yield of Louisiana, has readily absorbed the available surplus from the near-by West Indies, for the article cannot be taken a sea voyage of any considerable length. A smaller importation of foreign and quite a falling off in the domestic yield has caused a decrease in the deliveries for consumption as compared with last year, but this by no means indicates a falling off in the consumption of what is usually sold in our grocery shops under the name of molasses or syrups. For several years this has become merely a nominal designation for the stuffs that are sold, pure molasses being now chiefly used either for boiling to obtain the bastard sugars which they contain, or for mixing with glucose and other adulterants in order to make the article retailed by the majority of grocers. Ten years ago imported molasses passed into consumption as it was received; now it goes from the hands of the importer either to the boiler or mixer, and scarcely a gallon of the pure article finds its way to the table of the consumer. So skillfully can the art of mixing be manipulated that it is now possible to produce imitations of the product of any of the West India Islands that will deceive all but the practiced expert. It is only necessary to observe the rapid growth of the glucose industry within the past few years to judge how largely the demand for the article has increased, and next to its use for brewing purposes will be found its substitution for cane molasses and sugar syrups. The refining or reboiling of foreign molasses has become one of the most important industries connected with cane products next to the refining of raw sugar, and its extent is only limited by the available supply of material. As already explained, the supply during 1880 was curtailed, and consequently the quantity boiled at the five principal ports where the industry is carried on shows a decrease of about 12 per cent. as compared with 1879. The quantities thus consumed have been as follows: Philadelphia, 93,259 hhds.; NewYork, 58,470 hhds.; Baltimore, 13,652 hhds.; Boston, 12,000 hhds., and Portland, 10,059 hhds., a total of 187,440 hhds., against 213,000 hhds. in 1879, 190,000 hhds. in 1878, and 172,000 hhds. in 1877, or a little more than 75 per cent. of the total importations of foreign for the year. The bastard sugar thus obtained, which is of low grade, testing on the average about 82 degrees, is chiefly used by refiners for producing their low grade Yellows, and the quantity manufactured and consumed during 1880 is estimated at about 40,660 tons, against 44,900 tons in 1879. The residuum, called Sugar-House molasses, or Black Strap, is used for distilling and mixing. During 1879, there was a large export demand for it, but during the current year the bulk of this product has been taken for domestic consumption, the quantity exported having been comparatively small. During the year the price has ranged from 16 to 25 cents per gallon. From a synopsis of the above tables it will be observed that the total receipts of foreign molasses at the Atlantic and Gulf ports for the year under review amounted to 32,939,014 gallons, against 34,910,936 gallons in 1879, a decrease of 1,971,922 gallons, or 5.64 per cent., while the decrease in consumption on account of the larger stock brought forward from 1879 was only 1,405,498 gallons, or 4.07 per cent. The domestic crop of 1879-1880 was much smaller than that of the previous year, amounting to only about 12,200,000 gallons, which, added to the consumption of foreign as above, gives a total of 45,299,184 gallons, against 48,704,682 gallons in 1879, a decrease of 3,405,498 gallons, or within a small fraction of 7 per cent. Comparing the receipts of foreign for this year with last, it will be found that there has been a general decrease in 1880 at all the ports except Boston, where there has been a trifling increase. NewYork, however, has been the most important port of entry, and, accordingly, the statistics relating to this port are the most significant. The receipts from the several islands are given in detail, but without exception they show a falling off as compared with 1879 equal to about 16 per cent. Of the whole imports of foreign molasses into the United States there was laid down at the port of New-York 31.55 per cent., against 35.44 per cent. in 1879, 32.40 per cent. in 1878, 38.66 per cent. in 1877, 34 per cent. in 1876, 2513 per cent. in 1875, 30 per cent. in 1874, 31.26 per cent. in 1873, and 35 per cent. in 1872. With respect to values, the annexed table shows that the average price of the boiling grades of Cuba has been much above that of last year and the year previous, but not so high as in 1877, when the consumption was smaller, or in 1875 and 1874, when it was considerably larger. The average has been $35 per 100 gallons, the highest price paid being 40 cents per gallon during the month of March, and the lowest, 28 cents per gallon, in October, just as the season was closing. The same relative difference is observed for the other grades. Porto Rico was lowest in January and highest in August, while New-Orleans was lowest in January and highest in September and October, previous to the arrival of new crop, the first receipts of which sold at 60 @ 65 cents for good to choice. Free receipts, however, soon brought the price down to about 53 54 cents for fancy, where it has remained. Regarding the probable supply for the current year, the latest advices to hand are to the effect that the yield of foreign from all the West India Islands will about equal that of last year. The domestic crop will be considerably larger, the increase being estimated at 25 per cent., or about 100,000 bbls. over that of 1879. Up to the 15th of January, 1881, the receipts at New-Orleans had been 207,734 bbls., against 204,359 at the corresponding date last year. The total production of the crop 1879-80 was, according to Mr. A. BOUCHEREAU, 244,788 bbls., or 12,189,190 gallons, against 13,218,404 gallons in 1878-79, and 14,237,280 gallons in 1877-78. The fine quality of the cane this year and its high saccharine value may, it is thought, reduce somewhat the proportion of molasses to sugar, and that the excess over last year's yield will be principally made up of low grade Centrifugals. Certainly thus far there has been a marked scarcity of the finer grades, which have been most sought after by buyers, and sold at relatively higher prices than the common qualities which have been in more abundant supply. COFFEE TRADE OF THE UNITED STATES. Annual Review showing the Import and Consumption of Coffee in the United States for the year ending December 31, 1880, (exclusive of California and Oregon.) Total packages received at New-York, direct and coastwise, in 1880,.. + All Java. * Including 72.456 bags from Costa Rica, and 47,530 bags from Savanilla, &c. Including 10,819 quarter and eighth bales Mocha. § Including 21,080 bales and bags Mexican. Rio, 1,077,421; Santos, 200,079, and Bahia, 323. |