442 



Imports of Agricultural Produce. 



imports represents a check which has not occurred since 

 1887. It is to be noted, however, that the value of the 3,209,095 

 cwts. received has at the same time somewhat increased, 

 from £15,916,917 to 1 5, 960, 5 7 1, forming a fresh maximum, 

 so that a cwt. of imported butter, which in 1897 was esti- 

 mated at £^ 1 8s. I id., was last year put at £4 19s. 6d. Den- 

 mark increased her contribution of butter by 130,000 cwts., 

 the 1,465,030 cwts. received thence representing 46 per 

 cent, of our total imports. Canada also sent more than in 

 1897 — viz., 156,865 cwts., as compared with 109,402; while 

 reductions are reported from all other sources, the heaviest 

 being in the consignments from the United States, which were 

 little more than two-fifths of the amount in 1897, or 66,712 as 

 against 154,196 cwts. 



Table II. 



Imports of Dairy Produce. 



Description. 



Quantities. 



Values. 



1897. 



1898. 



1S97. 



1898. 



Butter 



Margarine- . . . . 

 Cheese - . - - - 

 Milk, Condensed and Preserved- 

 Milk and Cream, Fresh 



Cwts. 

 3,217,802 



936,543 

 2,603,178 



756,243 

 10,006 



Cwts. 

 3,209,093 



899,875 

 2,339,452 



817,268 

 10,691 



£ 



15,916,917 



2,485,370 

 5,885,521 



1,398,363 

 9,848 



£ 



15,960,571 

 2,383,774 

 4,970,247 



1,435,913 

 11,193 



The slight increase noted last year in margarine (over 

 90 per cent, of which comes from Holland) was not main- 

 tained, and only in 1886, when this commodity was first 

 separately distinguished in the trade returns, were the 

 imports less than the 899,875 cwts. received during the past 

 year. 



Cheese shows a decline of 264,000 cwts., none of the 

 countries of origin specifically named in the trade returns 

 showing an increase. The United States, whence 

 only 486,000 cwts. came as against 631,616 cwts. in 1897, 

 account for the greater part of this fall, and the more 

 important Canadian quota showed a diminution from 

 1,526,664 to 1,432,181 cwts. Unlike butter, this commodity 

 shows a decline in value from 45s. 3d. to 42s. 6d. per cwt. 



