Makch I, my,] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



§7t 



> 1 



Management rate, per package, subject to 5 per cent 

 discount atj Warehouses other than those at the 



Gross 160 to 199 lb. 2s 9d ; 130 to 159 lb. 2s Sd; 90 

 to 129 lb. Is lOd ; 80 to 89 lb. Is 8d ; 60 to 79 lb Is 5d ; 

 45 to .59 lb. Is 2d ; 35 to 41 lb. Is ; 17 to 31 lb. 7d ; 

 under 16 lb. 4d, 



HOME CONSUMPTION OF INDIAN, 



Indian and China. 

 Oeylon. 



1886.. 74,065,000 100,000,000 

 1885.. 68,894,000 106,309,000 

 1884.. 63,038,000 106,918,000 

 1883.. 59,097,000 114,953,000 

 1882. .50,497,000 115,569,000 

 1881.. 48,836,000 112,156,000 

 1880.. 43,807,000 111,307,000 

 1879.. 35,243,000 125,576,000 

 1878.. 36,776,000 120,192,000 

 1877.. 28,013,000 123,012,000 

 1876.. 26,735,000 126,004,000 

 1875.. 23,275,000 126,-508,000 

 1874.. 17,756,000 121,622,000 



Compared with 1882 (4 years ago), the consumption 

 of China Tea has decreased fully 11 per cent where- 

 as that of Indian and Ceylon has increased close 

 upon 48 per cent 



The total quantity of tea, Indian and Oeylon, offered 

 at Auction, was during : — 



January to March... 

 April to June 

 July to September... 

 October to December 



1886. 

 Chests. 

 245,441 

 156,447 

 220,919 

 325,513 



1885. 



Chests. 



261,645 



99,558 

 179,860 

 282,785 



1884. 

 Chests. 

 221,010 

 142,583 

 162,947 

 242,802 



948,320 823,848 769,342 



The total quantity of tea, Indian and Ceylon, offered 

 at Auction was, during : — 



January to March ... 

 April to June 

 July tc September... 

 October to December 



1883. 

 Chests. 

 199,671 

 136,984 

 148,160 

 245,759 



1882, 

 Chests. 

 151,347 

 112,356 

 149,948 

 205,828 



1881. 



Chests. 



127,532 



80,052 

 125,187 

 160,710 



730,574 619,479 538,481 



CEYLON. 

 The year commenced with good quality on offer, 

 bringing high rates ; afterwards, arrivals being poor, 

 the enquiry fell off and prices showed in favour of 

 buyers, and it was not until the middle of the year 

 that any decided improvement in quality took place 

 when values soon became better and the Tea continued 

 in demand to the close of business for the year. It 

 is satisfactory to note that growers in Oeylon have 

 not, as a rule, been led away to go in for quantity 

 we think a steady adherence to the principle of nio- 

 derately fine plucking throughout the Season, with 

 the Tea packed in not more than four or five breaks 

 or less if the out-turn is small, will prove the most 

 profitable course for growers. The quality, owing we 

 believe to unavoidable circumstances, lias not been so 

 uniformly good as during 18S5. The Teas find favour 

 amongst buyers and a large and increasing quantity 

 is consumed without any mixture of other growths. 

 For some time past Ceylon Teas have been taken or 

 the Continent, a very satisfactory feature in the deve- 

 lopment of the Trade. The quantities offered and 

 the average price throughout the year have been as 

 follows — 

 1886 ... 101,145 

 1885 ... 58,921 „ „ 

 18&i ... 15,701 

 ust to 31st December only). 



We would direct attention to the remarks on the 

 1st and 2nd pages under the heads of Sorting, Bulk- 

 ing, Weighing, Marks, and Size of Breaks, kc. 

 JANUABY,— The quality was good and in aome cases 



Pkgs. Avr. Is Id. per lb 



» )> Is 

 ,, ,, -^s 



3id 



(Ist Aug- 



very fine ; prices for all makes were maintained at a 

 high level until the end of the month, when, the 

 selection beiag poor. Teas were less inquired for. 



Public Sales contained 4,472 packages, against 

 2,364 in 1885. 



February.— Commenced with a better inquiry, as 

 the quality showed better, although poor invoices 

 continued to be represented. Desirable Teas were sup- 

 ported at previous prices. 



Public Sales contained 5,361 packages, against 2,456 

 in 1885. 



Makch. — The quality throughout was disappointing 

 and except for common grades, values, in sympathy 

 with Indian makes, were not so firm. 



Public Sales contained 7,789 packages, against 3,114 

 in 1885. 



April. — The (juality continued unattractive, and 

 prices, especially for the higher grades, went decidedly 

 in favour of buyers, Broken Pekoe being especially 

 depressed. 



Public Sales contained 4,677 packages, against 3,865 

 in 1885. 



May'. — Arrivals were heavy and a few invoices of 

 attractive quality commanded attention at an advance, 

 but inferior Teas were irregular at lower prices. 



Public Sales contained 12,329 packages, against 

 3,871 in 1885. 



juxE. — The large offerings contained but a small 

 proportion of desirable Teas, and consequently the 

 averages obtained were low. 



Public Sales contained 11,264 packages, against 

 5,901 in 1S85. 



July. — Towards the end of the month better liquor- 

 ing Teas appeared, which attracted attention at 

 firmer rates, especially for the higher grades. 



Public Sales contained 11,743 packages, against 

 7,673 in 1885. 



August. — The improvement in quality continued, 

 and prices further hardened all round. Broken Pekoes 

 commanding a decided advance. Inferior Teas were 

 difficult to sell at low and irregular quotations. 



Public Sales contained 15,884 packages, 

 7,642 in 1885. 



September. — The position as regards both quality 

 and demand remained unchanged throughout the 

 month. 



Public Sales contained 10,529 packages, against 

 7,522 in 1885. 



October.— Imports showed a falling off, but the 

 offenngs contained some choice liquoring Teas, which 

 commanded very full rates. Teas without point wero 

 slow of sale. 



Public Sales contained 6,61(; packages, against 4,134 

 in 1885. 



November. — The selection was satisfactory, and 

 Teas found a ready sale at prices which compared 

 favourably with Indian growths ; common kinds, how- 

 ever, were a little affected by cheapness of Indian. 



Public Sales contained 6,689 packages gainst 5, 511 

 in 1885. 



December.— The quality continued to show im- 

 provement and high prices were obtained. The figures 

 to end of November excited attention by reason of 

 the great advance in consumption. 



PubliclSales contained 6,077 packages, against 4,868 



in 1885. 



CE YLON TE A. 



against 



188G 1885 



Import Delivery Stock Import Delivery 



January 226,000 235,000 PSO.noO 144,000 



February ... ;»4,000 235,000 1,1:30,000 146,000 



March . ,3m»,000 .317,000 1,213,000 1.56,000 



April 70.1,000 316,000 1,602,000 3i?4,C00 



May " ". 693,000 429,0ou l,S65,0oo 2nl,000 



June '" ... 624,000 570,000 1.919,000 323,000 



July 881,000 766,000 2,033,000 628,000 



AuKu./t " . .. 814,000 818,000 2,030,000 362.000 



September . .. 681,000 787,000 1,924,000 402,000 



October . .. 427,000 684,000 1,668,000 368,000 



November 500,000 566,030 l,60],o(i(» 260,000 



December . 530,000 471,000 1,660,000 300,000 



139,000 

 122,000 

 168,000 

 191,000- 

 246,000' 

 239,00(> 

 S-iLOOOi 

 493,000 

 416,0001 

 315,000 

 266,000 

 266,000 



o,8H,ooo ^;m,m 



a.Wl.OOO 3,133,01)9 



