March 1, 1902.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 615 
from Para of probable short receipts during the 
end of the year and the early months of 1902 
brought about some recovery on less pressure to 
sell, and with very large deliveries and moderate 
receipts, we close the year firmly with quotations 
of hard fine at 3s 62d, and soft at 3s 5id. 
Negroheada continue to remain very scarce, scrappy 
being quoted at 2i 9d, Island (of which 
the greater portion is being shipped to America) 
2s l^d, Cametas 2s 2d, ball 2s 6d, and slab 2s O^d. 
The total amount of rubber imported from Brazil 
shows a further increase of 3,200 tons, and the 
total quantity exported from the State of Amazonas, 
including Peruvian, via Iquitos and Manaos, is 
4,000 tons, against 3,100 tons. The Peruvian fine 
imported has, we think, been better as a whole; but, 
owing to the rubber having arrived in most cases 
uncut and unselected before shipment, new rules 
had to be adopted in order to provide for this 
altered mode of shipping this rubber. The Peruvian 
ball imported has not been up to the expected 
quality, and at the end of the year the standard 
of fair average quality was considered lower, 
although some nice clean hard balls when received 
did realise fairly good, and, in some cases, ex- 
ceptional prices. The slab continues to be of good 
serviceable quality, and the consumption of it is 
certainly spreading. Bolivian kinds have been 
very fair, but the imports were not as large as 
last year. MoUendo again showed a marked itn- 
provement in quality, and consequently sold 
exceedingly well. From Venezuela, via Orinoco, 
the supply was less than last year, and the quality 
not very attractive. 
Imports of Ceara scrap are smaller, but of these 
grades only the best qualities could be sold easily; 
others are dragging. Of Meuicoba kinds we 
received less, but quality was good, and prices 
realised were satisfactory. Pernanibuco and 
Assaree qualities have somewhat improved, but, 
owing to the general decline of the rubber market, 
the values of these classes receded considerably. 
There were not very important arrivals of good 
Mangabeira, and although the stocks are consider- 
ably going down and available supplies very small, 
the prices realised for ordinary quality show an 
enormous falling off in price. The imports of 
Mattogrosso, in sympathy with Para, showed 
similar fluctuations, although transactions were 
only spasmodic. Central America has again been 
conspicuous by a tuttlier considerable decline in its 
export of rubber, probably owing to the continued 
political unrest existing in those parts, and the only 
rubber reaching us comes from the Columbia dis- 
tricts, but the quantities were very insignificant. 
The Equator and Guayaquil kinds sold readily, 
and the prices at the end of the year are only 
Id lower than they were a year ago. Of course, 
this refers to good qualities only. Inferiors and 
mixed kinds are much cheaper. The imports from 
Honduras, Mexico, and Panama were likewise 
very small. 
Africans. — As expected at the close of ihe 
previous year, the increase in imports of tbefe 
descriptions was not only not maintained, but 
showed a considerable and serious falling off, and 
we estimate the difference of imports from Africa 
to be about 2,000 tons below that of last year. 
With the exception of slight spurts in 
April, and again in August (in sympathy 
with fine Piira) the year 1901 has 
been characterised by an uninterrupted decline in 
African rubber, the only exception being first 
Sierra Leone Niggers, which are actually rather 
dearer than a year ago, while all other descriptions 
show a decline varying from Id to as much as 6d 
per lb. 
From Angola received 250 tons less, made up 
in shipments from Benguela of 1,2j0 tons, as 
against 1,500 tons in 1900. Loauda 730 tons, 
against 678 tons (beside 200 tliimbles). Quality 
has been hardly so good. The Congo has slightly 
increased, but the quality h.as seriously declined : 
about 5,300 tons, against 5,000 tons in J 900. The 
average price shows a very considerable fall, 
because so much was of poor quality. The 
supply from Sierra Leone and French Guinea has 
again fallen off, partly owing to the prohibition by 
the French authority of the exportation of the 
dirty wet and inferior rubber from Conakry. The 
quality being thus reliable, has caused consumers 
to look on this kind with favour, and their 
appreciation is reflected in the price, which is 
unusually high compared with rubbers, both 
African and Brazilian, 
Quite an extraordinary decline in supply of 
Gold Coast, Accra, Lagos, etc., and only moderate 
from Cameroons, Sierra Leone, Gaboon, etc , and 
small of Senegal. Prices of nice hard only about 
2d lower, but soft common and Lagos fully 4d 
decline for the year. We no longer quote strips 
and biscuits, the pressing of lump rubbers being 
practically abandoned. Liverpool imports of West 
African 4,200 tons, against 5,140 tons in 1900, and 
5,600 tons in 1899. 
The Congo Free State has again increased its 
exports to Antwerp, but other kinds of African 
have gone there in reduced quantities, so that 
the total Antwerp imports show little change. 
During January African rubber met with a 
disappointing demand at rather easier price?. 
February and March were very dull, and prices 
declined for most sorts, closing with lower values 
all round. In April fairly good trade was done 
at rather better prices, closing, however, some- 
what quieter. A moderately large business was 
done in May at irregular prices. Good Sierra 
Leone sorts were then well in demand, showing 
ho wever, little, if any, change in price ; whilst 
luiup descriptions were Jd to Id per lb. lower. 
During June and July African rubbers met witli 
a moderate to poor demand at generally lower 
rates, and only » comparatively small trade was 
done at barely steady prices. The demand was 
better in August, especially for parcels of good 
quality which arrived from Sierra Leone. This 
position of the market was not maintained, and 
we see a constant falling off in the demand, which 
remained disappointing, with only small business 
passing at generally lower rates, until the end of 
November, when quite a steady trade was done at 
generally unaltered and, in some instances, slightly 
increased prices. The demand continued t(7 im- 
prove during December for all the better grades 
and rather higher rates were paid all round. 
East Coast of Africa (Zanzibar, ktc.)— 
Tiie supplies of these descriptions have continued 
to gra<iually fail off, and to this must be ascribed 
the fuut ti .:t at the close red hard rubber is only 
Id per lb. lower, but white and common ball rubber 
declined about 4d per lb. Lamu ball (Mombassa). 
—The arrivals were not important, although the 
quantity was fair, and good clean rubber sold fairly 
well, prices, however, showing a decline of 2d for 
the ye.ir, Nyssalaud sent ns some very good 
rubber, but the consignments were small, and 
when they reached the market, were brought up 
readily at fair to full prices. Madagascar supplies 
