46 



THE AGEICULTUEAL NEWS. 



February 11, 1905> 



WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS. 



Drugs and Spices in the London Market. 



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

 London drug and spice niarket for the month of 

 December : — • 



The dulhiess, amounting almost to depression, in the 

 drug market, which is ])ioverl)ial during the month of 

 December and particularly so on the near approach of 

 Christmas and during the succeeding holidays, w^as no 

 exception to the rule in the closing days of 190i, and 

 a similar quietness was felt, though not quite so severely, in 

 the spice markets. A very small proportion of the articles 

 offered during the month came from the AVest Indies, 

 consequently our record will be somewhat meagre. 



GIXCER. 



In the matter of ginger, in which the .Jamaica product 

 has for sometime past shown an upward tendency, little or 

 none has appeared in competition witli that from other 

 sources. At the first spice sale, on December 7, tS.jO packages 

 of Cochin and Calicut were offered, only 100 of which were 

 disposed of at lower rates than prevailed in the preceding 

 month, including small and medium washed rough mouldy 

 Cochin, 16s. to 17.*. A week later the market was ."till dull, 

 though some 1,0-50 packages of Cochin and Calicut were 

 offered and only a small portion sold at easy prices including 

 ordinary small wormy Cochin at l.Ss., while small to bold 

 Calicut was bought in at 2os. 



Nl'TMECS AXD MACE. 



With regard to nutmegs and mace there was very little 

 demand for either at the beginning of the month, the prices 

 being somewhat easier than in November; at the second sale, 

 on December 14, a still easier tone prevailed, fair reddish 

 West Indian mace selling at 1?. Id. to L*. 2d., and pickings 

 at 10(?. to 111/, per lb. 



SAESAPAEILLA, KOL.^ TAMARINDS, ETC. 



The only offerings of sarsai)arilla were made on the 8th., 

 Tfhen 21 bales of Lima .Jamaica were placed on sale, ami 

 5 sold at lOJf?. per R). for coarse and part chump_y. Dull to 

 fair red native Jamaica was bought in at from Sd. to lb/. 

 There was no grey Jamaica offered. At the same sale 1 bag 

 of good AVest Indian kola nuts was disposed of at id. 

 per S> : also 5 casks of dry Barbados tamarinds at os. 

 per cwt., and 3 casks of fair West Indian unworked lime 

 juice at 9d. per gallon. Annatto showed a .slight advance, 

 3 bags of good bright Madras selling at 7d., and 1 bags of 

 dullish fair at 6i/. 



Canada. 



The following is Mr. J. Enssell Murray's monthly 

 report, dated January 14, on West Indian jiroduce in 

 Canada : — 



The opening of the year brings with it a strong spirit of 

 hopefulness. Financial and trading reports show that for 

 the close of the year settlements were good; the retail trade 

 was very active and stocks depleted, indicating that the 

 wholesale houses will be able to buy heavily for .spring trade. 

 The winter has thus far proved very moderate, and in great 

 contrast to the severitj- of last year. 



STEAMSHIP COMMUXIC.^TIOX. 



The West Inlian contract is now occupying the 

 attention of the commercial eorpc rations and the Dominion 



Government. The Corn Exchange and the Board of Trade- 

 of Montreal, and the Manufacturers' Association at Toronto- 

 have unanimously passed resolutions which have been duly 

 forwarded to Ottawa, supporting the proposal that Montreal 

 he the summer terminal port of the West India steamship 

 line. The St. John, X.B., Board of Trade has passed 

 a resolution asking that in the new contract the si)eed be 

 increased from 10 knots to 1.3 knots, and that the size of the 

 steamers be at least double that of those at iiresent in u.se. The 

 IJoyal ilail Steam Packet Company, Me.ssrs. Elder Dempster 

 ct Co., and Messrs. Pickford iS: Black aie the firms who are 

 reported to be the principal competitors. The opinion is 

 general that the new contract must afford a much greater 

 outlet for Canadian produce. The entire question, however, 

 is under most careful consideration at- Ottawa, and a much 

 improved service between Canada and the West Indies will 

 be the outcome. 



SUGAR AND MOLASSES. 



The market continues in the same un.settled condition. 

 The European Jieet market, after a few days' steady advance, 

 declined -id. this week, but recovered on the following daj",. 

 and further sharp advance took place closing to-day at 

 1G.<. Ihd. Several cargoes are due to arrive via New York 

 from Demerara, Fiji, and Trinidad. Local jnirchasers arer 

 reported of 6,000 tons 96" centrifugals, Trinidads and 

 Demerara.s, at .^3'31 and ^S'iS respective!}', c. it f. New 

 York; 69' muscovados at .?301, duty paid, were offered, but 

 obtained no buyers, being considered too high. During the 

 past month prices of refined granulated have been advanced, in 

 .sympathy with New York, ollc. per 100 Ih. The market 

 remains very firm and a steady advance is anticipated, owing^ 

 to the reports of short crops from all sugar-producing centres, 

 and the increase of consumption in Europe. 



A good, firm market for molasses is general, and jirices 

 remain very firm ; about 1,400 puncheons changed hands for 

 refiners' interests, and the grocery firms report a steady 

 trade. Prices local]}' have advanced from 28c. to 30e. 

 for Barbados in second hands, and Antigua is quoted 

 at 27c., but of the latter there is really no stock. 

 There is e\ery probability of good prices for early shipments. 

 The last shipment from Antigua, to our care, continues to be 

 referred to as one of the best that has arrived here. 



COCO.VNUTS, SPICES, FRUIT, ETC. 



The market for cocoa-nuts is fairly supplied, and as 

 business in tliis line is usually quiet in the early months of 

 the year, no change of prices can be looked for. Trinidaci 

 nuts are a little lower in New York. 



Nutmegs remain steady at last month's rates. Jamaica 

 pimento is without inquiry, and offers of ordinary at 5ic. 

 were declined. A small [parcel of fair, bold berry was 

 closed at .5ic., duty paid. 



The consumption of West Indian fruit is at its lowest ; 

 only a few pine-apples and bananas are on the market, and 

 quotations are nominal. 



The market for coffee remains steady at advanced 

 price.s, but little business is being done. 



New Cacao Experiment Plot at Tobago. 



ifr. Henry !Milleii, Curator of the Botanic Station at 

 Tobago, writes : ' Two acres of land have recently been taken 

 over from Mr. H. Smith, of Caledonia estate, for a cacaiv 

 experiment jilot. This estate is situated in a good cacao- 

 growing district, where small proprietors have purchased 

 Crown Lands and also estate land. The establishment of 

 .such a plot is likely to be instructive to all interested in 

 cacao cultivation.' 



