108 THE SUPPLY OP RESIN. 
neighbouring provinces. Small quantities of an inferior quality also 
come from Nambu and Isugaru. 
Theaverage prices, if bought here, are— best quality, £-boo,or, taking 
the Mexican dollar at 5s. and 2| boos, gives 6d. per " kin " or l£ lb. ; 
second quality, 300 cash, or 4^d. per kin. 
A considerable reduction in prices is, however, experienced in con- 
tracts made in the above mentioned provinces through the Hakodadi 
brokers and agents, and the cost would then vary from 2£d. to 3d. per 
kin for the superior quality, and 2d. for the inferior resin. 
Judging by the information 1 have obtained, I think that contracts 
for 500 or 1,000 piculs might be made to be delivered during the sum- 
mer months. 
Report by Acting-Consul Gower, Nagasaki. — Notwithstanding the 
numerous variety and abundant resinous trees in this country, the de- 
mand for the article is apparently so small that only two kinds are pre- 
pared. 
The " thiang," or red transparent sort, is the most expensive, and 
costs 60 taels per picul, or (at 5s. per Mexican dollar) 21. 7s. lid. for 
100 lbs. 
The opaque resin is called " mazu-yani," and can be purchased for 
40 taels per picul, or 11. 1 2s. per 100 lbs. 
I have found it impossible to ascertain what quantity might be pro- 
cured ; but I feel sure that if even a large supply was required for 
exportation to Europe, the Japanese could soon prepare enough to meet 
the demand. 
The first quality is used principally by the natives for the caulking 
of their junks and preparation of cables, &c, as we use tar. 
The cheapest resin is used in the preparation of plasters for medical 
purposes, and for tinker's work, which is but a very small branch of 
manufacture in Japan. 
Mexico. — Report by Consul Glennie. — As it is only very recently that 
turpentine has come into general use in Mexico for purposes of lighting 
streets and houses, the source of supply of this ingredient, and conse- 
quently of rasin, from the apparently inexhaustible pine forests by 
which the valley of Mexico is surrounded, might naturally be supposed 
to be undiminished ; such, however, is far from being the case, for al- 
though there do exist laws for the protection of Mexican woods and 
forests, they are very seldom enforced, and the Indians, left to them- 
selves, whilst cutting timber or tapping for turpentine, waste a hundred 
times more than they need to do. In fact, the work of destruction has 
been carried to such an extent during the last few years that serious 
complaints have recently been made to the government by individuals 
and by corporations ; and it is expected that a special and very stringent 
law will ere long be promulgated, with the view of protecting the 
forests of this district from such wholesale demolition. 
With regard to the quantity of resin in my immediate district, there 
