IS 



THE AGBICULTUEAL NEWS. 



Makch 11, 1905._ 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



Canada. 



Mr. J. Russell Murray has forwarded the foUowiiio 

 rejjort, dated i\Iontreal, Februarv 10, on We.st Indian 

 produce in Canada: — 



The opening month of the year was not marked Ijy any 

 special business features, the annual stock-taking .and 

 balances caused a general holding over of new business, and 

 the January record indicates a quiet but steady business. 

 The winter, thus far, has been a normal one, and with the 

 elections all over it is e.\pected that considerable business 

 growth will follow, stimulated also by the large immigration 

 advised from Briti.sh sources, to take place during the siniiig. 



STE.VMSHIP C0MMUNIC.A.TI0X. 



The tenders for the AVest India steamshii) contract are 

 still under the consideration of the steamship companies. 

 The r>oard of Trade of Toronto and the Corn Exchange of 

 Montreal are in close consultation on the extension of the 

 limits of the contract and the inclusion of ^Montreal as 

 a terminal port. The Dominion Oovernment is, I understand, 

 seriously reconsidering this latter (juestion, and there is every 

 likelihood of a further declaration being made on the subject 

 at an early date. 



SUG.^E. 



A quiet market exists, and very little business is being 

 transacted. Buyers are holding off and ' bearing ' the 

 market, full advantage being taken of the depression of 

 prices on the Beet market. Oliers of 3Jc. for muscovado, 

 duty paid, have been declined, as well as §1'40 for 96 

 centrifugals, duty paid. Yesterday's renewed drop of 3d. in 

 cane sugars in London made buyers firmer in low bids. The 

 cable news to-day, however, of a steadier and firmer market 

 has been most welcome in the interests of West Indian 

 growers. Fifty-five thousand bags of 96° Demeraras arc now 

 landing, and a small lot of Argentina is also e.xpected in 

 a few days. Itefined sugars, both here and in Ne\\' York, 

 "ivere marked down 10c. per 100 It), on the 9th. inst. In the 

 ab.seace of general transactions, quotation.- must be 

 con.sidered nominal. 



M0L.\SSKS. 

 Our )narket is bare of all old stuck, about .j,0OO 

 puncheons having been used up by the refineries during the 

 last month. Offerings have been made from Barbados at 

 32c. landed, but no sales have as yet been made. Buyers 

 anticipate lower prices and are holding off. Business is 

 normal, and no urgency for buying is apjiarent, grocery 

 stocks being anqile for present requirements. 



COCOA-NUTS. 



Business continues very rpiiet and is likely to continue 

 SO for another month at least. Prices are easiei, with nn 

 disposition on the part of buyers to anticipate their wants ; 

 future deliveries can barely sustain jirices. 



COFKEK ASn .'^PICES. 



A general weakening of the New York market fur 

 futures, though a steady market has been maintained for 

 spot. Buyers at New York bought freely at the decline, 

 and towards the close of yesterday's sales the downward 

 tendency was checked. Locally, prices remain unchanged. 



A general slight decline is noticeable in prices in cloves 

 and nutmegs. This, however, may be only tem[ioraiy and 

 consequent on quiet luisiness. Prices may be considered 

 linchanued. 



Drugs and Spices in the London Market 



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

 London drug and spice market for the month c>f 

 January : — 



After some months of uniform dullness, the drug 

 auctions started the new j-ear on January 19, after aa 

 interval of si.x; weeks, with a better tone, which was fairly 

 maintained to the end of the month. The weekly price 

 aneti(jns were resumed on January I. 



GINIJEK. 



At this sale no Jamaica was offered, but good bolcl 

 Calicut was sold in small quantities at 2bs. in liaskets_ 

 Unassorted Cochin, native cut, was bought in at 3.")«. to 3G.«. 

 A week later the .same easy tone prevailed. .Small to bold_ 

 native-cut Cochin was bought in at S^.s. to 37s. per cwt., 

 while dark wormy rough Malabar sold at 15s. to l-5s. 6(^_ 

 Only small quantities were offered. Jamaica was again 

 absent. On the 17th. 500 jiackages of Cochin were offered 

 and all were bought in. The jirices a.sked were 22s. for fair 

 medium and plump w'ashed, and I5s. for mediiun cut and 

 .scraped. At the last auction of the month .some 1,070 bags 

 of Cochin and Calicut were offered, Ijut only foiu' were 

 disjiosed of ; the [n-ices at which the luilk was bought in were 

 as follows : — unsorted native-cut Cochin 37s. 6c/. : Calicut 

 rough 22s., and bold 25s. It will be observed that ik« 

 Jamaica was offered throughout the month, 



AEEOWEOOT. 



Of this article, which is akso ott'ered at the .spice sales,, 

 some 65 barrels of good manufacturing St. \'incent were 

 disjiosed of at the first auction, on January 4, at l|r7. per B). 

 A week later, 100 boxes of Natal were offered and bought in 

 at 3(/. per lb., while St. Yincent was sold privately at the 

 previous rates. On the 17th. no St. A'incent was offered, 

 and Natal was bought in at the higher rate of old. At the 

 close of the month lf(/. was still obtained for St. Yincent, at 

 wliich late oS7 barrels w-ere sold. 



NUTMEGS AND MACE. 



Of the former somewhat lower rates were quoted for 

 West Indian than had prevailed at the close of last jear, and 

 little or no change took jilace throughout the month. jNtace 

 at the comnieneenient showed an upward tendency, ordinary 

 to fair West Indian selling at Is. 2i/. to Is. 4(7. per tt). and 

 good at Is. 4(/., which rates were continued to the close of the 

 month. No interest seems to have been shown in pimento, 

 -pi. being the price quoted for ordinary grey. 



SAESAPAEIIXA. 



There is but little to report on this drug. About the 

 middle of the mouth it was stated that holders of genuine 

 grey Jamaica were asking Is. 2d. per fc. and for Lima- 

 Jamaica 11(/. and llj(?. A little later the following: 

 quotations were given, Jamaica being in small supply sold 

 readily at Is. to Is. !</. per Bj. Native sold at from 7d. to 

 9(/. for medium dull mixed, and 6(/, for sea-damaged. At tlie 

 end of the month grey Jamaica still commanded Is. '2d. perlb.» 

 but Lima- Jamaica had dropped to lOhd. 



KOI.A, MUSK SEED, TAMAEINDS, ETC. 



Amongst other West Indian jiroducts may be mentioned 

 a number of packages of kola nuts, of wliich eight were sold 

 as follows : — One bag of fair Jamaica at 3(7. jier lb.; one of 

 dull Ceylon at 4(/., and six other packages at id. to 4|rf. 

 These were offered at the atiction on January 18, as was alsc» 

 a barrel of musk seed from St. Lucia, which realized 31(7. 

 per H). Six barrels of fair palish Barbados tamarinds sold at 

 from Ss. 3(7. to 8s. Gd. per cwt., and a quantity of AYest 

 Indian distilled lime oil fetched Is. 3t7. per B). 



