6^ 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [March i. 1887 



hoven's fine, model . property of Sinagar, which 

 sent 9,526 chests and 17 boxes to London in 3 886. 

 Next comes Dramaga with 2,405 chests and 4,545 

 boxes. Nangoeng has opposite it 1,289 chests and 

 4,547 boxes, while Bagelen sent 4,711 chests and 

 no boxes. The differences are curious. The total 

 packages sent to London in 188(1 consisted of 

 45,190 chests; 94 half-chests and 11,206 boxes. 

 The contents seem to have been 3,94(),000 pounds ; 

 the deliveries being 3,676,000 against 6,245,000 

 pounds Cejlon. The brokers seem to think that 

 the jat of the tea grown, principally China, is 

 responsible for the low value of Java tea, but we 

 suspect soil, and even more than soil, manipulation 

 must be at fault. In any case, the fact remains 

 that, while considerable improvement in Java teas 

 have taken place in recent years, their average price 

 in the London market last year, was little more 

 than two-thirds of our Ceylon average, 9fd against 

 Is Id, the figure for Java having gone down to 

 8^d for the last half of the year. Whatever may 

 be the case in Holland, and in such foreign countries 

 as Persia, Java tea does not seem to be a favourite 

 in England. From the circular, however, we learn, 

 that in Ireland not merely Indian but Java tea 

 is used, or was used to a considerable extent. The 

 advice given to the Java planters to plant India 

 tea has been largely anticipated, and no doubt 

 there will be improvement in preparation and 

 bulking, but all the evidence seems in favour of 

 Ceylon not only keeping ahead of Java, as a tea 

 country, but of speedily supplanting Japan as 

 No. 3 and taking rank immediately after India. 

 A very considerable proportion of the tea grown 

 in China and Japan is locally consumed (although 

 the quantity used in China has been greatly ex- 

 aggerated) ; and we suppose some of the Java tea 

 also is used in Java. India and Ceylon send all 

 but fractional parts of their tea to the London 

 market and thu proportions of teas delivered in 

 1886 was as loUows : — 



China, Japan, Ac. 

 India 

 Ceylon . . 

 Java 



142,547,000 lb. 



68,420,000 „ 



6,245,000 „ 



3,946,000 ., 



Total.. .. 220,880,000 lb. 



We suspect that before this century is over the 

 figures will be altered in some proportions like the 

 following : — 



India 150,000,000 lb. 



China, Japan, &,c. ... 75,000,000 „ 



Oeylon 50,000,000 „ 



Java 10,000,000 „ 



Total... 285,000,000 lb. 

 There is a very interesting coloured diagram 

 showing the hi&tory of Java teas for tne pa.st seven 

 years. From this we gather that Java pekoe, 

 " tippy, with fair liquor," which begun at Is 6d 

 and very nearly touched Is 8d at the end of 1881, 

 went down to Is 4^d last year. " I'ekoe medium " 

 commencing at Is 2d went down in 1881 below 

 lid ; rose in 1882 to Is 3|d, and then, with some 

 variations went steadily down to 9^d. " Pekoe 

 souchong, medium to fair " was close on Is Id in 

 1880, was at Is in 1882 and then went gradually 

 down to 7Jd. Finally " souchong, medium to 

 fair," commencing at Is ended at O^d. Except 

 for the very highest quality the decrease has been 

 striking, no doubt largely owing to the influence 

 of Indian and Ceylon tea of better quality, or, at 

 any rate, of more acceptable flavour, being obtain- 

 able at moderate prices. With special exceptions 

 the Java teas are of poor average quality. A trial 

 of the Australian market with those teas was such 

 a dead failure, that we believe the experiment haa 



never been repeated. No doubt the introduction of 

 better jat and improved machinery will effect im- 

 provement m Java teas, but as a competitor in 

 providing the world with tea, Ceylon seems to have 

 little to fear from the Dutch colony. The following 

 are the remarks of the brokers: — 



Movements of Java Tea in London — iu English pounds 

 — during the past six years : — 



1881. 1882. 1883. 



Imports 1,216,000 2,158.000 3,057,000 



Deliveries 1,315,000 1,786,000 2,893,000 



Stock 411,000 751,000 914,760 



1884. 1885. 1886. 



Imports 3,586,000 3,344,000 3,946,000 



Deliveries 3,709,000 3,537,000 3,676,000 



Stock 875,560 676,000 944,000 



Our diagram shows a marked increase in the ar- 

 rivals of Java Tea in London during the second and 

 third quarters of 1886. The above figures are interest- 

 ing as showing a gradual development of the tra^e, 

 the deliveries keeping pace pretty evenly with the 

 arrivals. 



The direct imports from Java to London during 1886 

 were the heaviest yet recorded. As large quantities 

 have also been shipped from Java to other countries 

 besides England, it is probable that the yield per acre 

 during the past year shows an increase over recent sea- 

 sons ; it is to be hoped that growers have by this means 

 been to some extent compensated for the low range of 

 prices current. 



The coutractiou iu value of Java Tea, however, has 

 not been so great as in Teas from some other places. 

 Java Teas are consumsd in so many different markets 

 that the demand from one quarter or another will ge- 

 nerally retard a serious and sudden decline in prices, 

 when caused by a drop in similar grades of Teas from 

 other countries. This cause has for some time past 

 maintained the value of Java Pekoes at a comparatively 

 higher range of prices than Indian growths ; it has 

 also frequently retarded, — and at a certain period 

 checked — a decline in the value of Congous and Sou- 

 chongs which might otherwise have been more pro- 

 nounced. 



The wide area over which Java Tea is distributed 

 thus acts as a great and continuous safeguard. 



The value of broken pekoes has been greatly interfered, 

 with by the unsettled state of affairs iu Ireland, where 

 they were at one time largely consumed, and this class 

 of tea being taken in fewer foreign markets than whole 

 leaf descriptions has probably suffered to as great an 

 extent as Indian growths. Broken pekoes, however, 

 are now becoming more used in some of the continental 

 markets. 



Quality. — Looking back over the past 12 months 

 we note with some regret the poor average quality 

 of a large proportion of the offerings ; this is specially 

 unfortunate at a time when a super-abundance of 

 weak liquoring Teas had been arriving from other 

 localities, and had already seriously depressed the 

 market for the lower grades. 



FuTUKE Prospects. — The brightest spot in the year 

 is noticed in a few consignments which have stood 

 out pre-eminently over the rest as being uuquestion- 

 ably grown from good Indian seed, and being manu- 

 factured with the greatest attention to quality, 

 accompanied by skilled and careful manipulation. 

 The future of the Java Tea trade must be largely 

 influenced by the liquoring character of the Tea, 

 and now that imports from India have so largely 

 increased, and that there is every reason to anticipate 

 a still greater addition to the Tea harvest in Ceylon, 

 this matter of quality may become one of ritul im- 

 portance to proprietors of Tea Estates. 



We would, therefore, again impress upon owners the 

 advisability of planting good Indian seed, and neglect- 

 ing no opportunity of utilising every ap|>liance for 

 efhcient manufacture, and for greater economy, which 

 the most recent scientific researches have placed w ithiu 

 their reach. 



Bulking in Java, has perhaps, shown some improve- 

 ment during the past year, but still requires additional 

 attention in many factories. The subject is of greater 

 importance jjow than ever, as an additional chargfe has 



