The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-20
IMPORTS OF HEMP
IT BECOMES A vALUAnLE INDUS
 TRY TO MOBILE.
Steamship Malinche h Kept Easy Bring tng sisai from the Republic of
 Mexfco--some
 Efxurc~.

s
 Mobile. July 1s.--tSpecIal. )--since the abolition of the import duty on hens- quen tsissl-hemp) by the Mexican Gov ernment, the shipments to the United States have been greatly Increased and of the total amount now shipped from Progresso in the Yueatan district, a great part Of t is finding it's way te
 There are now at least three eargoes arriving here every month. and the British steamer Maiinche is now regu- lariy engaged in this trade beween Pro- gresso and Mobile. This vessel arrived here yesterday consigned to James Gib- bopey & Go, after one of the quickest round trips she has yet made. Accord ing to the books at the barge office, her two previous arrivals are scheduled as of June % and July 10. and on both occasions with large cargoes of sisal
 Taking her last arrival prior to that of yesterday. 1t is readily seen that the Maiinchs was doclsed here, unloaded her cargo, went to Progresso and took on another. and returned here all in eight days. On this trip her cargo amounted to 4.sDD bales. and 1t sener. ally averages from this amount to $500 or general average of 5000 bales per cargo This at three cargoes a month. brings the total up to 15,00o bales. or total for full year of 1s0.0oe bales.
 A fair average for each bale would be 300, the customs house figures giving the weight as from 2S5 to $50 pounds, which would bring the total number of pounds received here In a year at the present rate at which 1t Is coming in at S4.ooo.ooo. or 2f,1lt tons. As the total shipments from Yucatan are about 100000 tons a year. 1t is shown that Mobile is receiving fourth of it.
 Last year sisai. on the New York market was worth cents a pound. At the same rate the total shipments to this port for year as 1t is being re- ceived now. would amount to s3,7s0.00 Of this amount the planters profit Is at the rate of nearly one-half; or, in. other words, he realizes in the neigh borhood of 100 per cent on his invest ment.
 These figures as to the amount re- ceived at this port are based solely on the carBoes brought here by the Ma iinche. But there are other vessels that occasionally arrive here with a cargo of sisaf and with the amount these bring added to the Maliche's to- taf, the number of bates handled at this port would be increased consider. ably.
 Tn April of last year the Mexican gov- ernmentai reports showed that the United States bought from Mexico s6.. S3t tons of heneQuen, valued ct s1tt 4se,5es. The imports of henequen else where than from Mexico amounted to but 2.Ses tons, valued at about s30s, s,15o All but less than 5000 tons of the ina ports from Mexico was produced In Yucatan. There Is now a Philadelphia concern that is rapidly developing the Campeche district as q henequen- growing country, and this development promises, to some extent, to rival in time the Yucatan territory.
 The average yield of hensquen in fucatan is about T50 pounds of fibre to the acre, and, in addition to this glue has been found to be an important bi-product. According to the best au- thority obtainable, the cost to the planter Is about cents Q pound. Last year the product was landed in New York ct a cost of 5-s cents. and the price received averaged cents q pound. giving to the planter q profit approximating 100 per cent.
 During the latter part of 1907 the Mexican Government placed an import duty on heneQuen. which caused the imports to arep of materially .s
 On April 23a 190a,s a new law was promulgated hy the Government by which the export duty on henequen was removed. The rate was 50 cents Mexican . hundred kiles. or about 2s cents American money per 220 pounds By proclamation of the President of the Mexican Republic the export duty on henequen for exports since Feb. lS 1908, was ordered refunded to the ship. pers.