at an overhead price per maund. A
maund is approximately equal to 8 lbs., and this quantity forms a
comparatively small bundle. In other cases, the fibre is made up into
what is known as a "drum"; this is a hand-packed bale of from 1 1/2
to 3 or 3 1/2 maunds; it is a very convenient size for transit in
India.

Practically one half of the total jute crop, of 9 to 10 million
bales of 400 lbs. each, is used in India, and the remaining half is
baled for export to the various parts of the world; a little over
one million bales are exported annually to Great Britain, the bulk
of this fibre comes to Dundee.

It is practically impossible for foreign purchasers to see the
material at the assorting stations, but the standardized method of
assorting and grading enables a purchaser to form a very good idea
of the quality of the fibre, and its suitability or otherwise for
special types of yarn and cloth. Thus, a form of selecting and
grading has been established on a basis that provides a very large
amount of jute each year of a quality which is known as "a first mark."
A mark, in general, in reference to fibre, is simply some symbol,
name, letter, monogram or the like, or a combination of two or
more, oft-times with reference to some colour, to distinguish the
origin of the fibre, the baler, or the merchant.

In normal years there is also a large quantity of fibre of a better
quality than what is known as "first mark," and this better quality
is termed "fine jute"; while there is yet a further lot, the quality
of which is below these good ones. Since there are hundreds of
different marks which are of value only to those connected directly
with the trade, it is unnecessary to dwell on the subject. The
following list, however, shows quotations of various kinds, and is
taken from the Market Report of the Dundee Advertiser of March, 1920.
The price of jute, like almost everything else, was at this date
very high, so in order to make comparisons with the 1920 and normal
prices, we introduce the prices for the corresponding grade, first
marks, for the same month in the years 1915 onwards.

JUTE PRICES, IN MARCH
First Marks

Year. Price per ton.

L. s. d. L. s. d.
1915 27 to 35 15
1916 44
1917 42 10
1918 51
1919 49
1920 70 (spot)

It is necessary to state that the assorting and balings are
generally so uniform that the trade can be con