S§4 



fifE tuopicAL A^mctsfftsmif, 



[Feb. I, i8§7. 



has greatly stimulated consumption, which for the 

 past three months has risen to the rate of 80 millions 

 per annum, while in December Indian and Ceylon 

 deliveries together for the first time amounted to one- 

 half the entire home consumption. The season's 

 supply of Indian is estimated at 75 millions, eight 

 millions more than the previous crop. At the present 

 rate of delivery the consumption would be equal to 75 

 millions, showing an increase of 13 millions. To the 

 growers the result may prove better than present prices 

 indicate, as the reduced cost accompanying a large 

 yield forms some compensation for the lessened values 

 of inferior grades, while for those who made fine 

 teas the market has been favourable throughout. 

 Ceylon Tea : This branch of the trade is begin- 

 ning to assume large proportions, the imports and 

 deliveries being double those of 1885, while the 

 demand has been sufficient to maintain an 

 average for some time past of Is 2d per lb. 

 due to the success of planters in keeping up 

 a high standard of quality, for in the spring 

 when the average value of other teas was higher 

 than now, Ceylon fell as low as lOJJ per lb., the 

 portion of the crop then arriving being of inferior 

 quality. Java Tea : The quality has been of an aver- 

 age class, and the deliveries have been about the same 

 as last year. 



Mfcssrs. Lay ton and Oo.'s Circular says: — Looking 

 back upon the last year two unfavourable features are 

 noticeable, viz., (1) the continued fall in the value of 

 fine Tea, and (2) the increasing temitncy of Indian 

 to drive China Tea out of consumption in this couutry. 

 As to the first of these, it is probable that we have now 

 arrived at a pitch when some reaction must take 

 place and indeed prices wf really Rood Kaisow or 

 Mouing are decidedly firmer already than a month 

 since, although no great advance can as yet be quoted. 

 As regards the second of these facts, we believe that 

 it must continue for some time lo come, and until 

 the low prices current for Indian debcriptions stop 

 the production of increased supplies year by yt-ar. 

 This is hardly likely to occur at present, because the 

 extensive use of improved machineiy in ludi^i has 

 more and more reduced the cost of mauufacture until 

 an average price of only 8d per lb., wbich a few 

 years ago would have been considered quite an ab- 

 surd quotation, is found to leave growers a margin 

 of profit. It seems probable, thtrefoie, that un- 

 less China can send an improved aiticle to compete 

 on better terms with the more pungent liquor and more 

 even leaf of India, no permanent change can be hoped from 

 the present very unfortunate state of things, and the 

 downward course of the China Tt-a trade for so many 

 years can hardly be arrested. During the past year the 

 total deliveries of China Tea for home trade showed a 

 falling off of 5,881,000 lb. compared with 1884, while 

 the consumption of Indian showed an increase of 

 5,770,0001b.; it is startling to find that whereas the 

 deliveries ot China Congou are less thati in 1871) those 

 of Indian Tea have risen from 13,600,000 lb. to over 

 70,000.0001b. in the same period. The landings of 

 Indian Tea in December were on a larger scale than 

 ever previously, amounting to 14,113,590 lb. against 

 t),227,394 lb. in 1885, and though the deliveries were ex- 

 ceedingly heavy for the time of year, being 6,594,546 lb, 

 against 5,^41,228, the stock on the olst ult. was 

 further increased to 32,887,308 lb. as compared with 

 24,751,920 lb. in the previous year. The general favour 

 in wbich Ceylon Tea has gradually risen continues 

 and all grades have brought comparatively high rates 

 the style and liquor of several invoices being highly 

 approved. 



The market for Indian Tea wbich closed on the 



22nd ultimo was reopened on the ;<rd instant with a 



small sale, and during the week 18,000 packages have 



been offered. Prices at first were irregular, but since 



then there has been more competition for Pekoe 



Souchongs at from 7d. to lOd., and Pekoes from 9d, 



to Is Id. per lb., quotations for which show a 



advance, especially for the latter. Common Broken 



Pekoes under Is are lower, but medium and goond 



medium have sold briskly at luny previous lates. The 



4^pja&d for 6n9st UesniptioQs keeps limited The de- 



liveries for December were 6* millions, wbich is satis- 

 factory, and for the past six months they show an 

 increase of fully six millii.ns as compared with last year. 

 Owing to the excessive arrivals in Uecember the stock 

 appears unusually heavy, Ceylon : The sales compris- 

 ing 1,700 packages passed with a little more animation 

 as compared with the closing sales of 1886. Java : 

 Partly due to the limited quantity brought forward 

 lately, the 460 packages offered this week met with 

 attention, and for the useful parcels there was fair 

 competition. The figures for the past six months, as 

 compared with previous years, are as follows : — 



1886 Imports. 1885 



Indian ... 52,038,000 lb. ... 42,681,0 lb. 



Ceylon ... 3,83<,0()0 lb. ... 2,320 000 1b. 



Java ... 1,788,000 lb, ... 1,605,0001b. 



Deliveries. 



Indian ... 35,670,0001b. ... 29,472.0001b. 



Ceylon ... 4,092,000 ib. ... 2,110,0001b, 



Java ... 1,860.000 lb. ... 1,841,000 1b. 



Stocks Dec. 31. 



Indian ... 32,887,0001b. ... 24,752,0001b. 



Ceylon ... 1,660,1 00 lb. .. 1,028.000 lb. 



Java .., 944.0001b. ... 676,000 1b. 



Messrs. Beebe's New York Circular of Dec. 23rd 

 says : — A large business has been done in most des- 

 criptions of Tea at improving prices. The .'■pefnl- 

 ativc feeling indicated by the transactions referred to 

 in our last became more pronounced early in Decem- 

 ber, and large sales and resales of Formosa and 

 Amoy Oolongs here and to arrive, followed, leading 

 to an advance in values of about two cents per lb. 

 all around. But little of either class remain in first 

 hands, dealers and speculntors holding at the close 

 most of the stock. Considerable sales of Foochowa 

 have also been made, mainly of cargo grades, and 

 the advance on them is fully equal to that on For- 

 mosas and Amoys. Greens have been in more de- 

 maud. Country packed as well as Pingsueys, and chop 

 values for them mav be quoted one to two cents higher 

 than when we wrote last. Japans, other than Com- 

 mon to Good Medium, are comparatively unchanged. 

 These grades close at an advance of one to two cents. 

 Sales and resales reported at private and made under 

 the hammer foot 200,700 packages, including 20,200 

 Country Greens, 17,000 Pingsueys, 18,800 Japans, 

 62,300 Formosas, 54,000 Amoys and 25,000 Foochow 

 Oolongs, and 3,400 Congou. 29,700 of these were 

 made in the auction room. Green Teas have met 

 with more inquiry during the past three weeks, and 

 values at the close show an advance of about two 

 cents average on the better chops of Moynne and 

 Teenki, and one or two on Pingsueys and the lower 

 grades of Country packed. Holders are less inclined 

 to press sales either at public or private, and a fur- 

 ther improvement in value seems probable in the 

 near future. Japan.s find some increase in the demand, 

 but mainly for Common to Good Medium. These 

 grades are realising one to two cents more in the 

 auction room, while Fine to Choice show little or 

 no improvement over last month's values. Oolongs 

 have been very freely taken both in the regular way 

 and on speculation, with sales and resales aggregat- 

 ing about 140,000 packages. Of these Formosa kinds 

 cover 62,000 ; Amoys, 54,000 and Foochows, 25,000. 

 An average advance of fully two cents is established 

 on all grades other than Finest to Choice, and the 

 market closes firm at the improvement. Congous 

 are practically unchanged, with but little inquiry for 

 other than Common Cargo. — L. A C. Express. 



CINCHONA IN BENGAL. 

 The report on the working of the Cinchona Plant- 

 ations in Bengal during 1885-86 shows that there were 

 upwards of five million trees in various stages of 

 growth on these plantation. The major portions of 

 these trees comprise the red and yellow species (fucci' 

 rubra and calisai/a ledgeriana). The most important 

 feature of the year's operations was that the plant- 

 ing out was exclusively confined to yellow bark trees, 

 of which 187,000 were of the hybrid variety, and 

 239,000 of ledgeriana. The crop was not a large one, 

 and amounted to 205,410 lb, of dry bark, ino!t ©f 



