Pine Cultivation and Turpentine Production in France, Russia, Greece and United States. In a publication issued by the Chief of the Forest Department, it is stated that the acreage of forests in Greece is 2,500,000 acres, though there are no details as to the proportion to this total of the "Pinus Halepensis." Mr. Walsh estimates it at three-fifths, or 1,500,000 acres. The various peasants employed in the forests, questioned on the subject by Mr. Walsh, agree that the average yield per acre of resin per year is 10 lbs. If these calculations are more or less correct, the country could yield yearly a maximum of about 6,700 tons. Permits for the collection of resin have to be obtained from the local representatives of the Government Forest Department, by whom a tax is levied varying, according to the district, from 1d. to 2d. per lb. of resin. At the conclusion of the report, Mr. Walsh writes:-" As the calculations made above are not based on very accurate data, they should not be taken as absolutely conclusive; but I think they are sufficiently near the mark." United States. The following particulars are extracted from a detailed report on the turpentine industry in the United States by the British Commercial Agent in that country (Mr. Seymour Bell): According to the United States census returns for 1900 the number of establishments concerned in the turpentine industry in 1900 was 1,503, and the value of the products 20,344,888 dollars, as against 670 establishments and 8,077,379 dollars value in 1890. The longleaf pine is the tree of widest distribution and of greatest commercial importance in the Southern Atlantic forest region. Among the trees of the same order there is found no other equally rich in resin. The resinous product of the longleaf pine furnishes the bulk of the raw material for the production of naval stores, which consist of resin, turpentine, pine tar and common pitch. In addition to the above products charcoal is obtained by burning the logs after the larger useful timber has been removed, the green leaves of the tree furnish by distillation an essential oil, and pine wool is made from their cellular tissue. The resin of the longleaf pine recently exuded is almost colourless or of a pale straw colour. It has a terebinthinous odour and taste, is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, ether and spirits of turpentine. It consists of volatile oil and a soluble resin. The best quality is obtained during the first year the tree is worked. Each succeeding year the colour becomes deeper Pine Cultivation and Turpentine Production in France, Russia, Greece and United States. and the resin is poorer in volatile oil. The volatile oil is spirits of turpentine or oil of tupentine. When this volatile oil is distilled crude turpentine is left, which is the resin of commerce. Pine tar is produced by the destructive distillation of the wood itself, and when boiled down until it has lost about one-third of its weight it becomes pitch. Mr. Bell gives in his report an interesting description of the orcharding of turpentine in the forests of longleaf pine, together with particulars of a new method now largely adopted owing to the success attending investigations made by the Department of Agriculture, for which reference should be made to the report itself. (Foreign Office, Miscellaneous Series, No. 647, price 11⁄2d., from Messrs. Wyman & Sons, Limited, Fetter Lane, E.Č.). The following table shows the quantity and value of naval stores exported from the United States in 1904 and 1905:— The Board of Trade have received information through the Foreign Office to the effect that, as a result of a decision arrived at during the recent session of the Permanent Commission appointed under the Brussels Sugar Convention, it will not be necessary for a Prohibition Order to be issued by His Majesty's Government against the importation of Brazilian sugar, which will consequently continue to be admitted into the United Kingdom. PROPOSED TARIFF CHANGES. Proposed Revised Raisins, Wine, &c. CYPRUS. The Board of Trade have received a copy of a Supplement to the "Cyprus Gazette" for 27th April last, which contains a draft Law proposing to abolish the existing duties payable in Cyprus upon the manufacture, sale and exportation of wines and spirits, and to make other provisions in lieu thereof. The proposed Law provides for the abolition of the excise and other duties that are now imposed under the Zijriyye Tax Abolition Law of 1901, and, at the same time, makes provision for the imposition of export and licence duties on various articles exported from or sold or manufactured in Cyprus. Regulations are also laid down in the proposed Law relating to the sale or manufacture of intoxicating liquors in the Island. The following is a complete list of the proposed new export duties: A piastre 40 paras = 14d. * In addition to the export duty of 10 piastres per 100 okes at present imposed by the "Customs, Excise and Revenue Law, 1899." Tariff Revision. DUTCH EAST INDIES. The Board of Trade are in receipt through the Foreign Office of information to the effect that a Bill for revising the tariffs of import and export duties in the Dutch East Indies has been submitted to the Dutch Legislature. A copy of the Bill, in the original, may be seen by persons interested, at the offices of the Commercial Intelligence Branch, 73, Basinghall Street, E.C. TARIFF CHANGES AND CUSTOMS REGULATIONS. AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH. A copy of a Supplement (No. 66) to the Customs Tariff Guide, Customs Commonwealth. dated 7th April, 1906, has been received giving Customs decisions relating to the rates of duty leviable on various articles imported into the Tariff Changes and Customs Regulations. AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH-continued. The following are the principal decisions given : Articles, and how classed. Rates of Import Braid-tinsel elastic As indiarubber manufactures Cards-post, used As stationery Cement-metallic, a mixture of sulphur and sand with magnesia alumina (mica) and iron As glue, gelatine, n.e.i., and cements, n.e.i. *Coulters, circular As agricultural implements and machinery (plough dies) Machine-patent hydraulic capsuling As machinery, n.e.i. Press-letter, rapid rotary— As machinery, n.e.i. Rennet powder ... If specially prepared for household use As oilmen's stores *Sheets-Galvanised ... As iron and steel, galvanised plate and sheet Tinned ... Free, until otherwise proclaimed. 20% ad val. The "New Zealand Gazette" for 22nd March last contains an Agricultural Pest Act, 1903: Order-in-Council, dated 12th March, 1906, notifying that, in accordance with the provisions of" The Orchard and Garden Pests Act, 1903," the following articles are absolutely prohibited from being imported into New Zealand : Fruit infected with the apple-scab or black-spot, and potatoes or tomatoes affected by the Irish potato disease or by late blight. Tariff Changes and Customs Regulations. Importation of NATAL, A copy of the "Natal Government Gazette" for 17th April, last has been received which contains a Proclamation (No. 62 of 1906), dated 11th April, 1906, notifying that, in consequence of the prevalence of tuberculosis amongst cattle in Madagascar, the importation, either directly or indirectly, into the colony of Natal, of all cattle from the island of Madagascar is prohibited. It is provided, however, in the Proclamation that healthy cattle from the Island which fail to re-act to a tuberculin test to be applied at the port by a duly appointed officer may be allowed to land, subject to quarantine at the owner's expense and to the satisfaction of the Principal Veterinary Surgeon, at such place and time as he may direct. PROTECTORATE OF Southern nigerIA. With reference to the notice which appeared on p. 109 of the "Board of Trade Journal" for 20th April, Import Duties on 1905, respecting the imposition of duties under Spirits. Proclamation 3 of 1905, on "spirits " imported into the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, the Board of Trade have now received a copy of an Order (No. 14 of 1905) notifying that from 1st January, 1906, Tralles' hydrometer shall be used in place of Sykes' hydrometer for the purpose of ascertaining the strength of spirits on importation into the Protectorate. The present Order provides that the scale of duties chargeable on spirits shall be as follows: Brandy, gin, rum, liqueurs, perfumed, medicated and miscellaneous spirits not being sweetened or mixed with any article so that the degree of strength cannot be ascertained by Tralle's hydrometer For every Imperial gallon not exceeding the strength of 50 degrees (Tralles) And for every degree or part of a degree (Tralles) in excess of 50 degrees by such hydrometer 8. d. 3 6 An additional duty per Imperial gallon Removal of Prohibition of Exportation of Cotton-Seed. With reference to the notice which appeared on p. 599 of the "Board of Trade Journal" for 30th March, 1905, respecting the prohibition of the exportation of cotton-seed from the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria under Proclamation 2 of 1905, the Board of Trade have now received a copy of a further Proclamation (No. 1 of 1906) which repeals, with effect |