THE CUBA REVIEW. 



23 



DUTY 



AND COSTS OF PACKING AND SHIPPING VEGE- 

 TABLES FROM CUBA. 



Notes From Estacion Central Agronomica. 



In addition to the extensive variety ing should not exceed 10 to 15 cents pei 

 test and cultural exoeriments which have crate. 



been carried on by Professor Austin, of 

 the Horticultural Department, since the 

 founding of the Estacion, in the last 

 two years he has gathered together a 

 mass of useful information regarding the 

 commercial side of vegetable growing, 

 both for the export trade and for the 

 local markets. 



From inquiries made of the Collector 

 of the Port of New York, and from 

 prominent commission merchants in 

 New York and Chicago, the following 

 ■data have been obtained as to customs 

 charges on vegetables entering the 

 United States, transportation rates be- 

 tween Havana and New York and Ha- 

 vana and Chicago, styles of packages 

 preferred, etc. 



The Duty. 



Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, squash, 

 teets and parsley, under paragrapn 257 

 ■of the tariff, is 25% ad valorem. 



Beans, under paragraph 240, it is 45 

 cents per bushel of sixty pounds. 



Onions, under paragraph 2/0. it is 40 

 cents per bushel. 



Potatoes, it is 25 cents per bushel. 



On all Cuban products there is, how- 

 ■ever, a 20% reduction on these rate^ on 

 account of the reciprocity treaty. 

 Cost of Packing, Picking, Transpor- 

 tation, etc. 



The cost of packages, including mak- 

 ing and nailing of crates and cost of 

 wrapping-paper, is from 20 to 25 cents 

 per crate. 



The cost of picking, sorting and pack- 



The rates in car lots from Havana to 

 Chicago, by way of Mobile or Nev/ Or- 

 leans, are as follows: 



Tomatoes, beans, peas, $1 per crate. 



Okra, squash and cucumbers, $1,067. 



Peppers, eggplants, garlic, $1,355. 



Potatoes, 93 cents; and onions, 86 

 cents. 



In less than car lots: 



Tomatoes, peas, beans, peppers, egg- 

 plants and garlic, $1.45. 



Okra, squash and cucumbers, $1.13. 



Potatoes, $1; and onions, 90 cents. 



The entire cost of shipping from Ha- 

 vana to New York, including freight, 

 duty, cartage and commission, is esti- 

 mated at from 70 to 90 cents per crate. 



Cartage and Freight Costs. 



In New York City the cartage on ali 

 classes of vegetables is 5 cents per pack- 

 age. The freight from Havana to New 

 York averages 30 to 35 cents per crate. 



The package preferred for tomatoes, 

 okra and peppers is the Florida six- 

 basket carrier. The tomatoes should be 

 wrapped. Okra and peppers should not. 

 Eggplants and white squash should be 

 wrapped and packed in the stand'ard 

 Florida eggplant crate. 



The Estacion will soon issue .a bulle- 

 tin from its horticultural department in 

 which Prof. Austin will treat both the 

 commercial and cultural side of vege- 

 table growing in Cuba in great detail 

 and in a practical way that will make 

 the bulletin a condensed manual on the 

 subject. 



The Heart of a Cocoanut Palm. How the fruit is bunched, big and little. 



