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In the Per opens of a large fruit trade Dominica labours under 
peculiar disadvantages. The island is so backward that the means of 
tion, and it thus happens that the fruit hitherto exported has been 
gathered from trees and plants growing only in the neighbourhood of 
Roseau and Portsmouth; the two ports of entry on the leeward side of 
the Sid. The other districts are practically untouched by the present 
trade, although fruit can s got from them in the greatest abundance. 
The roads, except for a mile or two round Riseau, the chief town, are 
small company to start a coasting steamer. Most of the capital was 
readil subscribed as it was thought that the Government would 
tee an canem st of 5 per cent., for the members of the "petens 
nication is as far away from Dominica as is Lisbon from m Don very 
injudiciously declined to sanction the small outlay for the first year or 
, and undertaking unhappily fell to the ground. The entire 
absence of dioe: means of communication from one district to another 
has much to do with the present backward condition of the island, and 
unless the country be opened up by good roads the fruit trade cannot 
possibly attain to anything like the large dimensions that the peculiar 
ets improved, were ar n att 
look after the interests of shippers, and were the Government to 
fide, ae they have really effected a good deal. But their ships are 
not specially adapted to carry fruit, and they do not arrive at the island 
with sufficient punctuality. Inthe case of Oranges it is necessary to 
way from Dominica have arrived in London after a fortnight’s voyage 
in excellent ca: thereby showing, rent all doubt, that the island 
ed easily supply the exe markets with Oranges and similar fruits, 
e with London mi i 
"ous VE 
port t of call for their diet line steamers; but, as this would probably 
dislocate their sonno, y might require a subsidy for the first 
year or so, or until the trade became sufficiently extensive to bear a 
good margin of profit. 
In the opening up, satel ba of a trade of this sort it is to be expected 
that there will be frequent losses if the fruit be consigned to the open 
market and sold for oak it t wil fetch ; and this is really one of the 
greatest tastes in the development of the indust try. Our growers 
