84: 



Cacao. 



Two samples of this product, labelled No. 1 and No. 2 repectively. 

 wen- received for examination, and they are stated to have been grown 

 and prepared at River Estate, Diego Martin. No. 1 was a "select"' 

 sample which had been valued locally at $14 per 110 lb., and No. 2, 

 described as "Good ordinary," was priced at $13 per 110 lb. in Trini- 

 dad. The specimens were considered to represent the finest types of 

 Trinidad cacao, and had been very highly commended in the Island. 

 It was therefore desired to submit them for valuation and criticism to 

 English buyers. 



The favourable opinion which had been expressed in Trinidad 

 regarding the samples was fully confirmed by their appearance, parti- 

 cularly in the case of No. 1. which was a very fine specimen of cacao. 

 Both varieties were submitted for valuation to leading brokers, who 

 have furnished the following report. 



No. 1. — This is described by the brokers as bold, selected cacao 

 of good appearance, apparently well-cured and fermented. The sample 

 is stated to compare very favourably with the finest specimens of cacao 

 from the leading Trinidad estates. Its value in the London market at 

 the present time is estimated at 75s. to 77s. per hundred weight in 

 quantity, but for a few bags only, if every bean were as large as in the 

 sample, possibly 100s. per hundredweight might be obtained. The 

 brokers stated that a small lot of fine Maracaibo cacao had just been 

 sold at 110s. per hundredweight. 



No. 2.— The brokers describe this as small, clean cacao worth 

 from 60s. to 63s. per hundredweight in London at the present time. 



It is evident therefore that the cacao prepared at Biver Estate, 

 Trinidad, is of very good quality, and the " selected" sample compares 

 very favourably with the highest qualities in the market. 



Corn in. 



The sample of cotton submitted was grown and ginned at the 

 Experiment Station, St. Clair. It is known locally as " Creole" or 

 native cotton, and is believed to be a short-stapled or " Upland" variety 

 which has survived since the old cotton-planting days. This variety 

 is stated to suit the Trinidad climate better than " Sea Island" cotton. 

 and would therefore be more suitable for cultivation if the product 

 realises a fair price. 



The cotton was a pale cream colour, well cleaned, rather rough to 

 the touch and fairly strong. The Length of the staple was 1*2 — l'l 

 inches, which is a little above the average i IT inch) for American 

 "Upland" cotton-. 



The sample was submitted to a Leading firm of cotton brokers, 

 who report that it is a well-prepared cotton, and would be valuable on 

 account of the roughness of the staph', in which particular it resembles 

 91 -mi-rough Peruvian cotton. They value it at 8^d. to 9d. per pound 

 at the present, time, when " middling" American is quoted at 7 : , : d. per 

 pound. 



IIOXKV. 



The honey forwarded for examination and valuation was pro- 

 duced by Italian bees a I the Experiment Station, during the season 



