306 



THE AGRICULTURE. NEW^. 



Sei'tembkk 27, 1913. 



The pi)int we wish to emphasize is that it is not 

 the existence of the West Indies and the kind of 

 produce the colonies export, but rather the conditions 

 of supply, that must be advertised. The manufacturers 

 and the consumers of each class of produce must be 

 reached, and there must be some definite scheme in 

 view. 



This con.sideration leads naturally to the question 

 of markets for West Indian pioduce. The outlet for the 

 products of these Coloniesds, as everyone knows, very 

 divided. The sugar market for Demerara lies between 

 Canada and England, whilst most of the sugar from the 

 Islands goes to Canada onh'. Cotton is shipped to 

 Liverpool. The ma.rket for cacao varies with the place 

 of production. Trinidad supplies are taken chieHy by 

 New York, though a large quantity goes to England 

 and some even to France. Grenada cacao and that 

 from British Honduras is sent mainly to England. 

 New York is essentially the market for West Indian 

 fruit — the Jamaica banana trade and the Dominica 

 fresh lime industry being almost entirely dependent 

 on this centre. At the same time, manufactured 

 lime products and oranges from Dominica find 

 an outlet for consumption in Great Britain. 

 It is evident, therefore, that if a definite policy 

 of advertisement is to be inaugurated, it can 

 ■ only be carried into effect when there is organized 

 contact with these markets. This can be done best by 

 means of trade representatives. These agents would 

 possess the knowledge which is absolutely essential fjr 

 business advertisement : they would know both the 

 conditions of supply and the conditions of consumption. 

 Only under these circumstances can advertising be 

 done in the right way and at the right time. The 

 agents would work with a difinite object. This object 

 might be to create an entirely new demand for 

 any particular form of produce. The way that 

 this were done would be modified according to 

 whether the supply which is to meet it has to be 

 increased at the centres of production or nierely 

 deflected from another market. 'J'he po.ssible dellec- 

 tion of the Trinidad cacaD trade from the United 

 States to Canada may be noted in this connexion. 

 The object in advertising might, of course, be merely to 

 increase a demand already in existence or perhaps 

 meicly to maintain a demand. Then there is that 

 form of advertising, the obje:ct of which is to improve 

 the standard of the demand for belt?r grades. In this 

 connexion there is undoubtedly scope for advertisement, 

 particularly in regard to Sea Island cotton and in con- 

 nexion with improved varieties of fruits. One cannot 

 enter here into too much detail, but the circumstance 



that medical authorities have advertized the fact that 

 bananas constitute highly nutritious food has been a 

 powerful factor in establishing this fruit's popularity. 



Turning to a&othcr aspect of the subject we may 

 consider the very interesting side of advertisement 

 which may be described as guarding against bad 

 advertisement or a's the maintenance of an established 

 reputation. A case in point is afforded by the recent 

 state of the Dominica fresh lime trade with Xew York. 

 There has e-xistetl; of late, some tendency to export 

 inferior grades of fruit — produce which does not come 

 up to the acquired taste of the consumers. This not 

 only means immediate financial loss, but it tends to 

 ruin the market. In the particular case under 

 consideration a New York firm has appointed a re- 

 presentative to safeguard their own interests and 

 those of the growers by inspecting consignments 

 of fruit before they are shipped. Similar action 

 has been taken by a leading firm of chocolate 

 makers in England in regard to the export of cacao 

 from the (Sold Coast. This sort of action .stimulates the 

 production of high grade materials, and one may be sure 

 that the improved supply which it brings about is 

 wisely advertised in the right <|uarter. 



In conclusion, the view may be expressed that owing 

 to entirely different social, economic and political eondi- 

 tions, the advertisement of the West Indies cannot be 

 compared with that of the autonomous Dominions or 

 even with that of chose great tropical possessions in Africa 

 undergoing rapid development. Internally and exter- 

 nally the West Indies present complex trade problems 

 mainly owing to geographical position and lack of 

 general coordination. Advertisement should emanate 

 from the markets and reiich the actual consuaier. 

 It can be done effectively only by representatives who 

 understand and keep u[) to date with the conditions 

 of supply and demand, and whose first and only 

 interest is the West Indies. 



^-^anada and the West Indies —-The West Indie.s 

 are not t-low to appreciate the advantages to be reaped under 

 the recently concluded reciprocity arrangement with Canada. 

 ]''or di.<!tribution at the Canadian National Exhiliition, which 

 was 0|)eDed on Morday by the Uiglit Hon. It L. Jjorden at 

 Toronto, the Im|i(iial Department of Agriculture has prepared 

 a most useful publication, entitled West I/ulies in Canada, 

 I'.H-i. It is fully illustrated with pictures of scenes in the 

 dillerent island.s, ard also of the principal products. Complete 

 information of the trade of the colonies is given in such a way 

 as to show the Canadian inipiirter and exporter where he can 

 hope to incrcjso hi^ bu.sinets under llin new preferential tariff 

 arrangement/ (The .'^tn ndard [[joodon] for August 2H, 

 1913.) 



