188 



rived when there was no particular demand, and after buyers had 

 made their contracts ; they therefore sold with difficulty and at lower 

 prices. This may be remedied by better organization, by such methods 

 as making contracts beforehand, by the careful use of marks and 

 brands, by intimations in trade journals of the conditions of crops, 

 their probable quantity, and the pr- bable times of arrival in the market. 



So far as I could learn, it appeared p< ssible to make contracts for 

 the delivery at specified dites of lots equal in size to about 25 casks 

 and upwards of concentrated juice as shipped from the Leeward 

 Islands These contracts are made, I understand, from about January 

 to April. It is interesting to note that this year (1901), contracts 

 were made for Italian and Sicilian supplies at about £17 to £19 per pipe, 

 while later in the year the market had fallen to about £13. It seems, 

 therefore, highly probable that better prices may ultimately be ob- 

 tained for West Indian juice by a closer acquaintance with British 

 market conditions and by the preparation of high class products in 

 connection with known marks and brands. 



I have little to add concerning the preparation of citrate of lime : 

 those whom I have consulted emphasize the importance of washing the 

 citrate with hot water before drying it : if this is not done thoroughly 

 very troublesome colouring matters may be present in the citrate and 

 in practice these may be more difficult to remove than the colouring 

 matters which are encountered when working with concentrated juice. 

 If attention is paid to this and a well prepared and well washed citrate, 

 free from impurities.is put on the market there is little doubt that in a 

 short time it will command a better and readier sale than its competitors. 



A cacao drier, similar to the one recently erected at the Botanic 

 Station in Dominica, would doubtless serve admirably for the drying 

 of both citrate and cacao. 



It is now being made a condition that citrate must not contain more 

 than two per cent, of free chalk, a penalty being imposed if this amount 

 is exceeded. The exact rate at which this penalty will be levied does 

 not appear to have been yet agreed upon. 



As regard price, citric acid, whether in the form of concentrated 

 juice or of citrate of lime, has practically the same market value. 

 Citrate of lime is quoted in terms of the standard cask of 305 kilos. 

 (675 lbs.) containing 64 per cent, of citric acid ; a standard cask there- 

 fore contains 430 J lb. of acid. Concentrated juice is quoted in terms 

 of the pipe of 108 gallons containing 64 oz. of citric acid per gallon, 

 being equivalent to 432 lb. of acid ; the quantities are practically iden- 

 tical. At present these two commodities command approximately 

 equal prices; sometimes one, sometimes the other having a slight ad- 

 vantage. I understand that an import duty is imposed on citrate enter- 

 ing France while concentrated juice is admitted free, in consequence 

 of which concentrated juice may at times command a slightly higher 

 price in European markets. 



During 1^99 prices ranged from £13 to £20 per pipe or cask : 



1900 " £13 to £17 



1901 " £17 to £19 



The figures for this year are those for January to April when most 

 of the contracts were made : since then they have gradually fallen 

 to about £13. 



