May 1, 1S84.J 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



80'/ 



prices ruling the world over at the present moment, nor 

 can it have had any connection with very modest figures 

 that have been occasionally named in years past in this 

 country, when the article was dutiable. 



The present value, as already stated, of American quinine 

 is 5I.4O per ounce, and foreign quinine comes free of duty. 

 But foreign quiuiue was dutiable in 1857, and the American 

 sold down to ilAO; so in 1S.5S, when it touched $1.25, and 

 in 1859, when it sold at Sl.25, and in 1860, when it fell to 

 fl. As far back as 1831 American quinine sold down to 

 i.1.35, and in 1837 to J1.4CI. These were low prices— for 

 the most part lower than quotations named since the 

 removal of the duty— but they were the natural result of 

 the plentiful supply and low prices of cinchona bark, the 

 principal crude material used in the manufacture of quinine. 

 On the other hand, we find that very high figures have 

 been quoted in London, where there is no duty on the 

 bark, none on the solvent, and where foreign quinine may 

 enter free. For instance, in May, 1877: 

 Howards' in vials 10 shillings and 6 pence. 

 German, in tins, 14 shillings and 6 pence to 15 shillings 

 and 6 pence. 

 PeUetier's, 15 shillings and C pence to 16 shillings. 

 The price, 16 shillings and 6 pence per ounce, equalsabout 

 54.12^ per ounce in London, and is nearly as high as the 

 hight'st point the article has touchetl in this country in a 

 period of fifty years. Against this quotation the low price 

 of 6 shilhngs and 6 jjence named in London for Howards', 

 in February, 1876, will illustrate the great fluctuations to 

 which quototions for this article are liable. The difference 

 is equal to 10 shillings, or $2.50 per ounce in a little over 

 one year, and this in the London market. 



While, therefore, the removal of all protective duties has 

 forced American manufacturers to struggle against unlimited 

 foreign competition, and while it is true that the surplus 

 product of a large number of European manufacturers has 

 at times glutted this market, and been offered very low, 

 and while American manufacturers have been compelled to 

 foUow these low figures named here and abroad for foreign 

 quinine, yet, as a matter of fact, the low prices that have 

 ruled during the past few years have been mainly due to 

 the rmusually large stocks of bark held in London and else- 

 where, and to the cheapening of the bark, which resulted 

 from excessive supplies. They can not be attributed but 

 to a very slight degree, if at all, to the removal of a twenty 

 per cent duty in the United States, because quinine is and 

 has been cheap the world over. 



But while present low prices can not be charged exclusively 

 nor principally, to the removal of a twenty per cent duty — 

 be caused equally low prices have ruled years ago, when 

 quinine was dutiable — the facts, not to be controverted, 

 are I hat the United .States has become a sort of battle 

 ground for foreign manufacturers ; that their surplus has 

 been sent to this country in lai'ge quantities ; that the 

 freeing of quinine stimulated and increased production 

 abroad and curtailed it here ; that this market has been 

 handed over to foreigners, while we have not gained a 

 ' single new outlet for our own product, and that our home 

 manufacturers must either sell at about the prices named 

 in England, Fiance, Germany, Italy, and Holland, or go 

 out of the business, and this without reference to the 

 difference in cost of production. 



That it cost more to make quinine here than abroad any 

 one knows who is familiar with clifference in wages, gen- 

 eral expenses of doing business, cost of plant, charges for 

 repairs, cost of crude materia], taxes, etc. 



The practical working of the rcmovifl of the duty on 

 foreign sulphate of quinine has been to rcliuquisl> a great 

 part of the market of (he United States to foreigners— to 

 the manufacturers of Kngland, France, Germany, Italy, and 

 Holland. These manufacturers supply to otn- people what 

 under other circumstances would be furnished by Amer- 

 ican capital, skill, and labor. In return thesis countries do 

 not take one ounce of American made quinine. 



The vast increase in the importation of foreign (luinine 

 demonstrates the correctness of the assertion, as to this 

 market having been largely reUnquishcd to foreigners. 

 In 1877 we imported 75,804 ounces. 

 In 1878 we imported 17,549 ounces. 

 In 1879 we imported 228,348 ounces. 

 In 1880 we imported 416,908 onnces. 

 In 1881 we imported 408,851 ounces. 



In 1882 we imported 794,495 ounces. 



In 1SS3 we imported 1,055,764 ounces. 



(For fiscal years ended June 30th, see Reports on Com- 

 merce and Xavigation, l;ureau of Statistics.) 



As the importation of the foreign finished product has 

 increased, so as the importation of the crude material for 

 our manufactures' use diminished ; so that while in 1879 

 we imported 6,389,378 pounds of cinchona bark, in 1883 

 there came in but 3,039,315 pounds. (See Reports on 

 (_"ommerce and Navigation.) 



The diminished importation of bark results exclusively 

 from the absence of ability to consume more largely in 

 this country, on account of the large falliug-off in the 

 amount of quiniue jiroduced here, and not from any scar- 

 city of the supply. In fact, the stock of bark iu London 

 is larger by over 30,000 packages than it ever was before. 

 The shipments of cultivated bark from the East Indies to 

 London have increased enormously. Perhaps these facts 

 may be of interest. 



"Under circumstances as favourable as those enjoyed by 

 European manufacturers, it is quite possible that our 

 American producers of quinine could compete success- 

 fully with foreigners — at least in this market, but matters 

 now stand, it is a question how far and how long they 

 win continue to battle for a share of the business, the dis- 

 advantages they labor under being so great as to largfely 

 ilraw upon their stock of pride and pluck, which may 

 become exhausted, and then our people will be entirely 

 iu the hands of foreign makers." — /jidejiendent Record. 



A LETTER FROM FLORIDA. 



■Xear Volusia, February 10, 1884. 

 Editor tSoi'-theni Planters'—it occurs to me that a letter 

 from this remarkable State, which of late years is attract- 

 ing so much attention, might be acceptable to the readers 

 of the Planter, for in Virginia, as in other States, there 

 are many who are looking to Florida as a health resort, ; 

 and as a profitable field for the cultivation of fruits and 



The traveller on the "Atlantic Coast Line," to reach Jack- 

 sonville, passes from the North Carolina Hne south a 

 peculiar country — peculiar for its flatness, ponds, mostly 

 without falls for drainage, and for its pant of cultivation. 

 The .support of the country is drawn from its pine trees — 

 yielding turpentine, resin and tar. From this source are 

 being built up villages about the depots. An intelligent 

 gentleman on the train, himself engaged in the manufacture 

 of the products of the pine, informed me that the timber 

 of the country was being rapidly cut and marketed, and 

 at a period uot remote the supply of turpentine, &c., would 

 be exhausted, as the trees only bore one tapping or cutting 

 in their life time. Now what is this country to depend on 

 when these supplies are exhausted? It is time it.s inhabit- 

 ants were thinking of this. Their only alternative is to go to 

 work, clear somfe of their lands, cultivate, them in such things 

 as they fijid most profitable, and in something to rear and 

 feed stock on, or to abandon their homes and villages. 

 The soil evidently is not a good one, but may be suited for 

 corn and oats, and particularly for ground peas, sweet 

 potatoes and melons for market; then they may raise Ber- 

 muda grass, ever branching sorghum, or raillomaize for 

 stock. Now they have no stock but a tew scrub cattle and 

 razor-back hogs. 



Many of your readers do not know that Florida is tlie 

 largest of the United States ea.st of the Mississippi, con- 

 taining 60,000 square miles, while our dismembered Virginia 

 contains 42,000 to 45,000 square miles (no one seems to 

 know the exact number.) F'lorida was ceded to the United 

 States in 1821 by Spain, and .admitted as a State in 1845. 

 It is only .since the war that it has been known to the out- 

 side world or knew of an outside world. The St. -John's 

 River, on which there is much travelling in the AVinter, is 

 a noble stream, navigable to enterprise, 200 miles, and nuich 

 further for very small boats. Its scenery is very attractive 

 to the stranger, with its banks luied with the tree palm 

 (cabbage palm) and other evergrecns,in striking and ple:ising 

 contrast with the gray moss pendant eight or ten feet from 

 numerous live oaks which line its banks. 



After landing at Volusia I iu.spected a tuae orange grove 

 fronting on the river. The soil is very light, and filled with 

 numerous sea-shells, which are found also filling the baok^ 



