   

   
 

ITALY.

of indifferent qualities, but that more recently the wheat has given
great satisfaction and is now competing with the home grown and
the Russian, both as to quality and price.
In Italy what is known as ‘‘hard wheat” is used for making macaroni
 and kindred pastes, while bread is made from the so-called
¢tender” wheat. The duty on both hard and tender grain is 75
lire ($14.47) per ton. The official statistics for the years rgor and
1902 give the importations of wheat as follows:

Imports into Italy.

 

 

34-74

1% Price per
Description. 1QOT. 1902. ton for
1902.
Tons. Tons.
Hard grain...vssveees 276,274 | 304,387 $40.53
Tender grain......... 615,455 610,120

    

POUL ius o a veere ssnsresvinsssvnsncassrurssnsanvusansssuseessnnsovssasasanransessesescansiven | 891,729 914,507 [ees

It has been impossible to obtain statistics for the district of
Milan which would have any official authenticity. According to information
 from a reliable quarter it would appear that the annual
imports of grain into the Milan market would average 34,000 tons
per year, and for the remainder of Lombardy 68,000 tons. There
are no official statistics showing the origin of the above imports.
There is an enormous consumption of grain in Italy in the form
of macaroni and different kinds of edible pastes, which, with bread,
form the basis of the nutrition of the nation. It should therefore
not be difficult to increase the importation of hard (macaroni) wheat
into this market, seeing that such imports are made from other countries.
 From what I can gather from interested persons the sale of
American wheat in this country will depend on price and quality,
and the best means to expand present trade will be to'submit samples,
stating prices and conditions, and time of delivery at Genoa.
The customary conditions in practice between foreign supplies
and home dealers are that goods are delivered at Genoa. On receipt
 of bills of lading at Milan the purchaser pays into a bank, as
stipulated by agreement.
At Genoa there is a recognized commission of arbitration to
which all questions are referred for settlement in case of dispute as
regards shortage, quality, condition, etc. It is the custom to accept
all consignments as they arrive, leaving all questions of disagreement
 to be decided by the commission of arbitration.