81 



with the enormous production, whicli is said to he ahout 20,000 

 tons. 



Tlie market quotations of the Cola nut in Europe have been 

 subject to somewhat remarlvable ups and downs, as will be seen from 

 the Trade Eeports of the " Chemist and Druggist " which are 

 extracted at random from old numbers of that paper. 

 1890 October IS. Kola nuts have much advanced this week, and 

 in Liverpool, up to 3/9 is now asked for good dry seeds. 

 1909 December 2f). The lower prices now range from 56 to 60 



marks per 100 kilos on the spot (Hamburg). 

 1913 November 29. Kola slightly easier Zd to d\d was obtained 



for fair small to bold dried West Indian. 2|rf for darkish 



slightly wormy and 2d for dark mouldy. 

 191Jt June 13. Kola 3 bags dark Ceylon sold at 2\d per pound. 

 191Ji December 19th. Kola. At the spice auction, 4 barrels dried 



sold at l\d to Ifrf per pound. 

 "The Chentist and Druggist Diary 191S" gives the following 

 under : 



Cost of Diiugs and Chemicals during the Wau. 



Kola Januarv 1 Dec. 31 June 30 Dec. 31 July 31 



^Yest Indian 1915 1915 1916 1916 1917 



per pound '3d 4f to 6d 5f to 6f? 6d 5 to Q^d 



For the present year, the prices stand as follows : 



1918 April 13. Kola sold at slightly firmer prices from lOd t^ 

 ll^d, the latter price being paid for 74 bags West In- 

 dian for good bright halves and wholes. 

 1918 May 11th. 3 bags of fair dried Jamaica halves sold at 11^/ 

 being about steady — 207 bags slightly mouldy African 

 qualities were limited at lit/.* 

 The above quotations confirm what I have already pointed 

 out, viz : that up to 3 years ago, the bulk of the exports to Europe 

 mostly consisted of more or less old, dark and mouldy nuts, of 

 "throw-outs," as Xewland puts it: and that since 1915, the de- 

 mand of the European and American market, has been for a greatly 

 improved staple of nuts. 



Incidentally, they point to the conclusion that, though very 

 much higher than in previous years, the prices are not yet high 

 enough, taking into account abnormal freights, insurance &c., to 

 secure the very best nuts, which the native insists upon having 

 fresh, and sound, and for which he is prepared to ])ay the price. 



Cultivation and Yields. 



The most important centres of production of Cola nuts seem 

 to be the countries skirting the Western African Coast between. 



* The latest record to hand of the Cola market "Chemist and Druggist" of 

 3rd August is "Kola, 20 bags part mouldj "quarters" were held for 10 pence. 



The designation "quarters" applies to the separated cotyledons of the nuts 

 of C. acuminata, which have more than two cotyledons. 



