■i ^ i M,_ i ...ii! ; ... ! ULia-L .1 ' tf ' . .inai ' Li. i i n • mm f' iW-UU. ' J T .s etmfmf^^Kmv^^' ,ji i . i n i ji. u jj l ji . . " '. ' ■ i' KEPORT oi'- AUGUSTE DUPUIS COMMISSIONER APPOINTED rn HKIMIESKNT THK IPK.OATIN'CEl aiB" Q;TJElBBO Al' THK JAMAICA EXHIBITION '*; ■»i .;.*f <,>UEBEU : I'lUNTED BY CHARLES FRANCOIS LAN(JL()TS I PKISTKI! TO IIKK M,l Jamaica Rura, degree, nge, in cases and puncheons, ■> ','^ , v Do Sugar, Do Ginger Wine, , Do Oils, Do Perfume, Do Tjincewood, ^'*t- > } ' • Do Cedar, . '» "* ,* Do Cherry. . .. ' ■-- i ■ '*': " _ ■ Do Mahogany, t ■ "■ t.-V * Do Satin Wood, Concentrated Milk (in bond), price. Some of these products I wish to buy directly. Several samples must be sent at once to merchants of Quebec and Montreal. Two managers of Canadian butter and cheese factories are desirous to send hero some butter and cheese after June next. . . Wholesale provision dealers ox commission merchants of iirst-class standing are earnestly solicited to state whai would be the cost of wharfage, warehousing and commission on sales of butter and cheese, and which line of steamers between Jamaica and New-York or Boston, is most moderate in freight rates and gives most satisfaction in the carrying of perishable goods. - -p .> ' . • AUGUSTE DUPUIS, ' ^^ • ' if " - Pro /ince of Quebec Commissioner, • ■ ; f> ' . -' ' . Canadian Court, <- :' .' .'.,.. Exhibition Main Building. In aaswer to this advertisement I received the following letter from the Secretary of the Commissioners for the Jamaica Exhibition : „ . , ' ■- Kingston, Jamaica, - :. -J. ■• - .■ ■• ' '-• ' ■ =' ;^ -^ March 10th. 1891. Di;AU Sir, — ' , With reference to your advertisement in the newspapers asking for samples of various products of the Island and their prices, I am desired by the Commis- sioners for Jamaica to inform you, respectfully, that they are willing to furnish you samples with prices of such articles in the Jamaica Court as your advertise- ment calls for, and to procure those which are not on exhibition* ^ '' With regard to prices I am to assure you that it being the primary object of the Exhibition to advertise the products of the Island, the quotations which the Commissioners will give may be regarded as the cun'ent legitimate commercial value of the samples. ,- I remain, dear sir, Yours obediently, pro the Jamaica Commissioners, J. W. WELSH. AUGUSTE DUPUIS, Esq., Canadian Conrt, Jamaica Exhibition, Kingston. As promised by this letter the samples of these products were prepared and put in boxes duly labelled with the name and current price on each. Mr. Welsh was directed by Governor Blake himself to make as full and complete a collection as possible, as the Province of Quebec wanted to acquire a thorough knowledge of the value of the products of Jamaica. , I will inform the Government as soon as these boxes are received. As the weather was too warm to have the butter and cheese exhibited in the open air, the Commissioner for Canada obtained that judges should be appointed to examine them at once. The judges were Messrs. Ashenheim, Lewis snd Benson, who examined the butter and the cheese in presence of His Excellency the Governor and of the Commissioners of the different Provinces. Mr. Brown explained that the cheese which had been chosen by Professor Robertson came out of thirty to forty cheese factories of Canada. He also said that an enormous (quantity of this chtese is annually exported to England and the West Indies ; the cheese has now been here 56 days and looks as fresh as if coming out of the factory, so you may see how well it keeps. The judges found the exhibits of cheese very fair and the quality good. As to the butter it was found excellent. Mr. Ashenheim added that we should feel proud of our exhibit as it was a splendid one. His Excellency tasted the small loaves of bread made of Canadian flour, and also the butter, cheese, Labatt's and Boswell'a ales, and spoke highly of all these articles. Prizes were given as follows : ; !, BUTTER. . " ' 1st Prize— Isaac Wengor, Acton, Ont. >.. , ^ ' ..:'.' ..' ' . • ' 2nd " — Agricultural School of rAssomption, Province of Quebec. 3rd " — Bell, Simpson & Co., Montreal, by Department of Agriculture, Ottawa. 4th " — du do do do du ,,^ ,.:,,„,■ „ „,. ,: ,„ CHEESE. 1st Prize — Duckett, Hodge &, Co., Montreal, by Department of Agriculture, Ottawa. 2nd " — L. C. Archibald, Antigonish, N. S. 3rd " — Hodgson Brothers, Montreal, by Department of Agriculture, Ottawa. 4th " —T. W. Fearman, Hamilton, Ont. . The Province of Quebec won three prizes out of the four ottered for the butter, to wit : . The Agricultural School of I'Assomption. The St. Eustache butter factory, which supplied Bell, Simpson & Co. The butter factory of the Eastern Townships, which also supplied Bell, Simpson & Co. You will see by a letter hereto attached that Messrs. Bell, Simpson & Co., informed me they received their exhibit from the above named factories. The first and third prize were given to cheese procured from two firms of Montreal. Sue)- a result should be very satisfactory to the Government and to the people of the Province of Quebec. . I had received from Mr. Fisher, of Knowlton, Province of Quebec, a lot of butter made in the month of November, put up with care in glass jars and in small tin boxes. It was a fine exhibit, but this butter was found rather tasteless. People liking the Denmark biitter put up in tin boxes would have found no difierence. The Canadian butter and cheese were sold by auction ; the butter went up to thirty-two, thirty-six and forty-two cents a pound.; the cheese sold from eighteen to twenty-five cents. Merchants who had bought the Canadian butter were advertising it next day as " Prize Canadian Butter 50 cts. per pound " : the second quality of this butter was retailed from 36 to 40 cts. a pound. There was a quick sale of this butter and meTchants were asking if we were to receive any more of the same quality of butter. I was told by Mr. Toezer, of the firm of Pinnock Bailey and Co, that there *vas a great demand for Canadian butter, among his customers, and that there wodld be a great market for it, as long as it was ns good as the butter shown at the Exhibition. This firm receives a great deal of butter from the United States : the butter is put up in wooden tubs double the thickness of the tubs, we generally use here and hold as much as 150 pounds each. This butter is for kitchen use and costs from 20 to 22 cents a pound, this butter, I think, is sold in New- York under the name of " Western ", Oleomargarine is retailed in large quantities at Kingston and sells for 25 cts. a pound ; this imitation of butter is used by the poorer classes. Before the Canadian butter was on the market, the butter made in Denmark and Holland, was the most popular : this butter was shipped from England and the United States. They put it up in tin boxes, hermetically sealed, and holding from half a pound to five pounds. I could not find out the price of this butter, delivered at Jamaica ; the retail price at Kingston is 55 cts. a pound. I bought a few boxes of this butter for the Government, so that our manufacturers may have the oppor- tunity of testing it's quivlities, and I trust the Government will find the means of getting them instructed in the mode of curing and packing their butter in the same way. It is the most profitable for exportation to the West Indies and to South America. ""' ■ . ' . ,'" , '. .. _ . , ,_.^ _i „.-.,' > The small tin boxes, I am told only cost one dollar and a half to two dollars anil a half a hundred, and that the machinery necessary to make them costs $150.00. I was told by a butter importer of Kingston that the butter so put up in these tin boxes should be of the first quality, it should be closely inspected by a Govern- ment Inspector, a good judge of butter. Ho also said that a Company from Cincinnati, Ohio had begun shipping to Jamaica butter in tin boxes, but that it's quality was not uniform, and that there was such a mixture of good and bad that no sale was found for it. / . • . .. ..., - , , •. There were a few people from Hayti who had come to Jamaica for the Exhi- bition, they enjoyed going through the Department of our Province where they met men speaking the same language as their own ; they declared that their country was wealthier than Jamaica and that if the products of our Province were known in Hayti, they would be duly appreciated and meet with a great demand. They say, that the line of steaiiaers, now in contemplation between Canada and Jamaica might stop at Hayti and land goods there as some of the steamers of the ."Atlas" line do. t ^•1 8 The butter, they tell me, whioh ia preferred in Hayti, comes from France and Denmark ; the small boxes in which it is packed prevent it's being deteriorated by contact with the atmosphere and retailers do not lose on the weight : butter in tubs loses in weight and quality being affected by the air and by the extreme heat. I then deeply regretted not having had some of our butter preserved in that way, before leaving for Jamaica, so as Lo enable me to ship some to Hayti, Honduras and Trinidad. Mr. Fisher who came from Honduras to Jamaica, in order to engage 300 men for his large plantations and who bought furs from Mr. Laliberte of Quebec, found the butter from L'Assomption excellent and said that such butter would bring a very high price in Honduras and all over Central America. I wish I could have given him samples of our butter so prepared as to keep well, it would have made it widely known and appreciated. On the 26th of Octobc last, I cori'esponded with Mr. McCarthy on this subject and requested him to prepare for the Jamaica Exhibition some butter such as is exported from France to Algeria, and a few extracts from his letter, in answer to mine will afford valuable information to those who are engaged in the manufac- turing of butter, for exportation. Mr. McCarthy says that, as to the best of his knowledge no butter has been specially prepared in Canada, for exportation to the West Indies, it should be well understood that the fabrication of such butter would require quite a different process from that of ordinary butter. Hetcuids, further- more, that butter for the West Indies should be put up in glass jars or tin boxesi hermetically sealed, like canned goods, as otherwise it would give no satisfaction, and would do more harm than good and destroy our future chances of competing for that market, even when our butter is properly prepared, and he concludes by reminding us that we have, at hand, the materials for n great industry, but that Danish and French butter exported to the West Indies are prepared by a process unknown here and which it is necessary for us to adopt if we wish to succeed. We must not neglect Mr. McCarthy's warnings ; they deserve our serious consideration. As to oheeae our mode of making and packing it is as perfect as that of any other country exporting cheese to Jamaica. The quality of Canadian cheese has been even found superior to any other. Fresh milk during the Exhibition was selling at Kingston at 75 cents a gallon. There was an English company making butter on the Exhibition grounds ; they found the milk of very poor quality. Cows have not got clover in Jamaica as in Canada ; they feed on Guinea grass and dry grass, on leaves from the trees and on dwarf palms. Consequently condensed milk put up in Switzerland and imported from England, and the United States is in great demand in Jamaica, Hayti and in all the West Indias. This milk is used on steamers and sailing vessels in every part of the world. It is retailed in Jamaica at twelve and a half cents a pound, in tin boxes of different sizes. Without knowing exactly the profits realized by the farmers of Switzerland and France, in the putting up of condensed milk, it seems to me that the Province of Quebec might compete with advantage with these countries where fresh milk is more valuable than here, and I am happy to say that without looking across the Atlantic we can find among our brethren of Nova Scotia, at Truro, an example of what can be done in that line of business. ^; 7/, -.•.■;>> t.iVl The Government of Quebec has no doubt made a study of this question and will give to the public the result of it's enquiries. I lope I may be forgiven for dwelling at such length on this question of milk, butter and cheese, which is becoming one of such importance for our Province. Our Legislature has undertaken to promote the Dairy Industry and gives it every encouragement, and it is of the greatest importance to secure for it new markets more profitable than those that have hitherto been within our reach. Canadian grain will not find much sale in the West ladias. The demand for oats is small ; it sold in Kingston, Jamaica for S2.25 the 100 pounds. Mules used by the street car companies and carriage horses are fed on guinea grass, chopped with the straw-cutter, on which is spread some ground Indian corn. The guinea grass is given to cattle in a green state : it is cut up and brought to market every day. 1 may remark here that coloured people do uot use the scythe ; they use knives about two feet long to cut the hay, and do the work, on their knees. Cuba imports large cargoes of oats from Mobile Ala., from Tampa and from New-Orleans. There is no demand for barley. Split peas are not much called for ; they are imported to Jamaica from the United States ; the peas they use there for soup grow on trees of the size of our plum-trees; they yield peas all the year round and you can see on the same tree green pods alongside of ripe ones. The bulk of the population makes no use of wheat, barJy, buckwheat, rye and peas. Potatoes sell at retail price at 6 cents a pound ; they are eaten as a luxury ; they deteriorate in a short time and sprout ([uickly. Storekeepers buy but a small quantity at one time, as they do not keep. It is of no use therefore expect- ing that the West Indias market will leplaee that of the United States for this important produce of our Province. 10 The yam (Igname) of the country, varieties from India and Japan, producing tubercules from 10 and 20 up to 40 pounds each, replace the potatoe ; it grows all year round and is as sustaining as bread. It grows wild and the poor people have only to go and gather it ; it costs them nothing. As for Canadian flour, the Dominion Commissioner, Mr. Brown, took every possible means for making it known and appreciated, distributing as many as 1500 1 oaves, buns and Scotch scones a day made out of Canadian flour, but it will be uphill work to substitute it to the American flour in Jamaica. On this subject Mr.Lascelles (of the important firm of Lascelles, Demacado & Co. , of Kingston, Jamaica), told me : " Even if the Manitoba or the Montreal flour was as " good and did not cost more in Montreal than the American flour, we can get flour " in a shorter time from New York than from Montreal or Halifax, and the rate •' of freight is 40 cents by barrels or half less from New- York than from Halifax. " If we run short we cable to our agent in New- York, on the eve of the sailing of " the steamer, for 100 to 200 barrels of flour and we receive them 7 or 8 days after. " It would take from 3 weeks to one month to get thorn from Halifax, and the " Halifax Steamer Co. charges 75 cents freight per barrel and 6^ cents for " wharfage. The " Atlas " Co. charges 20 cents per 100 pounds on butter and the " Halifax 60 cents per 100 pounds." I may as well give you here some extracts from a letter received from th(i Agent of the Atlas Steamship Co., as the information will prove useful. " Our pi-esent rates of freight to Kingston, Jamaica, and the outports, are " as follows : ■ KINGSTON : OUTPOETS OF JAMAICA : ^ Pork, per brl. 50 cts. nett. 90 cts . and 5 p. 0. primage. Flour, " «' 40 75 less Butter, ■ " 100 lbs. 20 40 15 p. c Cheese, " " 20 40 Measurement, " cub. ft. 8 15 Weight, " 100 lbs. 20 35 " Freight to Kingston may be prepaid or charged forward, but all freight for •' other ports iu Jamaica must be prepaid. The above rates are those in force at " the time of writing and are subject to change without notice. " Freight from Canada may be seut by any route, but we think the Lines in •' connection with the New-York Central and Hudson River Railroad give the best " dispatch : we are not posted as to rates as we do not take charge of the goods " until delivered to us by the Railway. 11 " Our steamers leave New- York for Jamaica throe times every four weeks, '' viz : on alternate Saturdays and on every fourth Friday ; the card of sailings " enclosed will give you the dates, and also information about the other services " of the Company to Haiti, Colombia, and Costa-Ricu. " No wharfage is charged consignees on goods delivered at Kingston." The next day, on the 12th of February, I called on the agents of the Halifax Co. who told me their rates were 75 cents per barrel and three pence more per barrel for wharfage, as the Company ^".i no wharf. On the 15th of March, before my leaving Kingston, I was told by Mr. Dimock that in future the rates of freight between Halifax and Kingston, Jamaica, would be the same as those of the " Atlas " line, that is 40 cents per barrel and that this diminution was due to the intervention of the Horticultural Society and of the Commissioner for Canada. On my arrival here, Messrs. Keford & Co. of Montreal, Agents of the Halifax company, confirmed this statement. The freight on flour is 40 cents per barrel, but on butter it is 60 cents per 100 pounds from Halifax to Kingston, Jamaica, which makes 40 cents more per 100 pounds, for butter .than for flour. Wharfage duos should be abolished ; they are a considerable item ; you can form an idea by the amount paid on our exhibits by the Government of Canada, -which amounted to over $500.00 for wharfage. On the Trophy and exhibits of the Province of Quebec the wharfage dues amounted to the sum of £22.16.9 making $114.18 current money ; I refused to pay it, as the Commissioners for the Jamaica Exhibition, in the circular sent by them to the Government last summer, undertook to meet all expenses on the exhibits, landed in Jamaica. Having exposed the matter to Mr. Dimock, the Superintendant, he said he would settle the matter : you will see by his letter that he did so and as a compensation I gave up the rights that the Government had to claim an indemnity for the loss of the vegetable, fruit and cheese. I hope this settlement may meet with the approval of the Government. As to Canadian flour, there is another serious difficulty that interferes with it's introduction in Jamaica. The principal bakeries of Kingston are owned by companies worked with American capital and their managers being also Americans oppose the testing of flour other than that from the United 'States. The dry cod-fish exhibited by Messrs. C, Eobin & Co. of Paspebiac and by J.Iessrs. Le Boutillier & Brothers of the same place, and the boneless cod sent by Messrs. Stuart, Munn & Co. of Montreal, were greatly admired and appreciated. 12 I had leceived instructious from Messrs, Robin and Stewart, Munn & Co. to sell their exhibits and I got without trouble from Messrs. Boetcher, merchants in Eist Street, Kingston, 87.00 per 100 pounds; the custom dues, which came to 826 stg. per 112 pounds, were paid by them. yish is in great use in Jamaica ; the cod-fish from Nova Scotia put up in barrels of 400 to 500 pounds was the only one known there before the exhibition of our fish. .. . . , , ' . Messrs. Boetcher declared that of all the exhibits from the Provinces and from Newfoundland, the cod exhibited by Messrs. Robin, wao tlie best prepared for keeping in the West Indias. The hay, exhibited by the Government (coming from Messrs. J. Hamel & Co.) was found good, but the carters of Jamaica do not believe in it and prefer guiv,ea grass. ' They import a very small quantity of timothy from England, for race horses. The.minerals from the Province of Quebec, which were prepared and assorted with the greatest care under the superintendence of Mr. E. E, Tach^, Assistant Commissioner of Crown Lands and of Mr. Obalski were greatly admired. The collec- tion was remarkable both by the number and quality of the samples. The asbestos* mica, copp\;.r and the different samples of iron attracted much attention from the Americans ind sjave rise to much discussion on their economical value and on the best modes of freeing them from foreign matters. The English and Germand seemed to take a special interest in our phosphates • and they considered it richer llian the Carolina and Florida phosphates. To those interested in our jaininj? products, I gave the Government pamphlet describing our mines ; they were very useful and en.ibled me to give much inform- ation on the subject. Phosphate being now an article of trcde of such great importance it is very desirable that the rich deposits of our Province should become better known, and that our people should turn their attention towards working them with energy. The governments of Florida and Carolina give a fair share of encouragement, but the people make the most extraordinary efforts to force the sale of their phosphates on all the markets of Europe and even of Africa. • • On account of the damages sustained by the steamers " Juniata " and " Lizie Heu'iersou " 1 was detain<;d fur threo weeks in Florida, in waiting for another 13 steamer to cross over to Jamaica, and I availed myself of the opportunity for visiting the different sea-ports and noticed enormous shipments of phosphate. Sailing vessels and steamers were every where taking in cargoes of tnis article of trade. At every sea-port advantages are ottered to the mining and railway compa- nies such as ground, warehouses and wharves free of charge. There is a great excitement amongst the people, and *,he press is constantly puffing up the Florida phosphates ; the smallest discovery is made a great deal of and as a result foreign capital ifa pouring into Florida and contributes vastly to tho developement of it'8 mining resources. Railway companies carry at very moderate rates, the phosphate from the interior to the sea-ports of Fernandina, Jacksonville, and other ports on the Atlantic and of Tort Tampa on the Gulf of Mexico. Owing to all these facilities the mining companies are enabled to deliver phosphate at 87.00 per ton alongside the vessel and to realize, I am told, a handsome profit. The quantity of phosphate taken up from the sea is also considerable : they use dredgers in the bay of Tampa to take out pebbles which are about the size of a bean. They have machinery to separate it from the sand, leaving the phosphate pretty free from foreign matter. I must admit that the sight of such a large number of people employed on land and at sea, earning very good wages and increasing tho prosperity of the State, made .me feel sorry for our want of entreprige and the apathy which allows such mineral wealth as ours to lay dormant under our feet. We must understand the value of our phosphates, find out the countries where we can ship it with advantage, learn the composition of phosphate fertilizers and how to adapt them to the requi- rements of different crops. To show what can be done I will quote the case of a Canadian Mr. Zephirin Vanier, born near Lachine and school-mate of the lamented Monsignor Labelle. This gentleman has been living for the last 21 years in Brooksville, Florida, where he gave himself to the culture of sugar cane and oranges realizing a good profit thereby. His practical knowledge of minerals enabled him to discover phosphate on his property and on adjoining lands which he bought. His property cost him S15,000 and last fall, he sold the whole for S175.000 to a German company from Berlin, on which he received $25,000 cash I was told by Mr. Vanier that the phosphate mines will soon be for Florida a greater source of richness than it's thousands of orange groves. At Jacksonville, on the 23rd of December last, on the wharves of the New- York Line I was looking at the quantity of goods and products from the North trying to find out if among them there were any Canadian products. I found 200 barrels of ashes from Montreal and about one hundred bales of hay : the day l)efor(! at the South Flor " 1\. R. station I saw a car load of potatoes, with a mark iudi- u eating that it h«d gone by Cliaudiero Junction. These were the only Canadian products I saw in Florida. As I was anxious to see the use made of our Canadian ashes, I followed the carts on which they were loaded. They were dumped into a shed, on an out of the way wharf, and on a sign hoard were written the words : " Painesjertilizera" 'no admit! anoe". Nevertheless I went in; it was noon and the workmen were nt thoir dinner. One of them called out : " no admittance " ; 1 "xuswered him in french and continued ray wa^ towards the centre of the building ; I found there ground i)hosphaic, ashes from Montreal, lime from Massachusetts, eulphuiic acid and salt a-id a scale for weighing them. The whole was mixed up and put into bags, on some of which were stamped " Paiucs orange Fertilizers" and on other " Paines cotton Fertilizers." Our Canadian ashes supply very probably the richest elemetits of those Fertilizers; we part from them for a mere trlHe and help to enrich our neighbours' lands, whilst our Avorn out lands suffer from the want of such fertilizers. Would it not be wise to prohibit the exportation of our ashes and ought we not to manufacture on a large scale, in this Province, all these fertilizers ? Phos- phate is in abundance, so are copper ores for the production of sulphuric acid ; lime is to be found every where and we do not know what to do with our ashes- Hitherto it has not been practicable to expoit raw phosphate in winter, as the freight to Halifax is too high. Does the Intercolonial railway deal as fairly in the way of rates, with our Quebec phosphates as with the Nova Scotia coals ? Could not the Intercolonial's coal cars, when returning empty to Halifax, take back phos- phate at low rates and in this manner keep so important a trade alive all the year round ? I believe that all these questions deserve serious consideration and I draw your attention to the subject, hoping that it may lead to such arrangements as would cnabh as to find an outlet for our inexhaustible supply of fsrtilizers. A part iVom the numerous products of the Island for which there is a ready market in Canada, and with which we are familiar, such as coffee, mehisses, spices, etc., there are many others, a few of which deserve a special mention. FIBROUS PLANTS. There are in Jamaica a number of plants producing excellent fibre, growing wild every where and their cultivation is much encouraged by the Government. Amongst the finest exhibits, I noticed long skeins of fibre, from different plants, among others from the Agave, Agava Rigida, (the Sisal Hemp of trade) ; the Agave Olgantisia of the West Indias, that grows along the roads and on dry places • the Silk pass, very silky and strong ; the Bow String and the Sterculia Colorado 15 (two rernarkablo plants). They ftU yield fibre prefciul)lc to Manilla and owing to the encouragement given by the Governor Sir Ily. IJluke, and the planting and good cultivation of the above raentioned species and others in the Botanical gardens nnd Government nurseries, wo can foresee the time when their cultivation will become general over the Island and their production afford one of the most important articles of export ; Canada will Hnd there an abundant supply of material for it's rope and carpet factories. A scutching machine operating on the Exhibition grounds, dressed the fibre with great rapidity. Loads of Agave leaves, about three feet long, cut down and I)rought to the machine were freed in a moment from the enveloppc which surrounded the fibres, leaving them as clean and straight as if they had been combed. This was done without any other handling than placing one end of the green leaves between the rollers. There is no rope walk on the Island, and Sir Hy. }3Iake is very anxious to see one started, and if carried on vigorously it would have every chance of prospering and would certainly obtain important privileges from the Government and from the municipalities. Wiiy should Canadians allow the Americans to get ahead of us, again, in this matter ? There appears to be no good reason why it should bo so, but from what 1 hear on all sides, we have no time to lose. MATERIAL YOU PAPER. Quite a number of plants on the Island might be utilized for that purpose, amongst others the Banana tree, out of which can be produced a paper of firsl-class quality. The fruit-bearing stem, after having given firuit is cut down and thrown away and it is replaced at once by another of the numerous stalks continually spring up from the same root, so that from the 1st January to the 31st December, the same plant continues yielding fruit wiihout interruption and, in sood ground and w^ith care, can continue to do so for ten years. Millions of these banana stems, which might be turned to such good account for making paper, are wasted away every year. ANNATTO. Our cheese factories import every year thousands of barrels of annatto (the colouring mntter for cheese), all prepared, at a considerable cost, while they could procure the raw annatto frm Jamaica at about three doUare and thirty-five cents per 100 pounds, and prepare it themselves; it would insure a pure article instead of ouo which, in many institnces is falsified with an admixture of logwood and other inferior ingredients, which of course cannot but lower the quality of our 16 cheese ; the process of preparation is a very simple one, and when we take into account the quantity of cheese manufactured in Canada (we have exported over eighty-eight millions of pounds weight to Great Britain in 1889), it will be readily understood that the slightest reduction of expenditure on the cost of manufacturing will amount to considerable sums, on such a large pioduction. FRUIT. You are aware that Canada buys a large quantity of oranges in New- York, and also makes large imports of oranges from Sicily via Liverpool. They are carried to Halifax, N. S., by the Allan steamers which have perfect compartments for the storage of fruits. Halifax in winter is the distributing point for the whole Dominion and then the fruit is handled with the greatest care and dispatched by the Intercolonial Railway officials who load and forward special orange trains in well heated cara, to the principal cities of Canada. The Jamaica oranges being far better than the Sicily, would be preferred in Canada , the overland transit in Canada being safe we have to study only the question of the ocean carrier's ability to do their part, and no doubt that the Government of Canada will grant a subvention to a line of steamers thorou^ly fitted for the fruit trade a^nd whose freight r.ites will be as low as that of any line to New- York. The fruit growers and agriculturalists of both colonies are equally interested in having the very best line of weekly steamevs. Canada grows some fruits and other perishable products which would find a ready sale in Jamaica. We grow the best apples in the world. In 1889, we exported 616,217 barrels to Great Britain and 152,720 barrels to other countiies, value $2,613,000. We grow cherries, plums, peas, peaches, grapes (there are vineyards in Ontario of 40 to 60 acres) ; strawberries are grown as a field crop. Currants, gooseberries, raspberries, are produced in great abundance and we have large canning establishments preserve and pack the fruit, samples of which were exhibited in Jamaica. WOOD. The most common timber in Canada for building purposes, the white spruce, is of little value in Jamaica, on account of its being liable to be eaten by ants. White and yellow pine is used for the inside of buildings. The pine deals and boards for this market must be as long as possible, from 16 feet and upwards. I saw them unloading at Holland Bay, cedars from the State of Maine, for the railway company. The timber the most in request is the pitch pine from the Carolinas and Florida ; it is landed in every sea-port of Jamaica, of all lengths and sizes, in its rough state and dressed. They import from Florida large quantities of sawn lumber prepared for orange cases. The Boston Fruit Company imported houses ready-made, to put up on their large estates. IT Tho want of saw-mills on the Island compela the people to. send their rod codar to tho United States, ho as to have it cut up iu sizes suitable for cigar boxes. Our hard woofls wero very nuich admired and os their price is much loM'er than that of tho Imrd woods of tho Island, thero would l»o a fair market for thorn, although a limited one. Most of the floors in tho housos are made of mahogany or pitch pine ; red Hpruco (tamarac), and birch would be good substitutes for mahogany, which is becoming scarce. The cedar shingles exhibited by our Government were found to be of a good quality, but much too short. Ihay still use the pitch pine shingle 24 inches long, C inches wide and half an inch thick, all uniform size. Since metallic shingles have been introduced, the demand for wooden shingles has decreased. I^rge quantities of furnithro are imported from Boston, etc., where they are prepared ready to be fitted up, The furniture agents put them together in Ja- maica and varnish them, and furniture dealers save by these means a considerable amount on freight. Plain chairs and bods from Canada should sell in tho Island at paying prices. Our cabinet makers ought surely to bo able to compete with the "Boston Paine Company." Messrs. Davidson & Colthurst, of Kingston, carry on a large timber trade. In the furniture line Messrs. Alex. Berry & Son, of Kingston, are at the head of the trade, and Canadian cabinet makers who would deal with them would, I believe receive full satisfaction. The " Bank of Nova Scotia " has a branch in Kingston, where Canadians can apply to ascertain the financial standing of those with whom the" may wish to deal. Mr. Moresco, manager of the Colonial Bank, at Kingston, whom I had tho advantage of consulting, is most willing to help us in extending our trade relations with Jamaica, and his long experience and intimate knowledge of the business carried on in the Island will enable him to render us valuable service. There is no mercantile agency in Jamaica similar to that of Bradstreet and Dunn Wiman. ., ,.../ , It was the general opinion of business men, in Jamaica, that Canadian manu- facturers should keep constantly their representative there, not only with samples of goods, but with goods in store. A reliable man, active and industrious, could rspresent most of the Canadian factories, and with the help of Jamaican clerks ( ould see to the sales of Canadian farm products. A Government agent would be 18 very usefal, but an agent chosen by business men would still be better qualified for pushing on trade, and the Commission he Would earn on sales, would induce him to do his very best. Out of sight, out of mind ; we must not allow Jamaica to forget us, now that we have made ourselves so favorably known. Among the Canadian goods more particularly appreciated, were : Kitchen stoves and ranges from Toronto, similar to those manufactured at Quebec, Mont- real, Lotbiniere, Levis and Flessisvillo. Light stoves ornamented with nicklc, sold well, also Canadian steel shovels and spades, ploughs, scythes. One horse mowers and reapers ought to be tried there for cutting the Guinea grass and lay it in bundles. A stock of manufactured aabeatoa would fmd ready sale ; the exhibit sent by the Quebec Government was much admired by the manager of the Government navy yard and was the very thing they wanted for steamship boilers and pipes, at the great shops for naval construction and repairs which I visited at Port Koyal in company with Mr. C. A. Smith, Public works engineer. Carriages, light wagons, are much in demand. The 25 Gananoque carriages exhibited were sold in a lot at very remunerative prices. The Quebec and Mon. treal carriage makers ought to be able to compete with any o*^her in this line. Matches and pails are not manufactured on the Island, there seems a chance for the manufacturers of this Province. In boots and shoes Quebec manufacturers would find a good market. Messrs. Marsh of Quebec sold to several merchants of the Island. I could name many other articles in demand in Jamaica but it would be a repetition of what the Hon. Commissioner of Canada will publish. The ultimate object of the Government in incurriugso much expense to make our ressources known in the West Indias, must have been to create trade relations between them and us. My report would not be complete if I did not lay before you the result of my investigations on the subject for what they may be worth. You know that the Americans have considerably increased their trade relations with Jamaica at the expense of England. Iz. the towns, in the country, on the plantations you will find that the Americans have generally taken possession of all the trade and business. Their bananas and cocoa plantations are the finest in the Island; the Boston fruit company owns 20,000 acres which are in a splendid state of culture. 19 The line of railway built by tho government of the Island is now owned by an American company, who has undertaken to prolong it all round the Inland. The people of ilamaica thought at first that it would \)e an advantage for them to sell the railway to this company ; it was thought that they would pay as high wages as in the United SUtes and that thoy would greatly enrich Jamaica. With their usual acuteness, the Americans concluded a hard bargain for the people of Jamaica. They paid for the road without disbursing one greenback : they issued J^ebentures which were taken up on the English market. They are actually building the road with Euglinh capital. Wages are the same as formerly, the ballast is carried and the road built by coloured women who work for 25 cents a (lay. I saw about fifty of these women carrying on their heads gravel they took on the beach and dumped on the line. As the building of the Line proceeds, the Company receives from the government it's subsidy in the shape of valuable lands and when the Line is completed, the Company will be in possession of an immense territory worth millions, over and above privileges of the greatest value. One of these privileges is the right of importing //w of duty all the Company may want for the construction and repairs of the road. There appears to be no limit to theso wants and this privilege is a serious hindrance to the progress of the Island and a very material decrease to the revenue derived from Customs. From every side we hear complaints against the bargain made with the Company ; it has given none of the expected advantages. The company imports every thing from the United States, instead of building on the Island the rolling stock necessary for tho working of the road. Even the railway carriages are imported from Pensylvania, instead of getting them built in Jamaica and making use for their construction of the valuable woods found growing in the Island. As a matter of course it must be expected that this American company will use its influence in Jamaica to favour trade with tho United States. Agents of New York and Chicago firms are all over the Island with their samples. Tlio first-class hotels are kept by Americans, and the United States consuls are inte- rested in numerous branches of trade. Then the American steamers and sailing ships, that are constantly iu the ports, have their agents, all interested in the trade with the United States. England has a larger trade than the United States in dry goods, spices, hard- ware, groceries, wines, brandy, ale and other li(|Uors, English and German shoes, metals, tools and machinery used in distilleries and on the large sugar plantations. The greatest part of tho Jamaica rum, spices, cofloe, chocolate, annate, pimento, etc., is exported to England. English woven goods and cutlery being the cheapest in the world, are greatly in use among the larger number of people. Englishmen having a large business and who live on the Island and owners of large estates, are anxious to keep up thuii relations with England and with English firms. 10 Is Canada in a position to compete with advantage against England and the United States ? Are not the high duties on Jamaica products that enter or might enter Canada an obstacle to trade relations between the two colonies ? ^ The opinion of the people of Jamaica most anxious to promote trade relations between the Island and Canada is, that the Dominion Government and our people liave a gi-eut deal to do, if they do not wish to lose the advantages gained by Canada at this Exhibition, by the fine display of its resources, at the cost of a great exiienditurc. •. , , . . . . I hope that the Dominion Parliament will help us by its legislation to obtain the desired result, and that our trade with Jamaica will increase for the mutual benefit of both colonies. The Quebec Government will have the satisfaction of feeling that they have done their share towards this end by their fine collection of our products and by the distribution of thousands of documents and papers giving full information on our country and its resources. A Diploma of Honor has been awai-ded to the Quebec Government for its whole exhibit. It was most gratifying to observe how much the efforts of our Province to contribute to the success of the Exhibition were generally appreciated. I annex to this report the acknowledgement by the Institute of Jamaica of the gift of a valuable collection of our minerals, presented by the Honorable Mr. Mercier, and a number of other documents containing full information on the Ex- hibition and all matter? connected with it. My best thanks are due to Mr. A. Browu, the Honorary XJommissioner for Canada, for his valuable help. To him is due the success of the Canadian part of the Exhibition. He has been indefatigable in his efforts to attract the public atten- tion to the Canadian exhibits, and to advertise Canada and its resources. He was prodigal of his sound advice to agents of Canadian firms and helped them greatly in the sale of their goods. To Mr. Dimock, of Nova Scotia, is due the magnificent installation of the Canadian products. • '-'--■;•;• •,-■)■• : . . ,- •:,. ■-:,. • ,■.;. ^ The (rovernnient will soon receive through you the detail of the prizes granted. The Exhibition will be open until the 2nd day of May next. ' '' ' : " ■' I have the honour to be, sir, ■ ' ; .,' .'', ■;•, : ■^-f- • :•?,'- Your humble servant, ,•? • •-■' ■^[ ■ .'. ■-'■:■',, •■' ■; . ■ '^'.>- ' ^ •' AUG. DUPUIS, ■-■ '^ ' • > ' - '■ ■ ". f Commissioner for the Province of Quebec. St. Koch des Aulnaies, 20th April, 1891. 21 ^i^iPEnsriDix:. NAMES OF EXHIBITORS OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC AT THE JAMAICA EXHIBITION. 1891, AND LIST OF ARTICLES EXHIBITED BY THEM. Beauchamp, Mrs. W., Montreal, Quebec; Sisal Hemp. Bell, J. & T., Montreal, Quebec ; Boots and Shoes. Agent, John Fulton, Cana- dian Court. Burns, John & Co., Montreal, Quebec ; Family Range and Grate. Agent, R. J. McLaren, Canadian Court. Canada Veneer Company, Sherbrooke, Quebec; Wooden Goods, Sample of Veneering. Agent, E. W. Burch, Canadian Court. Canada Shipping Co., Montreal, Quebec ; Framed Pictures SS. "Ontario." Canada Meat Packing Co., Montreal, [Quebec ; Cured Meats. Agent, R. J. McLaren, Canadian Court. Canada Pacific Railway, Montreal, Quebec ; Doors of British Columbia Woods, Framed Photogi-aphs of Rocky Mountain Scenery through which the C. P. R. passes, and Two Thousand Copies of "The New Highway." CoMPAGNiE Canadienne de CONDUITS, Thiee Rivers, Quebec ; Iron Water Pipes. Davis, S. & Sons, Montreal, Quebec ; Cigars. Dominion Type Company, Montreal, Quebec; Printing Type. Agent, R. G. Starke, Canadian Court. ' Doughty, A. G., Montreal, Quebec ; Two Copies "Idylls of the King" engraved in Shorthand with seven Illustrations. Two original Water-Color Draw- ings from which Plates have been reproduced in separate forms. Frame containing Plates and Samples of Work. Fitch, Edson & Co., Etchemin, Quebec : Match Splints. Agent, E. W. Burch, Canadian Court. - « :»-,:* , ; / .td^ :.t Gale, George & Sons, Waterville, Quebec ; Combination Iron Bedsteads, Tait Combined Hospital Bed, Camp Bed, and Combined Crib. Agents, R. D. Turner, Canadian Court and Martin and Spicer, Kingston. 22 Garuxer, R & Son, (Novelty Works), Montreal, Quebec; IJi.scnit Miicliinery. K. J. McTjarcii, Canadian Court. Gould, Ira & Sons, Montreal, Quebec ; Flour. Grand Trunk Raii-wav ov Canada, Montreal, Quebec ; Map of Grand Trunk Rtvilway system, Photograph of Su.s})un9ion Uridj^e on Niagara Kiver. Hallky Bros. & CiiiANViLLK, Montreal ; Lime- Light Views of Canadian Cities and Scenery. HocHELAGA COTTOS MANUFAOTLlUNt; Ci)., Montreal, Qucbcc ; Cottons: — Greys, Cantons, Ducks, Drills, lilcached and Tritits. Ives, H. E. & Co,, Montreal, Quebec; Hardware. LeBoutillier Bros, & Co., Paspebiac, Quebec; Tub small Dry Codfish, Case large Dry Codfish. Lachance, S,, Montreal, Quebec; Pat(?nt Medicines. Agent. A.GdUnas, Canadian Court. Malone, Thomas. Jr., Three Kivers, Quebec; Patent Fire Kindler.s, Marsh, W, A, & Co., Quebec, Province of Quebec ; Boots and Shoes. Agent, John Fulton, Canadian Court. Hills & MoDolgall, Montreal, Quebec ; Canadian Tweeds. Agent, John Fulton, Canadian Conrt. Montmorency Cotton MANUFACTURiNfi Co., Montmorency Falls, Quebec; Sheeting and Drilling, Montreal Cotton Co., (Louis Simpson, Manager), Valleyfield, Quebec; Silesias, Sateens, Cambrics, Canton Flannels, Dress Goods. Agent, E. W. Burch, Canadian Court. Montreal, City ok, Montreal, Quebec ; Large Painting of City and Photographic Views. MouRiCE, D., Sons S: Co., Montreal, Quebec ; Agents and Exhibitors for the Coat! cook Knitting Company, Coaticook, Quebec, McAuTHi'R, Colin & Co., Montreal, Quebec; Collection of Wall Pai)er, Agent, John Fulton, Canadian Court, McCahkill, D. a, & Co., Montreal, Quebec; Hard Drying Varnish. Agent. E. -. W. Burch, Canadian Court, McLaren, W. I)., Montreal, Quebec ; Baking Powder. Agent, II, J, Mcljiren, Canadian Court, McLaren, J. C, BELTiN(i Company, Tup;, Montreal, Quebec; Sweat Collars, Agent, 11. J. McLiren, Canadian Court. McLeish, F2. H,, & Co,, Montreal, Quebec: Native Indian Curiosities. Agent, A. G(jlina8, Canadian Court. Nelson, H, A,, & Sons, Montreal, Quebec; Brooms and Whisks. Agent, R, J, McT^aren, Canadian Court. New Rockland Slate Company, Montreal, Quebec; Slate Washboard, Slate Blacklioard, Roofing Slate. 2S 0(;iLViE, A. W, & Co., Montreal, Quebec ; Flour. 1'kacock, William, Montreal, Quebec; Cane-handle Cricket Bats, Cane-handle Baseball Bats. Quebec Pkovixcial Government, Quebec ; Trophy of the Woods of the Prov- ince, 22 Samples of Hard and Soft Wood, 10 Bundles of Shingles, 4 Bales of Hay, 3G0 Pounds of Cheese, 2 barrels of Apples, 12 cjises Potatoes : — Ivirly Rose, Prolific, Garnet, Chili and Columbia, 14 cases minerals, 1 barrel Phosphatt;, 1 barrel cement, 1 case Peas, "Marrowfat." FitoM School of Aguicultuuk. Ste. Anne Lapocati^re, 4 cases of Potatoes :— Charter Oak, Rural Blush, Early Vermont, Early Sunrise, Early Ohio, Imi^erial, Canada Yellow, Chili, Progress, Empire State, Dakota Red, Stray Beauty, Columbia ; 1 case Oat«, 2 cases Vegetables, 1 bag Wheat, Wheat in Sheaves. Fkom School of Agbicultuue, L'Assomption ; 1 case Butter, 2 cases Oats ; Wheat, Barley, Beans, Rye and Onions ; 1 case Potatoes. Fkom County l'Islet Hobticultukal Society; 3 cases Potatoes: — Prolific, Gar- net, Chili and liarly Uose; 2 cases Apples: — English Gulden, Russet and Northern Spy ; 5 cases Grain. Fkom J. B. LALiBEBTfc, Quebec ; l^rge Assortment of Furs. KuoM S. A. FiSHEU, Kuowlton; 1 case Butter in glass aud tin. Fkom Stewakt, Munx & Co., Montreal ; Boneless Fish. i<'uoM Canada Galvanizing ani> Steel Roofing Co., Montreal; Steel Shingles. Fkom Danville Slate Company, Danville ; School Slates. From The Willia.m Johnson Co., Montreal ; Calcined Magnetic Purple Oxide of Iron, Crude Native Oxide of Iron Paint, Liquid Paint. From P. Valliere, Quebec; Chairs. Agent, Augusts Dupuis, Canadian Court. RoiUN, Charles & Co., Paspebiac, Quebec ; Dry Cured Codfish (medium). RoitiN & Sadler, Montreal, Quebec ; Single and Double Leather Belting — 3, 4, 6, and 2G inches. Agent, R. J. Mcl^ren, Canadian Court. Roll AND, J. B. & Fils, Montreal ; Paper. Agent, A. Gt5linas, Canadian Court. Shorey, H. & Co., Montreal, Quebec ; Ready-Made Clothing. Agent, J. A. Noonan, Canadian Court. Slater, G. F. & Sons, Montreal, Quebec; Boots and Shoes. Agent, E. W. Burch, Canadian Court. Si'LiCER, John (Tekanakensen), Caughnawaga, Quebec ; Irotjuois Indian Beadwork. Small, E. A. & Co., Montreal, Quebec ; Clothing. Agent, John Fulton, Canadian Court. Tkes & Co., Montreal, Quebec; Railroad Roll Top Black Waltiut Desk, Winnipeg Roll Top Oak Desk. Agent, E. J. Forbes, Canadian Court. 24 Temple, E. M,, Montreal, Quebec ; Methode de Dessiii. Watson, John C, Montreal, Quebec ; Samples of Wall Paper. Agents, Hepburn, McCarthy & Co., Kingston. ADAM BROWN, Esq., Hon. Commissioner for Canada. W. D. DIMOCK, Esq., Superintendent Canadian Court. E. J. FOEBES, Esq., Agent, Ontario Government. AUGUSTE DUPUrS, Commissioner Province of Quebec. LEVITE TERRIAULT, " Province of New Brunswick. The other Provinces had no representatives besides the Hon. Commissioner for Canada,