Fibres. 



20 



[Judy, 19i0 



too long for the crop being so much 

 short of last one. A very sudden and 

 decided shrinkage is not likely. Recent 

 arrivals here show some improvement 

 in quality, and this is taken as an 

 indication that the yield is not ex- 

 hausted yet, lb is to be hoped, for 

 the sake of the Director's and Depart- 

 ment's reputation, that there will be 

 an approach to accuracy this time, 

 The estimates for 1905-6, 190(5-7, and 1907-8 

 were as near to the actual outturn as 

 the trade wants, but surely if accuracy 

 was possible in a succession of seasons it 

 is still possible. To bring in a hugely 

 wrong estimate after such a span of 

 correctness plays havoc. 



The crop was sown under exception- 

 ally favourable conditions. True, from 

 October till March, when the sowing 

 commenced, there had been no rain, but 

 simultaneously with the preparation of 

 the ground rain came, and from that 

 time till the crop was maturing the most 

 perfect conditions with remarkably few 

 interruptions prevailed. The rivers were 

 on their best behaviour, and the depth 

 at Gowhatty seldom departed from the 

 average of the finest seasons. Every* 

 thing proceeded most satisfactorily till 

 the first acreage estimate was neatly 

 due. On the 5th and 6th July the re- 

 turns were issued for 31 of the districts, 

 showing a reduction of 103,000 acres. 

 This took the trade aback, and from 

 then till the 14th of July, when the 

 official total acreage came, the market 

 was in a state of anxiety and doubt. 

 However the conditions continued to be 

 all that could be desired till tho 21st of 

 September, when the final forecast was 

 received, raising the number of acres 

 from 2,728,100 to 2,732,700, at which it 

 stands to-day. It was no surprise to the 

 trade to find the percentage of yield 

 higher than it had been for many years. 

 Many expected it higher still.- Should 

 the out-turn be larger than 88 per cent, 

 the margin will more likely be attributed 

 to water than to j ute. 



That Dundee had her full supply of 

 jute tor the season from 1st August, 1908, 

 to 31st July, 1909, could not be doubted. 

 The clearances amounted to 1,039,259 

 bales, and now and again there was an 

 unprecedented run upon room for ware- 

 housing the bales. This was the signal 

 tor the raising of the rates for ware- 

 housing, and as high as 2s. 3d, was— in an 

 exceptional instance — paid. For a time 

 2s. was a regularly-paid rate. Now, in- 

 cluding insurance, the established figure 

 is 8d, and it is up from the lowest point. 

 A high rate means a great stock, and it 

 is computed that 350,000 bales were 

 brought forward from 1908-9 to 1909-10, 



so that with the 650,000 to 700,000 bales 

 now in sight Dundee sees its last year's 

 quantity, and what comes into sight 

 later will do for the margin. Of course, 

 the consumption was appreciably les- 

 sened owing to standing frames, and the 

 same holds good, though not to the same 

 extent at present. The takings by 

 Dundee and the Continent last season as 

 contrasted with the previous one are not 

 so greatly altered. Dundee, 1,039,259, 

 1908-9; 1,141,184, 1907-8. Other U. K, 

 ports, 450,359, 470,158 ; Germany, 922,276, 

 929,846 ; France, 480,509, 525,994 ; Austria, 

 257,973, 238,696; Italy, 171,059, 169,934; 

 Spain, 119,455, and 113,589 respectively. 

 * * * * * 



The unexampled scarcity of common 

 jute was a feature during the last few 

 months of the old season. Eveu yet Re- 

 jections and others of that kind are hard 

 to find and very dear ; in fact , Rejec- 

 tions for a certain purpose are up 50 per 

 cent, within the year, and black SCO's 

 are also higher than they were a year 

 ago. The suggestion is that balers are 

 lifting the common out of the common 

 grade and getting it off amongst the 

 better class fibre. Bimlipatam jute has 

 hardly been worth counting. 



Below the prices now and at the same 

 time last year are placed side by side 

 for comparison :— 



In Warehouse. 



1908, 



1909. 



RFC range ... £28 



£24 



First marks ... 15 



14 



Ordinary firsts ... 11 10 



12 



Daisee assortment 14 15 



13 15 



Rejections ... 7 



10 



It may be of interest to note that in 

 the year 1907 the highest for first marks 

 was £26 10s. and the lowest £13 10s.; 1908 

 £19 10s. and £12 17s. 6d.; 1909 £15 15s. and 

 £12 5s.; or a variation of £13, £6 12s. 6d, 

 and £3 10s. respectively. 



This has not been a spinner's year. In 

 times past, though not now for two 

 years, they have had a benefit, but one 

 and all would draw a curtain gladly 

 over the doings of the past twelve 

 months. Had it not been for a healthy 

 demand during the last four months for 

 yarns of the Dutch and sacking type 

 the result would have been still more 

 woeful. At one part of the year the loss 

 spinners who had stocked dear jute were 

 making was too serious for repeating, 

 but the difference between cost and 

 value of the spun product for weeks on 

 end was £2 or more per ton. This has 

 been reduced in the case of those who 

 use the cheapest jute that can be batch- 

 ed and sell their yarns at the price of 

 the day by 7s. 6d. per ton. This is far 



