Sugar Rice-duty free Carolina dressed, 1st quality ..Do.......2d quality.. Rosin-duty free-Amber and yellow, per cwt. Seeds-Flax, duty free, per hogshead of 7 bushels.. Staves, duty free White oak pipe, per mille of 1200. Louisiana, white clayed not refined, duty 23s. 4d. per cwt. 19 9 21 6 18 6 16 6 18 6 17 6 1 11 7 0 3 6 43 0 46 0 None. 35 0 40 0 30 0 20 0 25 0 20 0 0 25 0 £11 0 0 15 0 0 £10 0 0 14 0 0 £4 10 0 7 10 0 £4 10 0 600 Tallow-duty B. P. id. per cwt., For. 1s. 6d. Duty paid, per Tobacco-duty on leaf, 3s. 2d., and manufact'd, 9s. 6d. per lb LEGATION OF THE U. S., Canton, China, Nov. 27, 1848. DEAR SIR: Agreeably to your request, as expressed in your note to me of February last, I immediately on my arrival in China sought some suitable person to carry out your object in relation to the exchange of garden seeds, &c., with this country. I obtained the services of Mr. S. Wells Williams, a citizen of the Unite! States, who is an old and highly esteemed resident in this place, and has a thorough knowledge of horticulture and botany. I handed over to him the box of seeds with which I was charged, and from a partial report made to me, herewith sent you, you will see that he is making every effort to effect a valuable exchange. I had hoped to find some Chinaman to whom I could have committed the management of this subject; but, upon inquiry, no one qualified for the business could be found. Mr. Williams understands the language of the country; and is well acquainted with its plants, vegetables, &c., and their adaptation to the soil and climate of the United States; and for the purpose of procuring such as will live and thrive in our country, he has sent to the more northern parts of China to obtain such as are new and valuable. So soon as exchanges can be effected they will be sent to you by the first suitable conveyance. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. E. BURKE, Com. of Patents. JOHN W. DAVIS. CANTON, November 22, 1848. SIR: In compliance with your request that I would take charge of the box of vegetable seeds sent out by Mr. Burke of the Patent Office, I have opened the box, and distributed the contents. It contained four parcels of seeds, one of which lay loose in the box, the others were done up in a wrapper. I have sent two of these larger parcels to the Rev. Dr. Bridgman at Shanghai, accompanying them with a letter requesting him to distribute one of them to gardeners, and other persons in that place, in exchange for the seeds of fruit and vegetables common in that region, and to send the other to Ningpo, to Dr. D. B. McCartee and Dr. Macgowan, two physicians residing there, both of whom will be willing, I think, to forward the views of Mr. Burke. I wrote them, briefly explaining these views, and assuring them that the slight expenses they might be at in putting up and forwarding such seeds as they could procure, would be repaid to their order in Canton. From both these places, returns may be looked for during the coming year; and, as soon as either of these gentlemen return an answer respecting the reception and disposal of the packet of seeds, I will inform you. The third packet is still here waiting an opportunity to be sent to Fuhchau: I have distributed the rest of the seeds, 218 parcels in all, to a seedsman and florist who has formerly received such parcels and planted them himself or distributed the seeds among the gardeners who raise vegetables for market. I gave him the Chinese names of all those I had, and shall endeavor to collect through him all the common seeds and fruits grown hereabouts. |