512 



Grain Trade of Odessa. 



Belgian Regulations on the Sale of Cheese. 



A decree published in the Moniteur Beige on 21st 

 September, 1899, imposes certain special regulations on the 

 manufacture and sale of cheese in Belgium, in addition to 

 those general laws against unwholesome and adulterated 

 substances which are contained in the Penal Code. By this 

 Decree, the word cheese is to be understood to mean products 

 obtained from milk, with salt, colouring, and flavouring 

 matter only ; and cheese containing other substances must be 

 provided with a label printed in plain characters, indicating 

 the nature of the added substances, such as oleomargarine 

 cheese, potato cheese, and bread cheese. 



The manufacture or sale of cheese mixed with any mineral 

 matter other than salt, or with antiseptics, is prohibited. 



In a report on the Agriculture of Odessa, which has been 



to the official statistics of the gram trade for the year 1898, 

 which indicate, as was stated in a previous number of this 

 Journal,* that the grain export trade of Odessa exhibits unmis- 

 takable signs of decay. The exports fell from 1,596,780 tons 

 in 1897 to 1,5 16,120 tons in 1898 ; while wheat, one of Russia's 

 most important cereals, showed a diminished exportation of 

 225,810 tons when compared with 1897, and 387,100 tons 

 when contrasted with 1S96. In Mr.Mackie's opinion the figures 

 in question suggest gloomy forebodings as to the future 

 position of this important grain exporting centre, since 

 they show, in spite of alternations of good and bad crops, a 

 steady downward tendency during an almost uninterrupted 

 succession of years. Among the causes to which the decreased 

 importance of Odessa as a grain exporting* centre is attributed 

 are the steadily increasing home demand, brought about by 



Grain Trade 

 of Odessa. 



issued by the Foreign Office, Mr. 

 Mackie, Her Majesty's Acting Consul 

 General at that port, particularly refers 



* Vol "[.. m. 1, June, 1899,/. 83. 



