696 



Miscellaneous Notes. 



[FEB., 



of the fertilisers (including oil-cakes) imported amounted to 

 12,976,352 yen, as compared with 5,757,075 yen in 1904. The 

 increase was shown chiefly in oilcakes (7,265,109 yen, as 

 compared with 2,035,279 yen) ; this remarkable increase was 

 due to the resumption of commercial relations with Newchwang, 

 the chief centre for the export of oilcakes. A large increase is 

 also shown in the imports of sulphate of ammonia (638,217 

 yen), phosphate of chalk (1,179,304 yen), and nitrate of soda 

 (636,997 yen) (1 yen = 2s. o|d.). A very large propor- 

 tion of this trade goes to Kobe, which takes six-sevenths of 

 the oilcakes, two-thirds of the phosphate and sulphate, and 

 one-half of the nitrates. China furnishes all the oilcakes im- 

 ported ; one-third of the nitrates are imported from the United 

 States, and the remainder from Chile and various other countries ; 

 nearly the whole of the import of phosphate of chalk and sul- 

 phate of ammonia comes from the United Kingdom. There are 

 a certain number of chemical factories at Osaka which produce 

 fertilisers, more especially sulphate of ammonia. — (Board of 

 Trade Journal, Jan. nth, 1906.) 



Tinned Milk in Burma. — The trade in preserved milk between 

 Europe and Burma is enormous, and, says the Rangoon Gazette, 

 there would seem every likelihood of its assuming still greater 

 proportions. In every part of Upper Burma and the Shan 

 States tinned milk is obtainable, and used by the people as 

 a confection. Some makers go to the extent of printing 

 labels and advertisements in Burmese. The Gazette adds : — 

 " All makers seem to manufacture in Switzerland or Norway* 

 It is strange that no one in Great Britain or Ireland seems 

 to have thought it, worth while to compete with Continental 

 manufacturers. Hence, we buy in Rangoon ' Devonshire cream 

 made in Norway.' One would think that the farmers in Devon- 

 shire and Cornwall might compete successfully in such an article 

 with Norway or Switzerland. Apparently, they make no attempt 

 to do so, and the whole trade, therefore, goes to the Continent." — 

 {Board of Trade Journal^) 



Duty on Wheat Flour hi Italy. — The Italian Gazetta Ufficiale 

 for the 19th December contains a Law, dated 10th December, 

 reducing the import duty on wheat flour imported into Italy 

 from I2'30 lire to 11*50 lire per quintal (from 5s. to 4s. 8d. 

 per cwt.). 



