii{/ar. — Importing orders have been very limited during 

 the pa.st month, and the dearth of direct West Indian 

 supplies has caused inquiries to go to New York and London, 

 ■without, however, nmch succe.ss. There are no new arrivals 

 to record since the S.8. 'Degama.' Prices have remained 

 firm, but the lack of offers iirevents the ascertaining of the 

 true value of the advance on this market. Granulated stands 

 at oc. advance above same date for last month. 



Jfolasses. — Good steady business has been in progress, 

 and prices are well maijitained, and in many instances an 

 advance has been realized. A recent consignment of choice 

 Antigua molasses has greatly imjiroved the opinion held here 

 of these molasses, and if (piality is maintained for next 

 season, we .shall find no further difficulty in placing cargo 

 lots. In my report of July last I advised the jirobability of 

 a combination in molasses in the Maritime Provinces. Thi.^ 

 has now materialized, and the New Brunswick Importing 

 Company, formed bj- the St. John and Moncton merchants, 

 as well as the wholesale grocers, is jmblished : the object 

 being that this company will Imj" in large lots and distribute, 

 thus reducing competiticm. St. John, N.H., reports an 

 arrival of a cargo of Porto Pico, and that stocks of P.arl:iadc'S 

 are somewhat reduced. 



Coroa-nutf. — Small supplies have been arri\ing direct, 

 but additional lots have had to be procured in New Yfirk. 

 Prices in New York have again advanced considerabh', but 

 jirices here are only slightly affected. 



Spices. — An active demand has taken place during the 

 month. Fruit and vegetable pickling and preserving are in 

 full ojjeration. Prices, however, remain steady. Peppers 

 have advanced. 



Fntit. — Business in orange.-> is steadily improving fc-r 

 AVest Indian sorts. Jamaicas continue to arrive in fine order 

 and well selected. Dominicas are heavy to move, and 

 greater care in gathering and eliminating faulty fruit must be 

 given. Eecent arrivals were ver_y faulty in conditicn. 

 Prices have been low. The New York advance has not taken 

 ■effect here yet : it is expected X<> dc .^o within a week. 



The banana trade has fallen off, and prices are nominal. 

 Pine-apjiles are also nearly over. 



INQUIRIES AXD NOTES. 



Sii[iar. — I am open to receive offers of 96' centrifugals- 

 for [iroinpt .shi[>nient and afso for December delivery via New 

 York : also for 89° molasses sugars and muscovados, in 

 large or small lots. All nmscovado sugars must he drj- and 

 free from footings. Otters to be made per 100 ft., c. A- f. 

 ^Montreal. 



Cocoa-inifs. — Offers of these will receive [iromjit attention, 

 shipments to be via Halifax. 



]S'ut)negs. — I have inquiries for sizes 110 to 120's in 

 lots of 10 or l-"i barrels. Nuts to lie .shelled and not limed. 



SISAL HEMP IN YUCATAN. 



The Cousuhcr Ropoii on the trade of Vera Cruz 

 fcir 1003 contains the following interesting notes on the 

 cultivation of sisal hemp in Yucatan : — 



Heiiequen, or sisal hemp, is grown in Yucatan, in this 

 consular district, at an elevation of from 28 to 100 feet 

 above sea-level, on a strip of country generally calculated to 

 be about -tO miles from the sea inwards, in which zone the 

 temperature ranges from 45' to 100' F., with a mean of 

 about 8-")". The plant from which this fibre is produced is of 

 the family cif the American Agave. It flourishes on arid 

 land where the soil is very thin, resulting in the strength of 

 the plant being driven into the leaves instead of the roots, 

 while the roots appear to run along the surface, and from 

 these the shoots are produced and in turn jilanted. It is very 

 hardy, producing the whole year round, and from the time of 

 fir>t gi\ing fibre, when about six )-ears old, continues 

 producing leaves for from twedve to eighteen j-ears. 



It may be taken that 1,000 leaves at maturity give from 

 40 to GO tti. of fibre, and on the cutting of these the life of the 

 plant depend.s, for, if they are not cut, the plant will pole 

 before time, and once poled the hemp becomes dry, if not 

 entirely useless. The time for cutting the leaves is when they 

 are at right angles to the stem. Weeding is necessary every 

 year, about a month before the rainy season begins, .so that 

 the plants may have all the advantage of the rain, and at the 

 .same time new shoots are planted. Shoots are cut from the 

 plants at from two to three years of age. The purcha.ser, if 

 wishing these for use out of the State, would have 

 to pay about 88000 per 1,000 in addition to the cost 

 of cutting and other charges, as well as a heavy export 

 duty. Purchasers have been known to wonder whj- they 

 would not gmw, not being aware that the grower has 

 been known tci boil the shoots to prevent competition 

 in other lands. The leaves are, when ready for cutting, 

 about 5 feet long. After they are cut, the thorns on both 

 edges and the hard points or needles are removed, the leaf 

 then lieing passed through a cleaning machine, and the fibre 

 when extracted is dried and bleached in the sun. It is 

 then ready for export, and put uji in bales of about 160 lb. 

 In 1884, the State of Yucatan exported 233,311 bales: in 

 1894, 373,833 bales ; and in 1903, 590,430 bales. 



The principal purpose for which the hemp is used is the 

 manufacture of rojie and binder twine. It is generally 

 mixed with some Manila, which is longer and somewhat 

 better. Some of the heinp is shipped to Europe, but the 

 great bulk of it is sold in the United States. The amount 

 exjiorted during 1903 was taken by various countries a.s 

 follows : United States, 575,167 bales; Cuba, 8,066 ; United 

 Kingdom, 4,286; Canada, 1,200; France, Spain, Germany, 

 and Belirium, 1,711. 



