422 



RAMIE TRADE OF THE WORLD. 



The chief centres of production and consumption of ramie fibre 

 are treated of in Commercial Intelligence^ the following details being 

 furnished concerning a plant with whose future trade values the 

 countries of Central and South America are largely concerned. 



In Europe, the principal ramie-consuming countries are France 

 and Germany. The importations into the latter country, in 1900, 

 amounted to 660 metric tons, valued at 422,000 marks; while in 

 1 90 1, the import value rose to 605,300 marks. All the fibre is of 

 Chinese origin and re-exportation is insignificant as it is employed 

 in domestic manufactures. The largest ramie mill in Germany is at 

 Emmendingen, in Baden, employing about 8,000 spindles and pay- 

 ing a dividend for the last seven years of from 5 to 7 per cent. 



In France there are four mills, with 15,000 spindles. The follow- 

 ing figures show the quantities and valuations of ramie imports for 

 home consumption used in French factories from 1898 to 1900. 

 inclusive 



Quantity 



Ye.ir. Metric tons. Value. 



1898 ... ... 466 ... ... 303,000 



1899 ... ... 298 ... ... 179,000 



1900 ... ... 774 ... ... 404,000 



There are perhaps 3,000 spindles engaged on ramie in Switzer- 

 land. In England, the principal ramie mills are the Bunbeg Mills, 

 in London. The consumption in North America is difficult to 

 estimate, as the customs statistics do not mention ramie. The im- 

 ports of fibres not specified in United States statistics amounted, in 

 1900, to 5,12 r metric tons, value at 306,000 dollars, and in [901 to 

 3,860 metric tons, with a valuation of 218,000 dollars. 



The country which exports the large quantities of ramie is China. 

 The chief centres of production are in the south-western section of 

 the Province of Hupe, near Futehan and Mahsai and at Hunan, the 

 chief export centres being Shanghai and Hankow, though a small 

 amount is also shipped via Swatow and Tientsin. The customs 

 registers confound it with other fibres under the heading "hemp." 

 It is stated that about one-half of this so called hamp is supposed 

 to be, in reality, ramie fibre. Following are some Chinese statistic 

 for hemp exports during the years named : — 



Years. 



Piculs. 



Value. 



1890 



35>596 ... 



... 162,419 



1895 ... 



... 97.926 ... 



... 552,639 



1 896 



... 86,913 ... 



643,000 



1897 ... 



... 99,474 



••• 783)965 



1898 



... 106,845 ... 



... 782,032 



1899 ... 



... 166,205 



... 1,323,388 



1900 



... 17^445 ■•• 



... 1,073,154 



1901- 



... 174*641 ••• 



• •• i,337>5 21 



