422 
RAMIE TRADE OF THE WORLD. 
The chief centres of production and consumption of ramie fibre 
are treated of in Commercial Intelligence , the following details being 
furnished concerning a plant with whose future trade values the 
countries of Central and South America are largely concerned. 
In Europe, the principal ramie-consuming countries are France 
and Germany. The importations into the latter country, in 1900, 
amounted to 660 metric tons, valued at 422,000 marks; while in 
1901, the import value rose to 605,300 marks. All the fibre is of 
Chinese origin and re-exportation is insignificant as it is employed 
in domestic manufactures. The largest ramie mill in Germany is at 
Emmendingen, in Baden, employing about 8,000 spindles and pay- 
ing a dividend for the last seven years of from 5 to 7 per cent. 
In France there arc four mills, with 15,000 spindles. The follow- 
ing figures show the quantities and valuations of ramie imports for 
home consumption used in French factories from 1898 to 1900, 
inclusive ; — 
Ouanl i ! y 
Ye.ir. 
Metric tons. 
Value. 
1898 
4 66 
303,000 
iS 99 
298 
179,000 
1 900 
774 
404,000 
There arc perhaps 3,000 spindles engaged on ramie in Switzer- 
land. In England, the principal ramie mills are the Bunbeg Mills, 
in London. The consumption in Stforth America is difficult to 
estimate, as the customs statistics do not mention ramie. The im- 
ports of fibres not specified in United States statistics amounted, in 
1900, to 5,121 metric tons, value at 306,000 dollars, and in 1901 to 
3,860 metric tons, with a valuation of 218,000 dollars. 
The country which exports the large quantities of ramie is China, 
The chief centres of production are in the south-western section of 
the Province of Hupe, near Futchan and Mahsai and at Hunan, the 
chief export centres being Shanghai and Hankow, though a small 
amount is also shipped via Swatow and Tientsin. The customs 
registers confound it with other fibres under the heading “hemp.” 
It is stated that about one-half of this so called hemp is supposed 
to be, in reality, ramie fibre. Following are some Chinese statistic 
for hemp exports during the years named ; — 
Years. 
Piculs. 
Value. 
1890 
... 35.596 ... 
... 162,419 
1895 ... 
... 97,926 ... 
- 552,639 
1 896 
... 86,913 ... 
... 643,000 
1897 
■ 99474 
783,965 
1898 
... 106,845 ■*. 
... 782,032 
1^99 
... 166,205 
... 1,323,388 
1900 
... 17^445 
■ U073454 
1901 
... 174,641 ... 
... U33742I 
