March 2, 2887.J fHE TROPICAL AGRlCULTVUmf, 



B7^ 



well be proud. The next highest figures for quan- 

 tity are opposite Vellaioya, 187,500 at Is, Then 

 we get 15J:,000 for Dunedin at Is IJd and exactly 

 the same quantity for Kandaloya at Is 0*d. Maria- 

 watte sold 137,000 lb. at an average of Is 2§d, 

 Dewalakanda 136,000 at Is Id, and Imboolpittiya 

 135,000 at Is 2d, Hope 100,000 at Is OJd, 

 Campden Hill 102,000 at Is 0|d and Windsor 

 Forest 100,000 at Is 3d. Gallamudena sold 92,000 

 at the fine average of Is 3Jd, and Elston 76,000 

 at is 2d. 



Messrs. Wilson, Smithett & Co. have also at- 

 tempted to range the various tea producing dis- 

 tricts, according to the averages realized by their 

 produce. In this list (from which arc excluded 

 650,000 lb. as " untraceable,") the comparatively 

 young district of Bogawantalawa takes first rank 

 with 76,000 lb. at about Is 4d ; Puiululoya comes 

 next with 5-1,000 at Is 3d, while Ambagamuwa 

 with Lower Dikoya, shows 1,130,000 at Is 2d. 

 Maskeliya will be put on her mettle to find her- 

 self No. 10, sharing the average of Is IJd with 

 Upper Dikoya, Dimbula and Dolosbage. Badulla 

 and Haputale begin well with Is 2d, the same 

 figure being against Hewahette, while Kadugan- 

 nawa shows Is l|d. As the years advance it is 

 more than probable that the relative rank of dis- 

 tricts may be altered, but as a first attempt to 

 classify, the list is interesting and useful. 



We have no doubt planters and others interested 

 will have criticisms to offer, when we publish the 

 full details. 



Wilson, Smithett dj Co's Ceylon Tea Memmoranda 

 for 1SS6.) 

 London, January 21st 1887. 



Although the average price realised for Ceylon Tea, 

 which we estimate at Is IJd during the past year 

 as against Is 3Jd for 1885, shows a considerable de- 

 cline, yet those interested in the industry may well 

 be congratulated on the firm hold the article has 

 now obtained upon popular favor. The Colonial and 

 Indian Exhibition afforded an excellent opportunity 

 for bringing Ceylon Tea more prominently under public 

 notice, and it is now readily admitted that the public 

 were thus enabled to taste and appreciate the deli- 

 cious flavor of absolutely pure Ceylon Tea — the 

 majority of them, undoubtedly for the first time. This 

 gave a great impetus to the demand for the article, 

 and a glance at our table of Deliveries on the last 

 page, will show how well this demand has been main- 

 tained. But that the article may not fall in the esti- 

 mation of consumers, we trust that some means may 

 be found to stop the wholesale traffic in spurious 

 Ceylon Tea which many small and unscrupulous 

 dealers do not hesitate to promote. The names of 

 sundry " crack " gardens are pirated in the most 

 shameless fashion to farther the sale of the commonest 

 China Tea, and we think it is worthy of the consi- 

 deration of the Planters' Association in Ceylon to 

 try and devise some measures to counteract this. 



Complaints of loss in weight continue to be frequent; 

 in order to avoid this, care should be taken at the factory 

 to fill every package in a break with exactly the 

 same amount of Tea — nominally a certain number of 

 full pounds, but actually a | lb. more to allow for 

 any evaporation that may take place, and in order 

 to ensure the scale being well turned. If this be 

 carefully done the importer can guarantee that every 

 package in eacla break is of an equal net weight 

 and he will enter the goods at the warehouse for, 

 " net-weighment ; " this means that 10 per cent, only 

 of each break will be turned out to test the accu- 

 racy of the merchant's statement, and on this proving 

 correct the invoice weights are accepted, are so en- 

 tered in the books of the warehouse, and cannot be 

 delivered except at these weights. Should, however, 

 a majority of the 10 per cent., in proportion to the 

 size of the parcel, prove the given weights to vary, 

 the whole of the invoice will be turned out, and 

 tbe tarea i&keu ; iu this process weight may be eftsily 



lost, for, should the package scale an ounce over a 

 certain number of pounds, an extra pound is counted, 

 and thus almost a pound a package may be lost ; it 

 is also advisable so to arrange that the weights of 

 every chest, lead-lining, &c. may be equal and just 

 under a certain number of pounds. We may observe 

 that there are also frequent occurrences of gain in 

 weight, however, and this;suggests the enquiry whether 

 planters have their scales tested and adjusted, a precau- 

 tion which is continually being taken, under the super- 

 intendence of the Customs, at the London ware- 

 house, and which would be still more necessary in 

 a climate like that of Ceylon. In conclusion, we 

 give an instance where a loss of nearly 21b. a pack- 

 age is made under the system of "average taring." 

 Suppose the gross weight of a chest to be 1 cwt. 

 20 lb. 15 oz. and the tare 19lb. 1 oz. the net weight 

 will then actually be 113 lb. 11 oz.; the warehouse 

 weights, will stand— gross 1 cwt. 201b. (for in weigh- 

 ing gross the importer is not credited with the odd 

 ounces) and tare 201b., giving the net weight as 1121b. 

 thus leaving an actual loss of lib. 14 oz. 



A great many " Factory Bulked " Teas still arrive 

 in a condition requiring re-bulking here. We only 

 advocate factory-bulking on estates where ample space 

 is available. Machine-packed invoices from Kintyre 

 have come under our notice where the appearance, 

 size and color of the leaf was perfectly even, and bear- 

 ing unmi<^takeable evidence that a thoroughly even 

 pressure had been exerted in the process of filling. 



Invoices have been much more satisfactorily graded 

 of late. Small parcels are now frequently sent home 

 in an unassorted shape, instead of being split up 

 into several small breaks. We do not, however, ad- 

 vocate the wholesale manufacture^offcUnassorted Teas on 

 large yielding estates, but we think that the pro- 

 portion of Broken Pekoe should be comparatively 

 small, and that of the thickest and finest description. 



Summary of Ceylon Tea sold at public auction in London 

 between January 1st and December 31st, 188(3, Estimated 

 amount in lb. and average prices realised : — 



Blackstone 



Agarsland 



Loolcondura 



Elbedde 



Mooloya 



Chapelton 



St Leys 



Tillyrie 



Gorthie 



KAW 



Agrakauda 



Gallamudena 



HardenJuiish 



Meanagalla 



Calsay 



Deaiistone 



Errol 



Gallebodde 



Giugrauoya 



Ovoca 



Kookwood 



St. JoTin Del Key 



Windsor Forest 



Boguliawatte 



Dedugalla 



Duusiuaue 



Glassaugh 



Hayes 



Heeloya 



May field 



Wallaba 



Alton 



Barcaple 



Mariawatte 



Norton 



New Caledonia 



Pundaloya 



Tunisgalla 



Venture 



Barnagalla 



Leangapella 



Lankapura 



Peradeuia 



Adams Peak 



Bunyan 



Dalleagles 



Darrawella 



Diagama 



