, 1881-07-02
THE JAMAICA FRUIT TRADE.
From the Cleaner.

Mr.. J. II. Bostwick, Inspector of Customs
al Burling Slip. New York, who has for many
years past published very interesting stats
tics as to the fruit trade Of that port, has
just Issued a circular giving the results for
the year, 1880. Last year We furnished our
readers with his statistics for 1879, showing TO
what an alarming ext*nt our exported fsais
deteriorated in transit, and this present lntor-
NATION to hand on the same subject 10 equally
instructive. @.:r. 4at-
Mr.. BustWiok remarks that the impOrtailOns
of fruit into New York from the -ditsrranean
decreased during the year, and that the
trade was more profitable to despAtohers. tbs
comparative figures show an lncreass OF Ons
cargo and 41,537 barrels of oranges from the
West Indies, over the preceding year, The
iucreass of barrels was due, he says, to i'm
ports from Kingston and NJ Jnteg) Bay. Tbs
total of oranges imported from the West
Indies was about thirty-three millions. on
which there Was an average loss on the
voyage of not less than S74 per cent. Slxtsen
and three quarter millions oranges from
Kingston suffered a loss OF five aud d halt
millions aAoat. OF 3.07s.64l oranges from
Montego Bay, just a third persisted in transit;
on 80, 1853 from Port Mari', the proportion OF
loss was the same and Of 44,450 from Saw
lamar about $4,000 peiished. On one
hundred and sevenly-three millions oranges
from the Mediterranean, undergoing q longer
Journey than fruit from Jamaica or Oaaa, ihe
loss was only 33s per cent. Speaking OF the
quality of the fruit, Mr.. Bostwick re mafk<.
The oranges imported from the ~Wcss
Indian Islands during the latter part OF The
past year were far inferior Ia sizs aud quality
10 those imported during the fret partsof Abe
year, and brought CORES oondingly lower prices.
This is attributable to the superabundaat crop
Of oranges, which was approximately lar<s.
and u 81 to the long aud severe drought which
prevailed generally throughout the Islands"
He states that the scourgs Ut the Medlterra-
mean orange and lemon trees has appeared ln
jamaica, but we are glad to know that he 10
ui.informed on this point. His hg ures a. ~
jamaica exports are also high, but since. they
are not for the same period as reported upon
by the Collector General, We cannot check
them item by item. 4hA
The total number of bunoLrs of ban anas
imported into New York from the West Indies
was 343,047, of which ~ 900 psrished ON the
voyage, the percentage of loss being therefore
90 per cent. The rade is said to have been
less remunerative than usual 10 the exporters.
There were also imported no fewer than
297, $50 punches from Aspinwall. at a loss OF
$685. per cent. With regard TO the Jansi-
CT bananas. Mr.. Bcstwiek states that i'd spltS
of the Cyclone the increase for the year was
nearly 10000 bunohe'. But the share Ct
Jamaica in the export to New York ls small,
being apparently about q quartsr of the above
figures, for the year, although large Quantities
20 hence 20 other American ports. The
increase of export from AspinwaA was $1,000
lunches. -
The import of piaeapples was a,ee7 .95a,,
on which there was a loss by spoiliug ioE
nearly 10 per cent. In this new trade Igenai5
"a took little part. but its growing mDOrtancR
may be gathered from the fact that the
import for the year increased 4S7,e50.J Col
coanuts were also in demand, the total supply
being ten millions for the year. Tho loss In
transit was l per cent. The quantities from
Jamaica for New York were so Esma laaslto
be massed with those from other places, inis
total falling below one million. 70 l9l1nim.19
The foregoing figures give an idea OF the
immense BUSINESS done ia tropical frMt'inIthe'
Quilted States, 2 and the vast sopportuaitsess
offering to growers in iJan1aica. We must
improve the quality Of oar exported sfruit,9.'
~inorsase the quantity, j and cut down thelper1
centage Of loss on the voyage #a @9fA-.as5