88 EXTRACTS FROM DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR [Sept. 1894. 



REPORTS. 



Special Tariff. 



(Established with the view of assisting the transport of 

 agricultural produce.) 



No. 1. 



No. 3. 



Fixed tariff, for all distances - 



Per Ton. 

 4-8(/. 



Fixed tariff, for all distances 



Per Ton. 

 14-4(f. 



Variable tariff!, per mile 



0'62d 



Variable tariff, per mile 









Application of Rate C to consignments 

 of 4 tons. 



Important reductions have been made in the above tariffs, 

 while No. 1 and No. 3 have been specially established with a 

 view to facilitating the transport of agricultural produce. 



The majority of commodities which come under Special Tariff 

 No. 1, such as salt, manure, coal, and beetroot pulp, are either 

 used for, or are the product of, agriculture. They formerly 

 came under Rate C ; therefore the reduction is a concession of 

 0"46d per ton per mile. 



Special Tariff No. 3 is principally for the transport of animals, 

 and is said to be exceedingly advantageous. 



A reduction has been made froai five to three tons as the 

 minimum weight for straw, fodder, flax, and hemp. 



Receptacles for milk, butter, eggs, and for general farm 

 produce can be returned empty free of charge. 



A reduction to VOSd. per ton per mile has been introduced 

 for the variable tariff of Rate A and B in favour of cereals, 

 meal, bran, chicory, potatoes, fresh fruit, forage, straw, vege- 

 tables, and raw flax. 



No charge is made for vegetables, fruit, butter, cream, cheese, 

 eggs, and poultry carried by agriculturists and destined imme- 

 diately for market. 



Free carriage is also granted for milk personally delivered by 

 the country people at the houses of their customers. 



Horticulture in Texas. 



Mr. H. P. Nugent, Her Majesty's Consul at Galveston, states 

 in his report on the Agriculture of Texas that the total acreage 

 in orchards ia Texas was, in 1891, 68,654 acres, and the value of 

 the fruit crop, estimated at current prices, 355,450^. In 1892 

 the acreage was 70,075, an increase of 1,421 acres over 1891 ; 

 the value of the crop, however, decreased to 335,910^. 



The most important fruit crop in Texas is, it appears, the 



