— 6i — 
became one of the leading industries, the more so, as it was such an easy 
cultivation in the suitable soil of loam and lime, and as the fertilisation with 
lupine was as simple as it was cheap. In a short time the production increased 
almost three- fold, advancing from 400 tons in 1892, to 1000 tons in 1901, and 
at present it is estimated at iioo tons. 
The following statistics referring to this matter, although not official, may- 
be taken as conclusive. 
Crops of orris-root in the province Florence: — 
1892 
400 
tons 
1898 
850 tons 
1893 
500 
»5 
1899 
900 „ 
1894 
600 
7? 
1900 
950 
1895 
700 
^» 
1901 
1000 „ 
1896 
700 
)» 
1902 
IIOO „ 
1897 
800 
>» 
In view of these figures, and of the fact (still to be discussed) that the 
demand has meanwhile not increased, it requires no further proof that a heavy 
fall in the prices was inevitable. 
Another fact to be considered, which has injured our market, is the develop- 
ment of the cultivation of orris-root since 1892 in the province Verona. No 
doubt the root does not thrive there so well as in Tuscany, but nevertheless 
it succeeded, at the time of the great boom, in pushing itself ahead under its 
own or an assumed name, and in occupying a position which it was previously 
denied. The Veronese root is unsuitable for distillation purposes, for it contains 
little oil, and, above all, oil of lower quality than the Florentine article. In 
spite of this, the former has maintained its position for ordinary uses, such as 
for example in the drug trade; North America imports this article now regularly, 
and it is there preferred by many to the other kind; on the New York market 
Veronese orris-root is quoted regularly. The following figures are of interest: 
Crops and prices of orris root in the province Verona: — 
I89I 
280 tons, 
120 Lire 
1897 430 tons. 
80 Lire 
1892 
290 „ 
125 „ 
1898 450 „ 
52 „ 
1893 
300 „ 
132 „ 
1899 410 „ 
50 
1894 
280 „ 
140 „ 
1900 380 „ 
48 „ 
1895 
300 „ 
120 „ 
1901 400 „ 
55 
1896 
360 „ 
no „ 
1902 about 450 tons 30 
The foregoing figures leave no doubt that the abundant Veronese crops 
must have had an unfavourable effect on our market, and that they are partly 
responsible for the present critical situation. 
The downward tendency of the market has been accentuated during the 
last twelve months by the fall in the premium of gold from about 6 per cent 
in July 1 90 1, to about i per cent in August 1902, which equals a loss of about 
5 per cent, or say 2,50 lire per 100 kilos, as the article must finally bear the 
loss of the premium which has gone past the exporter. To this should be 
added, that the continued and pronounced fall in the prices both of the Flor- 
entine and the Veronese root has caused a general want of confidence in the 
further course of the market, and has turned the speculators entirely away from 
this article. 
Statistics of the stocks held abroad are impossible to obtain, owing to the 
fact that orris-root in foreign countries is not stored in bond, but is kept only 
in private warehouses. It may, however, be assumed that those stocks are not 
excessive; on the other hand, in our province the unsold stock of last year's 
crop held by growers and traders amounts in all to about 600 tons. 
