Acids.

Amongst the acids imported into New Zealand for manufacturing and other purposes tartaric acid—of which no less than 114,259lb., valued at £9,370, were imported during 1884—heads the list. 'The wine-making industry is not yet in a sufficiently advanced stage to enable this acid to be produced in payable quantities; but machinery should be imported, and steps taken to manufacture it contemporaneously with the increase in vineyards and wine-presses. The Government might offer a bonus for the production of the first 50 tons, in the same way as the manufacture of sulphuric acid was judiciously and successfully fostered. The effect, in case of sulphuric acid was very marked last year, when the imported article decreased from 24,124lb. to 10,772lb.

Of other acids, it is probable that citric acid, should the culture of lemons and citrons flourish in the colony, can be successfully extracted in New Zealand, instead of being imported.