May 3, 1887.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



7»^ 



in favour there is evidenced by the large increase 

 last year. A few years ago the Australian Colonies 

 drew their entire tea supply from Foochow, and 

 the fact that the Indian leaf has found so good 

 a market there ought to be a significant hint to 

 the tea planters of Fohkien and Chekiang, who 

 have so long enjoyed almost a monopoly of the 

 Australian demand, that this monopoly is at an end 

 and that in order to hold their ground they must 

 carefully maintain the quality of their Congous. — 

 Hongkong Daily Press. 



» 



INDIAN TEA IN THE FUTUBE. 

 It must be a matter for anxious thought with man. 

 Indian tea planters at the present time, — and parti- 

 cularly with those in hill districts, where the yield is 

 small, and the produce lacking in strength — whether 

 tea will pay in the future, considering how low prices 

 now are, and the improbability of auy improvement 

 for some time to come. SuppUes have been, as far as 

 possible, kept off the market, but prices have con- 

 tinued to droop, and, on the 4th instant, they stood 

 in London at levels of which there had been no pre- 

 vious experience. " Fannings "'of Indian tea were worth 

 7gd per pound at the beginning of March in 1884, 

 and last year, at the same time, they were quoted at 

 8|d ; but on the 4tb instant the price was 5jd. Indian 

 pekoe was worth Is in March 1884 and 1886, but on 

 the 4th instant the quotation was only 9|d. The " re- 

 cent movements ' are said to show "very satisfactory 

 results " as regards the consumption of Indian and 

 Oeylon descriptions. During last month the deliveries 

 of these descriptions in London amounted to nearly 

 7 2-5ths millions of pounds, or an increase of 1| mil- 

 lions as compared with February 18S6. So the lower 

 the price the greater the consumption of Indiau tea. 

 That tea planting properly conducted under suitable 

 conditions, is a profitable enterprise, even with low 

 prices, is abundantly proved by the dividends paid 

 by the Assam CompaBy, and others, as the result 

 of last season's working. Prices for the lower 

 classes of Indian teas have probably reached their 

 lowermost level, though it would not be surprising 

 if the finer kinds should experience a further decline. 

 "What sort of prospect then is held out by a consi- 

 deration of the figures available? The total ship- 

 ments of Indian and Oeylon teas for the present 

 season may be put at not over 85 millions of pounds 

 whilst China exports may be reasonably calculated at 

 say 5 millions less than last year, in other words 

 at 135 millions. Taking Java at 8 millious, and sun- 

 dries at 2 millions a gross total is obtained of 230 

 millions of pounds. It is admitted that consumption 

 has largely increased, but can it be expected to do so 

 in such a ratio as to dispose of the quantity of tea 

 which estimates for the future show ? In the way 

 of extension, thousands of acres have been opened in 

 the last year or two in Assam alone ; Ceylon plan- 

 ters talk of tea et proeterea nihil ; whilst even Java 

 adds some millions to its yield, according to present 

 forecasts. It is not wonderful, therefore, that tea 

 planters speculate anxiously as to their position iu 

 1890. Estimates naturally vary greatly, but some ap- 

 proximate idea may be formed by a careful consider- 

 ation of probabilities. It should be under rather than 

 over the mark if Indiau tea at that date is set down 

 at 90 millions, Ceylon at 35 millions, and Java at 10 

 millions. Certain sanguine spirits have even pre- 

 dicted that the Ceylon yield will be nearer 60 millions 

 than 30, by that time, but that is an exceedingly 

 hopeful estimate. Taking the above as approximately 

 correct, the rivals of China and Japan will aggregate 

 135 millions, as against the present 93, an increase 01 

 42 millions in three years. 



In spite of all efforts that have been, and maybe 

 made in the direction of new markets, consumption 

 cannot possibly keep pace with such an increase in 

 production, and the weakest producer must go to 

 the wall. There seems to be no doubt as to who 

 that weakest producer is, as India's Celestial compe- 

 titor has already shewn unmistakable signs that the 

 pace is too severe for him, and that the more it is 



increased, the further he will drop behind in the race 

 China tea seems to be in much the same position 

 with regard to Indian as cuprea bark from South 

 America occupies with reference to Indian bark. In 

 the latter case, when the value of the unit of quinine 

 drops below 6d. it does not pay to send cuprea bark 

 to the English market, though, low as prices are, 

 Indian planters can yet dispose of any stem bark at 

 a profit in proportion to its quality. In the same 

 way, now that Indian tea prices have dropped to 

 what was formerly the China level, the latter 

 country has to retire more and more from 

 competition. The question is, allowing for such 

 an increase in consumption as will take off 

 a fair proportion of the estimated increase in 

 yield, with a sufficient quantity of China tea be 

 forced out of the English market to allow of prices 

 retaining their present position ? It seems probable 

 that medium class teas, such as sell at present at 

 8d. to Is. 2d a pound in bond will suffer most, aa 

 they will be the ones to come most into competi- 

 tion with the average China tea. It cannot pay, 

 as it is, for the Chinese to export to England their 

 lowest classes, considersng the tax which ia levied 

 on every pound before it is shipped, thus at once 

 placing it at a disadvantage as compared with the 

 lowest classes of Indian tea. Really fine classes of 

 tea have always held their own well, and such kinda 

 from India and Ceylon, with their superior strength, 

 have little to fear from Chinese competition. Still, 

 the pressure in the market may lead China to make 

 strenuous efforts at retaining her position, either by 

 finer plucking, thereby making finer teas, and a leaa 

 quantity, or by abolishing her tax on tea. The latter 

 is unlikely ; in fact, a heavier tax was proposed not 

 long ago, and the idea was only relinquished because of 

 the urgent representations that any additional increase 

 of taxation would reduce the already minute profit 

 to a vanishing point, and practically put a stop to 

 the trade. The first supposition is more probable, 

 aud if it is thoroughly carried out, it would mean a 

 drop in fine teas corresponding to what may now 

 occur iu medium classes. But an effort was made 

 by China in this direction at the beginning of the 

 present season, in consequence of mliuential repre- 

 sentations, principally from the London trade, though 

 BO far without much success in inducing better 

 prices. Machinery, freedom from local taxation, aud 

 careful management are in favour of the Indian 

 planter ; he is prepared for the struggle for exist- 

 ence which has already begun ; and any proprietor 

 of a good garden under proper care need not fear 

 the result. For those, and they are too mauy, whose 

 plantations are indifferent, their yield poor, and 

 their means insufficient for proper cultivation, it 

 would be the truest wisdom to give up at once, 

 and look out for some pursuit which is' uot likely 

 to present such a marked example of the survival of 

 the fittest as, iu all probability, tea planting in India 

 will do at the end of a few years. — Madras Mail. 



The Cow Pea as a Fodder Crop. — The cow pea 

 is one of the most valuable fodder plants for the South. 

 "We have seen a crop of peas which yielded four tons 

 to the acre of most excellent fodder, and it left the 

 ground in the best condition for sowing wheat. 

 Another farmer sowed peas among his corn, at the 

 last ploughing, covering them with the plough, and we 

 should estimate the yield on the ground, of both crops, 

 at a ton aud a half of corn fodder, and forty bushels 

 of peas, with the corn equal to thirty-five or forty 

 bushels to the acre, and a large quantity of pea straw, 

 which makes good feed. The common opinion that the 

 South is not a sto 'k country, is entirely unfoinided. 

 With the long growing season, the really rich, but 

 badly managed soil, and the great variety of fodder 

 crops and feeding stuffs, it is uot at all exaggerating 

 the matter to say, that beef cattle can be reared to 

 one thousand pounds weij^ht in three years, at a cost 

 of one cent per pound live weight, and in addition, 

 there is a large quantity of manure left, which ia 

 really invaluable to the Southern farmer. — American 

 Aqricuhnrii^t. 



