The herald., 1896-09-13

lens, a falling off of 7,943 gallons from
the previous year. Italy, on the other
hand, increased her expectation from
44S, 1854 gallons in 1890 to 506,647 in 1891.
The total expectation of the latter year
was 1852 gallons, of an estimated VAL
Tie of $860,417. The native production
(of California; does not pass 10000 gal
Ions. AS the olive tree needs long time
for its growth and fruit bearing, the
importation from abroad will have moth
ing to fear from native production for
many years The consumption of olive
oil for table use constantly increases IN
the United States, and would be very
much greater If 1t were not for adultera-
tions and imitation by means Of cotton
seed oil. Theses were never carried OH
to so great an extent as at present. The
duty on, oil for table use is 35 cents per
gallon, but the crude oil is accepted at
the custom house as an oil for indus
trial use and is admitted free of duty.
The importer has this crude oil refined
in the same establishments where the
cottonseed oil Is handled. He thus, in the
first place, saves the amount of duty,
and the dregs of the oil can be sold for
soap-making at 5 cents a gallon. Even
this product, though inferior to the bet
ter refined oils which are imported,
would be genuine II the process of saw
ing stopped here. But the next opera
tion is to mix it with the tasteless re-
fined cottonseed oil, in the proportion
of one part olive to three of cottonseed.
This is sold under the name of olive oil,
and Is usually declared to be from Luc-
ca. AS crude olive oil costs only from
GO to so cents gallon, and cottonseed
oil from 40 to so cents, the cost price of
this mixture ranges from As to 60 cents
per gallon. When sold at from $1.15 to
$l.3O, which is 30 cents cheaper than the
genuine oil, it still gives an enormous
profit.
This imitation of the genuine article Is
carried into the most minute details.
The tin cases and bottles. the colors and
designs of the labels, ar copied, some
times even with the names of known
foreign firms. The wood used in Italy
for boxing is not found in the United
States. The importer, if he informed
himself on this point, would be able to
check off the quality of the product
which the commission merchant has had
packed for him in New York or Brook
lyn; but the buyer at retail can scarcely
detect the imitation, except from the
quality of the oil. Under the circum-
stances, it is evident that the ordinary
consumer will hardly be able to cult
vate discerning taste. In some cases
the adulteration leaves no sign for the
importer himself. The tins of genuine
refined olive oil, with a known trade
mark, are simply opened, one-half or
quarters of the contents are with
drawn and replaced by cottonseed oil.
Here, not only the consumer is deceived,
but the italian exporting house is un-
justly discredited.
In England fraud of this kind comes
under the merchandise marks act. In
the United States. the Italian delegate
complains, there seems to be only san
itary acts, under which similer adulter-
alton does not fall. Several Italian
houses are now endeavoring to protect
their product by putting on all their
tins sent to New York a ticket, declar-
ing under oath before the United States
consul at Leghorn, that the contents are
genuine olive OIL This affidavit is GER
titled by the hand and seal of the consul.
The better class of refined oils-from
Tuscany, Liguria (Genoa), Nice and
Bordeaux-are usually imported in tins
or in bottles. The more common kinds
from Southern Italy Except those from
Sorrento,) from Scicily and Spain-are
brought, like the crude oil, in casks of
oak wood, with plastered bottoms, hold
ing from thirty to sixty gallons. The
tins hold from one quart up to five gal
Ions and are packed, in numbers corre-
spending to their size, in wooden boxes;
for example, forty quart tins on two five
gallon tins to a box. The bottles hold
from one-half pint (packed forty-eight
W IL DOA,J " u wv WSlNC pei OOn'(
The tins go mainly to hotels and restau-
rants, families preferring to receive the
oil in bottles. OF the Italian oils those
from Tuscany (sold as from Lucca) COM
mand the best prices-$1.60 to 81 per gal
lon tin. Oil from Genoa brings from
$1.4O to $3.50; from Sorrento, $l.2o to $l;35
French olive oil Is the best accredited
and sells from 50 to $3.50 per gallon. or
from $7'to IS per case of twelve quart bot
ties. The italian delegate attributes this
superiority not so much to the higher
reputation Of the oil as to the fact that
the French dealers are better traders,
compete less among themselves and
prepare their merchandise for the public
with superior elegance and care.
Finally the exactions of the American
consumer are somewhat peculiar. He
desires that the oil should be absolutely
clear and golden in olor, whereas the
English prefer a greenish tint. The
cate and fine. The defect Of the south
ern oils is their fattiness, which also
makes it difficult to keep them. The
Italian delegate does not notice that the
American liking for a tasteless oil may
have been cultivated by the insipid cot
tonseed imitation, which has so long
been forced on him as the genuine arti-
Gle. He gives notice that his affice will
soon undertake the same work for oils
which 1t now does for wines. This will
furnish a systematic analysis and su-
pervision of the olive oil imported to
New York from Italy.
The Italian delegate referred to is an
official recently sent to this country to-
look into the subject and it Is on his re-
port that the method referred to for
checking the fraudulent trade is based.
Current Quotations
New cranberries are ON the market at
$40 per barrel. Cabbage is scarce and
worth a full cent per pound.