September i, 1884.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



207 



speaking, had passed over the iudustry in connection 

 with the fuel used for drying purposes. Hitherto 

 charcoal had been exclusively used ; iu future, coke 

 would be employed, with the result that a saviug . 

 of about oue-hiilf would be effected in the cost of 

 fuel, while at the same time better results would be 

 secured. One maund of coke, costing twelve annas 

 (75 cts) went twice as far as the same quantity of 

 charcoal, which according to his experience never 

 cost less than one rupee." So that here we have the 

 important statement made that coke, while costing 

 one quarter less than charcoal does twice the amount 

 of work. We suppose that in Calcutta, where so 

 much gas is consumed, coke can be much more 

 cheaply obtained than it is in Colombo. 



In the returns the Chairman had made out he 

 found that the Jokai division made only 30 per cent 

 of fine teas, and the Jameerah division 34i per cent, 

 whereas he thought they were entitled to look for 

 40 per cent, and they should keep on impressing 

 their mauagers till they got it. Forty per cent of 

 pekoes is what Abbotsford gave last year, and we 

 expect it is a fair representation of good average 

 picking. 



Referring to the estimated out-turn and expend- 

 iture for the current year, the Chairman went on 

 to point out that the total area under cultivation 

 would bo some 1,829 acres, from which he felt 

 justified in promising the shareholders an out-turn of 

 at least 000,000 lb. This would be at the rate of 

 328 lb. per acre, which is a pretty high average for 

 an Indian garden of such a large extent. The Chair 

 man said that "taking these figures as correct an 

 out-turn of (300,000 lb. of tea, and an expenditure 

 as stated equal to lOJd per lb., it they sola the 

 produce for the same price as in the past year, they 

 would realize 3d per lb. profit. That on the estimated 

 out-turn would yield £7,500 profit against £1,300 the 

 past year." 



We conclude with the following extracts from the 

 Indigo Gazelle : — 



In Darraug tea is very backward. The weather is 

 hot and cloudy. Cholera is abating, but cattle disease 

 is still prevalent. 



In Lakhimpore tea is still backward. Cattle disease 

 and small-pox are reported from North Lakhimpore. 



Oachar has experienced inteusely hot weather. The 

 prospects of tea are far from favourable. Blight is 

 extending though its scope is limited, and red spider 

 is diminishing. 



THE AUSTRALIAN TEA MARKET. 



The Melbourne Age of July 1st contains an able 

 review by Mr. Robinson, the Commercial Editor, of 

 the Tea Trade for the Colonies generally and for 

 Melbourne specially for the season ended 30th June. 

 The portion of the report which deals with Indian 

 teas imported into Melbourne is as follows : — 



Indian Teas, — The heavy fall noticed iu our previous 

 was quickly recovered iu 18S3-84, but the tea planters 

 of Iudia bad received a considerable rebuff iu tlie rates 

 realized for their teas, though the cause was clearly pointed 

 out at the time, and consequently few supplies to speak 

 of reached us this season. Again, though heavy orders for 

 Melbourne at full limits were in the hands of Calcutta 

 agents all through the season, yet, owing to the high 

 prices paid in London, and the brisk demand from that 

 quarter, the colonial orders could not be executed, and the 

 very small quantity that did reach this side from India, 

 though sold at a considerable advance in price, left a loss in 

 every case to the importers. 



The following returns will show clearly the large increaae 

 in the consumption of this class of tea iu Great Britain, 

 and if Australia wants Indian tea it is evident she must 

 bid up for it against the mother country : — 



Deliveries of Indian tea for home consumption iu London, 



for nine months 1st Juuo to 31st March: — 



Seasons. lb. 



1 19,402,000 



1882-83 46,571,000 



lNSl-32 38,473,000 



The estimated import for 1883-84 is 62,000,000 lb 



The total imports into the colonies from India and Ceylon 

 stand thus : — 



Seasons. lb. 



1883-84 :; 15,550 



1,^82-83 2,251,702 



18S1-82 079 520 



1SSO-81 671,000 



Stocks iu bond must be nearly exhausted. 

 We quite agree with the editor that if the Australi- 

 ans want good Indian teas they must be prepared 

 to pay good prices for them. The market has been 

 spoiled by China rubbish supplied "at a price," but 

 the Indian and Ceylon teas will yet assert themselves. 

 It will be seen, that, from practically nothing in 

 1S79-80, the landiugs of Indian teas at Melbourne, 

 under the iulluence of the Exhibition and the oper- 

 ations of the Syndicate, went up to 071,000 lb. in 

 1S80S1 ; 970,000 next season ; culminating with 

 2,257,000 in 1SS2-83 and going down to 345,000 in 

 1883-84. But the remark is made that stocks in 

 bond of this kind must be nearly exhausted. The 

 case is very different with China kinds. At the com- 

 mencement of the season, there were nearly 5,000,000 

 in stock in Melbourne, apart from new teas which 

 began to arrive in July. This was the heaviest stock 

 on record and probably 3,000,000 in excess of re- 

 quirements. The result waa disastrous, of course. 

 The editor says : — 



We pointed out last season that the imports into all 

 the colonies for the previous three years had been about 

 3,000,0001b. iu excess of requirements, and it was this 

 accumulated stock that counterbalanced the short export 

 from China for 18S3-S4, and baffled the speculators iu 

 Melbourne wheu they operated largely in tea, by causing 

 a sudden influxion from the other colonies and London, 

 wheu common kinds advanced in price. 

 The imports of China tea into the colonies, which were 

 only 15 millions of pounds iu 1879-80, rose suddenly 

 to nearly 23 millions in each of the succeeding years 

 but went down to somewhat under 10 millions in 

 last season : — 



In addition to this, in 1882-83, India, Ceylon, Japan 

 and other quarters contributed about 3,000,000 lb. weight 

 whilst in 1883-84 the same place and London added only 

 about 100,000 lb. weight to stocks. 



The total imports into Melbourne, the leading mark- 

 et, rose from 8 millions in 1879-SO to 10j ; 12J 

 and 12 millions iu succeeding seasons, going down 

 iu the season just closed to 9,400,000. The tea 

 delivered for exportation ranged from three to five 

 millions and for home consumption from 5i to 

 7J millions, but, deducting a shipment to Lon- 

 don, 7 millions seem to have been the real deliveries 

 for home consumption in the past season. Wc 

 suppose all the other colonies will make up some 9 to 10 

 millions. It is stated with reference to the figures 

 3,127,0001b. in bond iu Melbourne, 



We commence this season, 1884-85, with a stock in 

 bond fully 1,000,000 lb. weight in excess of wants. Though 

 deliveries for home consumption and export seem largo, 

 it must not be overlooked that 1,500,700 lb. first, paid 

 duty and then went for drawback ; also that teas were 

 shipped from Sydney to this, and then re-shipped back" 

 again, appearing in our export list; ami finally tens 

 shipped per "Amalfi" and "Potosi," from Loudon to Mel- 

 bourne, also sbowiu our export list. 



The usual array of representatives of Eastern houses 

 hTtve visited our shores during the off season, pressing 

 their wares on the coy merchants of the colonies with 

 an assiduity most perplexing when the very small com- 

 mission charged is duly considered ; yet even small as 

 this appears to be, it suffices for a liberal allowance to 



