Vol. V. No. 102. 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



83 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



The Sugar Trade. 



The following note on the sugar trade has been 

 taken from the Ufarithne Merchant for February 22, 

 last : — 



The agreement between the Canadian refiners and the 

 West Indian sugar producers expires on -July 1, arrangements 

 for the last half of the year being subject to future negotia- 

 tions. The present terms are similar to those adhered to for 

 the past two years, and are on the basis of the payment of 

 one-half the preference to British producers, which, on the 

 whole, is perhaps not an unfair arrangement, although the 

 West Indian planters think that they should have the whole of 

 it. The early crop estimate for the several islands was as 

 follows : Trinidad, 40,000 tons ; Barbados, -15,000 tons ; 

 Demerara, 110,000 tons ; .Jamaica 20,000 tons. The actual 

 results, however, will considerably overrun this estimate. 

 The exports from Demerara for 190-5, amounted to 113,217 

 tons, and at the end of the year, there remained 12,000 tons 

 unshipped. The indications are that the present j^ear's crop 

 will equal that of 1 905. 



Barbados Molasses. 



The Maritime Merchant for February 22, last, 

 states that the Customs' department at Ottawa has 

 just made an important decision regarding Barbados 

 molasses • — 



During the past year, a quantity of 1,000 to 1,500 

 puncheons of sj'rup has been imported at the ports of Halifax 

 and St. John, and entered and sold as molasses. There was 

 some doubt about the matter, which was brought to the 

 attention of the Tariff Commission at one of its recent 

 sessions, and in consequence, samples were sent to Ottawa. 

 As a result, it has been decided that the goods must pay 

 a package duty, and 40c. per 100 lb., making an additional 

 duty of about 4]c. per gallon. 



This, contrary to expectation, will, it is stated, not 

 materially increase future prices, as it will be offset by 

 changes in the primary market. 



Regarding this, Messrs. S. P. Musson Son ife Co., of 

 Barbados, rei>ort under date of January 27, as follows : 'The 

 crop of 190G has been estimated at 47,000 tons of sugar, and 

 35,000 puncheons of molasses, by the Agricultural Society 

 on the data furnished by the principal planters, so we think 

 this should be fairly accurate. No price has yet been 

 mentioned for sugar, but 13c. (puncheon included), has been 

 offered for molasses.' 



Central Factories. 



The following is taken from a recent number of 

 the International Sugar Journal : — 



The success of the Antigua central factories ought to 

 prove a powerful argument in support of those reformers who 

 desire to see similar factories in Barbados and Trinidad. 

 Hitherto, in spite of the attempts made by Sir Daniel Morris 

 and Professor J. B. Harrison to get the Barbados planters to 

 move in the matter, the latter have been too wedded to old 



methods to do anything. They cannot, however, go on 

 indefinitely wasting 40 per cent, of their raw material, and 

 now that Antigua sugar is proving better and more profitable 

 than the one time famous Barbados brands. Barbadians may, 

 it is hoped, throw off their conservatism, and go in for large 

 up-to-date central factories. If they do not, they will only 

 have themselves to thank if ruin overwhelms them. There 

 are doubtless many people left who like the Barbados old- 

 fashioned raw sugar; but we very much question whether 

 the demand for it will remain so great as to warrant its 

 manufacturers defying all progressive methods and scientific 

 manufacture. We are glad to see that the Barbados ];iress 

 realizes this, and advocates speedy reform. 



Improved Sugar Machinery. 



The following extract has been taken from the 

 Glasgov: Herald for December 30, 1905. It refers 

 to the additional manufacture of sugar machinery for 

 the West Indies by Mirlees, Watson, & Co., Glasgow, 

 and that company's reflections on the bright prospects 

 for the sugar industry between the West Indies and 

 Canada : — 



In the British West Indies, only a few extensions and 

 improvements were carried out, owing to the crop being 

 rather under the estimates. As a new field is now open to the 

 British West Indian sugar planters through the preferential 

 tariff given them by the Canadian Government, further 

 improvement and e.xtensions of machinery may be expected 

 there next year. As a matter of fact, there came into Canada 

 from Great Britain in 1900 only $91,786 worth of sugar; 

 for the year ending June 30, 1905, this rose to $456,000— 

 an increase of $364,214. Meanwhile, the imports from 

 Germany of raw and refined sugar fell off from $3,411,881 

 in 1900 to about $13,000 last year. Piaw sugar imported 

 during the same time from the West Indies increased from 

 $160,000 to $4,000,000; that from British Guiana alone 

 increasing from $20,000 to over $2,500,000, practically all 

 of which came in under the preferential tariff. This means 

 an increased demand for sugar machinery for the West 

 Indies. The result of the steam ploughing has been such 

 that steam ploughs are being sent out this year to other 

 sugar estates in the West Indies. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



The Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture returned 

 from the Northern Islands in S.S. 'Caribbee,' on 

 March 4. While at St. Kitt's, he addressed an impor- 

 tant meeting of the members of the St. Kitt's Agri- 

 cultural Society, on Central Sugar Factories, the 

 Cotton Industry, and other subjects. On March 4, he 

 proceeded to St. Vincent, and addressed a conference 

 of planters in the Court House on March 6, and 

 distributed Diplomas of Merit at the Agricultural 

 Show held at the Agricultural School on March 7. 

 The Imperial Commissioner returned to Barbados in 

 S.S. ' Sibun ' on March 8. 



The Official Gazette of the Leeward Islands for 

 March I, 1900, announces the return, from leave of 

 absence, of Mr. H. A. Tempany, B.Sc, A.I.C., Assistant 

 Government Analyst, and the resumption of his duties 

 on February 24, 190G. 



