24 



THE CUBA REVI EW. 



AGRICULTURAL MATTERS. 



Prices of Cuban Fruits and Vegetables — Honey and Beeswax Exports and Prices 

 at Havana — Cost of a Box of Oranges, Etc. 



Late New York Prices for Cuban 

 Products. 



New Cuban Tomatoes. — The first arrivals 

 of the 1908 crop Cuban tomatoes were re- 

 corded this week, and the stock, while 

 showing somewhat nale color, moved out 

 in a- fair way at from $2 to $3 per carrier. 

 There was a fair demand for the compara- 

 tively few lots on the market, though the 

 movement is somewhat restricted. Reports 

 from Cuba are to the effect that the coming 

 crop is fairly large, and a freer delivery of 

 the stock is looked for on the steamers to 

 come forward. 



Squash. — A feature of the week has been 

 the arrival of the early Cuban squash, and 

 sales of the white were noted in crates at 

 from $1.25 to $2 per crate. 



Pineapples. — In Cuban pineapples the tone 

 was easy. The lots arriving are not heavy, 

 but there seems to be enough to supply the 

 ■demand ruling. The range on 24s was 

 from $1.50 to $1.75 per crate. On the 30s 

 the range was given as from $1.25 to $1.50 

 per crate, with $1 to $1.25 quoted on the 

 36s. The market for 42s was given as some- 

 what nominal in the range of 75c. to $1 per 

 crate. It is the opinion in some quarters 

 here that the heavy supplies of oranges and 

 apples have had a good deal to do with 

 the neglected situation on the pineapples. 

 There is expected to be some improvement 

 in the general demand following the pur- 

 chases of stock for the Christmas trade re- 

 quirements. 



Grape Fruit. — There has been a rather 

 moderate arrival of stock from Cuba, and 

 this has brought only fair prices. The trade 

 is fair on the good stock and buyers are not 

 taking hold except in small lots to meet 

 their actual wants. The impression seems 

 to be that supplies will continue heavy and 

 that there is no need in any quarter to fill 

 up with the fruit even on the low level of 

 values now ruling. The trouble seems to be 

 that the various markets outside of New 

 York are being filled up with stock direct 

 from the shipping points. This leaves this 

 market with a circumscribed outlet, and the 

 result is that we are over-supplied. Re- 

 ports from Boston and other markets note 

 a congested situation. The consumption has 

 not fallen off materially and I do not believe 

 that there is such a weak situation here when 

 all conditions are taken into consideration. — 

 Fruitman's Guide, New York, Dec. 4, 1908. 



the following information concerning the 

 exportation of honey and beeswax from 

 Cuba: 



Although there are large amounts of these 

 products exported, there has been no practical 

 exploitation of the business, except on a few 

 places in Oriente Province owned by Europeans. 



During the calendar year 1906, the last avail- 

 able statistics, exports were 6,712,533 pounds, of 

 which about 50 per cent, went to Germany,^ 25 

 per cent, to France, 15 per cent, to the United 

 States, and the remainder to various European 

 cn--"tries. 



W'a.K exports from honey during the same period 

 were 1,383,464 pounds, of whicn Germany took 

 about 50 per cent., the United States 25 per 

 cent., France 20 per cent., the remainder being 

 distributed among other countries. 



Prices in Havana. 



Beeswax and Honey. — Beeswax con- 

 tinues plentiful. Yellow beeswax sells 

 at from $28.50 to $29 per cwt. White 

 wax brings higher prices, but is in less 

 demand. 



Honey is bringing good prices. Ex- 

 porters say from 44 to 45 cents per gal- 

 lon in packages ready for export deliv- 

 ered in this city. — December quotations 

 in Cuba. 



Potatoes. — The season for potato 

 planting is just drawing to a close, but 

 reports of Nov. 22 are to the effect that 

 there has been an unusually large 

 amount planted since September. 



Seed potatoes are selling from $4.25 to 

 $4.50. 



Most of the potatoes on the market 

 are from Long Island, there being hard- 

 ly any native potatoes to be had. Not 

 until the latter part of the year will the 

 movement of potatoes begin to pick up, 

 for in January and February the first 

 crop of the year will be planted. 



Cuban Honey and Beeswax Exports. 



Consul-General James L. Rodgers, of 

 Habana, in answer to inquiries, furnishes 



American Rice.— A delegation of Texas 

 rice growers called on President Roosevelt, 

 Nov. 21, to get him interested in a project 

 which, if successful, will result in making 

 a market in Cuba for 2,000.000 bags of 

 Louisiana and Texas rice. They want the 

 reciprocity treaty existing between the two 

 countries amended so as to allow the im- 

 portation of American rice into Cuba free 

 of duty. 



The 'duty on rice is now one-third of a 

 cent per pound. The growers believe that 

 if Cuba removes it the American article 

 could go into the market in competition with 

 rice from the Orient. 



They were told that there is nothing un- 

 der way now looking to a revision of the 

 treaty. 



