Canada EXTRACT FROM THE LONDON TIMES, JANUARY 24, 1898. United States....... Holland.... Australasia France.. Other countries.. Total.... Canada.... United States... Holland.... Australasia France..... Other countries.... Total..... * In 1894 Canada and the United States together sent us 80.1 per cent of our imported cheese, and three years later the quantity was 82.9 per cent; so that, roughly speaking, it may be said that we got four-fifths of our imported cheese from North America. But, whereas in 1893 Canada sent us 50.4 per cent and the United States 29.7 per cent of the total, in 1897 Canada's contribution had risen to 58.6 per cent, while that of the United States had fallen to 24.3 per cent. Practically, therefore, what the United States has lost Canada has gained. A copy of Consul Dickinson's report was sent to the Department of Agriculture, with a request for an explanation of the alleged exports of "filled cheese" from the United States to England. The following statement, bearing date of March 11, 1898, has been prepared by the Dairy Division, Bureau of Animal Industry: EXPORTS OF CHEESE FROM THE UNITED STATES. From the beginning of the nineteenth century, exports of cheese from the United States increased year after year with no fluctuation of consequence, and, as partly shown by the following table, until the maximum of 148,000,000 pounds was reached in 1881. This was more than half the total product of the country. Nearly all of these exports went to Great Britain, and the quality of the article steadily improved until cheese from the United States stood at the head in the English market. Beginning between 1881 and 1885 a change took place, and cheese exports from the United States to the United Kingdom decreased gradually for fifteen years. This decline was accounted for partly by a remarkably rapid growth in the cheese industry of Canada, fostered by extraordinary aid and encouragement on the part of the Dominion Government, and partly, during the later years, by a loss of reputation sustained by United States cheese, owing to the exportation from this country, by unscrupulous dealers, of much low-grade cheese and the adulterated or counterfeit article known as 'filled cheese." The evil of unidentified filled cheese became so great, at home and abroad, that the Congress of the United States enacted a law in June, 1896, regulating the manufacture and sale of the article. This act is now so well enforced that the output of filled cheese has been greatly reduced. The product is well identified, and, although some is still exported, it leaves the ports of the United States under such form and markings that purchasers can not be deceived as to its true character. What becomes of it later, and how it is offered to consumers, are points beyond the control of the exporting country. The filled-cheese frauds at home have been practically terminated, and the reputation of genuine cheese from the United States has been improving of late. This is indicated by the increase of exports shown in the table. The figures are for the fiscal years ending with June. A better illustration of the improved condition of the export trade in cheese is shown by the returns for the calendar years of 1896 and 1897: The foreign cheese trade of the United States is thus seen to be now increasing, and it may be also noted that Great Britain takes three-fourths of all exported from this country. Exports of cheese from the United States for single years and yearly averages for five According to British official statistics, the imports of cheese into the United Kingdom from Canada and the United States were as follows during the calendar year 1896: From Canada, 138,241,264 pounds, valued at $12,600,822.32, or 9. 12 cents per pound; from the United States, 65,092,944 pounds, valued at $6,005,441.06, or 9.23 cents per pound, showing that the quality of the American cheese was superior to that of Canada. PACKING CREAMERY BUTTER IN CANADA. Weekly consignments of creamery butter are being exported. from this district at present to commission brokers in Manchester and other English cities. The butter is being put up in new pine boxes, nearly square and lined with oiled paper, each box containing 56 pounds. These boxes are constructed about three-fourths of an inch wider all around at the top (which is screwed on), in order to permit the contents being easily shaken therefrom by the consignees, who weigh nothing but the butter. The weight of the contents of the lightest box in each consignment is taken as the average weight per box of the whole. Thus, great care is necessary, in order that the full quantity shall be packed therein. Coverings of bagging, opened at the top and gathered with a stout string, are made for each box, to keep the packages perfectly clean for ultimate distribution. The latest return for the product, to the shipper here, is 19.88 cents per pound. English dealers are insisting upon every particular of the foregoing details being carried out. In pursuance of recent legislation, boxes are all marked with the name of the maker and the number of factory; and the bagging is marked with the initials of the maker, Government number, and country of production. LOTON S. HUNT, PALMERSTON, March 24, 1898. Consul. PROHIBITION OF NURSERY STOCK IN CANADA. Attention is being directed to a bill introduced by Mr. Fisher, the Minister of Agriculture of the Dominion, in the Canadian Parliament, prohibiting the importation of nursery stock into Canada. from countries where the insect pest called the San José scale is prevalent. In explaining the bill, the minister stated that he was urged last summer to take steps to prohibit the importation of nursery stock from the United States, where this pest had spread to an alarming extent. In fact, the only State in the neighborhood of Canada now free from the pest is Maine. The insect doing the damage is microscopic in its nature. The bill, he said, proposed the absolute prohibition of nursery stock from countries where the pest now exists, namely, the United States, Japan, and Hawaii. Representations from all fruit-growing sections of Canada had been made in favor of this prohibition. The matter had been thoroughly investigated, and the result was the present bill, which he asked the house to pass without delay, so as to stop the spring importation from the United States. He would therefore ask that the rules be suspended and the bill passed. Inspection, as some had suggested, would be impossible and useless. He did not believe in restrictive legislation generally, but he believed in protection of local industries in a case like this. He also pointed out that action was being taken by the provincial authorities, but that it remained for the Federal Parliament to assist by prohibiting dangerous nursery stock. The insect pest is one that can of itself travel but a few inches, and can live only upon the bark of the tree. There is very little danger to be feared from the importation of fruit. The bill then passed both houses and went into effect immediately. There are a number of importers of nursery stock in my district. who have already placed orders for spring importations, and to whom the new regulation will cause great loss and inconvenience. GUSTAVE BEUTELSPACHER, Commercial Agent. MONCTON, March 21, 1898. Consul Sewell sends from Toronto, under date of March 22, 1898, the following copy of the law to prohibit the importation of nursery stock into Canada. 61 VICTORIA.-AN ACT TO PROTECT CANADA AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF THE INSECT PEST KNOWN AS THE SAN JOSÉ SCALE. [Assented to March 18, 1898.] Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: 1. This act may be cited as the San José scale act. 2. The importation of any trees, shrubs, plants, vines, grafts, cuttings, or buds, commonly called nursery stock, from any country or place to which this act applies is prohibited. 3. Any nursery stock so imported shall be forfeited to the Crown and may be destroyed, and any person importing nursery stock from any such country or place, or causing or permitting it to be so imported, shall be deemed to be guilty of an offense under section 6 of the customs tariff, 1897, and shall be liable to the penalty prescribed by that section. 4. The Governor in council may from time to time declare that this act applies to any country or place as to which it has been made to appear that San José scale exists therein; and, when satisfied that the importation of nursery stock from any country or place to which this act has been applied may safely be permitted, he may in like manner declare that this act no longer applies to such country or place. 5. The Governor in council, upon its being made to appear to his satisfaction. No. 2128. that any class of plants is not liable to the attack of the San José scale, may exempt plants of such class, and grafts, cuttings, or buds thereof, from the operation of this act. 6. The Governor in council may from time to time, notwithstanding anything contained in this act, permit the importation from any country or place to which this act applies of such nursery stock as is required for scientific purposes. 7. All orders in council made under sections 4 and 5 of this act shall be published in the Canada Gazette. ORDERS IN COUNCIL. AT THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE AT OTTAWA, Present: His Excellency the Governor-General in council. His Excellency, in virtue of the provisions of section 4 of the act passed during the present session of Parliament, cited as "the San José scale act," and by and with the advice of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, is pleased to declare that the United States of America, Australia, Japan, and the Hawaiian Islands shall be, and the same are hereby, declared to be countries to which this act applies, owing to the existence of the San José scale in them. JOHN J. MCGEE, Clerk of the Privy Council. AT THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE AT OTTAWA, Present: His Excellency the Governor-General in council. His Excellency, in virtue of the provisions of section 5 of the act passed during the present session of Parliament, and cited as "the San José scale act," and by and with the advice of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, is pleased to order and declare that the following plants which are not liable to the attack of the San José scale, viz: (1) Greenhouse plants with the exception of roses, (2) Herbaceous perennials, (3) Herbaceous bedding plants (4) All conifers, (6) Bulbs and tubers shall be, and the same are hereby, exempted from the operations of the abovementioned act. JOHN J. MCGEE, Clerk of the Privy Council. NEWFOUNDLAND PORT REGULATIONS. I inclose a copy of a circular sent to officers of customs and others throughout the colony of Newfoundland. I have been informed by the assistant collector of customs that in future vessels coming from the United States must enter and clear at a port of entry in the colony, and must have a clearance from the port in the United States at which they last touched. ST. JOHN'S, March 25, 1898. MARTIN J. CARTER, Consul. |