Vol. XII. Xo. 279. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



1.5 



stunted by the wilt, and all the inbred bolls on each of these 

 plan's, .enmetimes as many as a dozen, the even larger 

 number uf plants eventually discarded because of too small 

 bolls or too short lint, the final harvest of 357 bolls was 

 made from 105 plants. In other words, 26 per cent, of the 

 original number of flowers wired jjroduoed bolls, which were 

 harvested. But sixty-five plants were discarded altogether, 

 and estimating the number of wired Howers on each of these 

 to be equal to those on the plants saved, there were 85.3 

 flowers wired on the 1<J5 plants finally saved, and 357 of 

 these, or 42 per cent, produced bolls. Xo record was kept 

 of the total number of bolls which finally matured on wilted 

 and discarded plants. 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



DRUGS AND SPICES IN THE LONDON 

 MARKET. 



The month of November began with a restricted busi- 

 ness and a certain amount of depression, in view of the 

 possibilities of the war in the Balkan States att'ecting 

 indirectly products other than those of the countries actually 

 engaged in hostilities. In the middle of the month trade 

 was marked by a very slow demand for drugs, many of 

 which continue to advance in price, such as glycerine, cocaine, 

 eucalyptus oil, menthol, kola, nutmeg oil, and others. Towards 

 the end of November there was a better tone and more 

 activity. 



In West Indian produce nothing calls for special 

 mention except the continued scarcity of kola, and the con- 

 sequent advance in prices. 



GINGEE. 



.4t the first Spice Auction on the 6th, the offerings were 

 400 bags of Cochin, 51 of which sold without reserve at 28s. 

 to 28s. 6rf. for washed rough wormy; 40 bags of Japan were 

 also disposed of without reserve at 24s. dd. to 25s. for limed. 

 On the 1.3th as many as 636 packages of Cochin and Calicut 

 were offered, and all bought in at the following rites: A cut 

 75s., B cut 77s. 60'., C cut 55.s-. and I) rough 35s. Washed 

 Cochin were also held at 36s to 40s. Some 69 bags of limed 

 Japan, were further bought in at 27s. A week later, namely 

 on the 20th, the offerings consisted of 47 liags of Jamaica and 

 215 bags of Cochin, the former being bought in at 52s. per 

 cwt. for dull small washed, and the latter at 37s. for washed 

 rough. At the last auction on the 27th some 69 bags of 

 limed Japanese were disposed of without reserve at 22s. Qd. 

 to 23s. Four hundred and seventy bags of Cochin and 

 Calicut were brought forward and reserved at 37s. for 

 washed rough, 28s. for wormy, and rough brown Calicut at 

 42s. 6rf. 



XUTMEGS, MACE, PIMENTO, .\ND ARROWROOT. 



There has been a steady demand for nutmegs through- 

 out the month At the first spice auction on the 6th, 797 

 packages of West Indian were oftered, and nearly all were 

 disposed of at the following rates, 57's to 68's l\d. to 9i(/., 

 70's to 78's 6.',rf. to 7id., 94's to 104's, ^d. to Id., 1 I7's" to 

 I26"s 5frf to 6id, 142's to 150's 5^rf to 6d. On the 19th 

 293 packages of West Inaian were l^rought forward and 

 sold at \d. to hd. per lb. decline. At this auction 94 

 packages of Java were also offered and .sold. At the last sale 

 on the '.:7th 292 packages of West Indian were offered and 

 sold at somewhat easier rates. For mace there has been 



a steady demand throughout the month. At the first spice 

 auction 197 packages West Indian were offered, and all but 

 one sold at 2s. \d. to 2s. 5d, broken fetching Is M. to 2s. Id. 

 per It). A week later there was no West Indian offered, but 18 

 cases of Java were sold at 2s. \d. per lb., for fair pale and 

 reddish; on the 20th the offerings were 31 packages of West 

 Indian and 14 of Java: 20 of the former were disposed of at 

 2s. \d. to 2s %:l. for fair red, part broken, and Is. 10<i. to 

 2s. \d. for broken. The 14 cases of Java fetched 2.s. '2d. 

 per lb. for small eirly and 2s. (\d. for bold fiat red. At 

 the last sale on the 27th 62 packages of West Indian were 

 brought forward and disposed of at the following rates: 

 fine bold pale at 2s. M., reddish and pale 2s id. to 2s. 3(/., 

 fair reddish 2s. \d. to 2s. to id., broken and pickings Is M. 

 to 2s. per lb. Of pimento 33 bags were offered at auction on 

 the 13th, and 13 sold at 2irf. per lb. On the 20th 90 bags 

 were sold without reserve at '2\d., one lot fetching only 

 2fd per tt). At the last sale on the 27th, 162 bags were 

 offered and bought in at 2|(f. per lb. On the 20th 20 ci,ses 

 of Natal arrowroot were brought forward, live of which w-re 

 sold at 9'/ per lb. 



SARSAPARILLA. 



This article has not occupied a large share of attention 

 during the month. At the drug auction on the 1 4th the 

 offerings were 16 bales of Grey Jamaica and 5 bales of 

 Native Jamaica; only 6 bales of the former were sold, 

 Is. \0d per ft), being paid for fair fibrous: none of the native 

 •famaica was disposed of Is, 2(7. being the ]irice asked for it. 

 At auction on the 27th 16 bales of Grey Jamaica, 23 of 

 Native Jamaica, and 3 of Lima Jamaica were offered; of 

 the former only 3 bales were disposed of, and of the 

 second 5 bales and third 3 bales. Is. Id. to Is. 8rf. 

 was paid for part rough to fair fibrous Grey Jamaica, while 

 Native Jamaica sold at Is \d. to Is. 'id. for fair red; lOit^. 

 for dull red, and 6rf. for inferior yellow and grey mixed 

 For 3 bales of Lima Jamaica, part chumpy to fair Is dd. 

 to Is. Id per lb. was paid. 



KOLA, LIME OIL, LIME .JDICE AND TAMARINDS. 



At the drug auction on the 14th kola was represented 

 by 32 packages, one of which a single bag of Dominica 

 halves, fetched 4|(i. per tb.; the other 31 packages realized 

 from i'ld. to 5rf. per lb. for fair dried Jamaica halves and 

 whole nuts; 4^'^ was also paid for some mouldy and part 

 wormy. In the last week 31 bags of West Indian were 

 brought forward, 17 of which were sold, fair dried halves and 

 whole seeds fetching 4 it/, to bd. and mouldy \\d. Of lime 

 oil it was announced at auction on the 20th that several 

 shipments had arrived from Dominica consisting of about 86 

 cases: Is. 3of. per lb. was the price at which fair West Indian 

 was offered. A week later 7 cases of white distilled were 

 sold at Is. '2d. per lb.; hand-pressed was bought in at 7s. ?hI. 

 Of 12 packages of brown West Indian lime juice brought 

 forward on the 27th of the month, two were sold at Shd. 

 per gallon. With a fair demand for Tamarinds, fair West 

 Indian were quoted at 12s. Qid. per cwt. in bond. 



In connexion with the subject of the supply of Buchu leaves 

 iBaroxiiia spp. described on p. 362 of the At/ricidrural ^^oim 

 November 9th last, it may be of some interest to say that for 

 the demand during the month of November has shown 

 a slight falling off, with a consequent reduction iu the prices 

 obtained. Of 47 packages offered at the drug auction on 

 the 28th November only three were sold, round green leaf 

 of fair quality being bought at 6s. 6(^. per tt). One bale of 

 good long green, which was reported to be exceedingly 

 scarce, was sold at 5s. per lb. 



