Mav r, 



i88 S .j 



THE TROPTCAt AGftYCTJLTURTST. 



839 



Prospects for the coming seasou scorn- favourable, though 

 a higher average than last year's should not. we think, be 

 depended on with an increased yield. The stimulus given 

 to the market by the duty scare may cause a reaction 

 after the Budget is announced, whether an alter- 

 ation takes place or not. If all addition is made it Will 

 tend to increase the demand for teas for price, and it 

 no change is made things will probably settle down as 

 before. Fine to finest will in all probability be much 

 wanted until September or October, and high prices may be 

 obtained for them until buyers have replenished their 

 stocks. During the past season a few fine, pungent, 

 lightly-fermented teas have sold well, partly owing to 

 their scarcity. The demand for these is rather limited, 

 and it would be dangerous to make too much, especially 

 if the quality was not good, but a little might be tried 

 from fine leaf. It has now been pretty clearly shown that, 

 with a few exceptions, a large quantity does not pay as 

 well as a smaller amount of better quality. The tempt- 

 ation to swell their outturn per acre should not be 

 yielded to by Managers, for although the figures 

 may look well on paper as regards the total of Tea 

 manufactured, the pecuniary result often proves anything 

 but satisfactory. A considerable portion of the past season's 

 crop has again consisted ofTeas withfairquality,and tolerably 

 bright infused leaves, but the infusions were light in the 

 cup. This is partly accounted for by unfavourable weather, 

 but is also a sign of bushes weakened by insufficient 

 cultivation, over plucking, and the allowiug a large quantity 

 of seed to ripen on the bushes (which the demand from 

 Oeylon and elsewhere has eucouraged of late years), the 

 the result being that they are more easily attacked by red 

 spider and other blights, and consequently the Tea made 

 from leaves thus affected is sure to lack strength and quality. 

 Manufacture.— The different stages of manufacture have 

 of late engaged the attention of Plauters in India and 

 Oeylon, and a great deal of correspondence has been carried 

 on with regard to it, both privately and in the different 

 journals connected with Tea. 



Some advocate fully withered leaf, as it produces Teas 

 with fine rich flavor, which the same leaf less withered does 

 not possess. 



Boiling by machinery is almost general, though owing to 

 the leaf beiug sometimes submitted to too much pressure 

 the juice is partly lost. 



Fermentation, one of the most important processes, does 

 not appear to be thoroughly understood by the majority 

 of plauters, and is a subject which would well pay scientific 

 investigation. 



The cause of the poorness of a larger portion of this 

 Season's crop has been shifted from "climatic influence," on 

 to the shoulders of the Drying Machines. As, however, 

 it is a well-known fact that good and bad Teas have been 

 produced by the same machines, and even from the 

 same gardens, it would appear that sufficient ex- 

 perience in the use of them has hardly yet been attained. 

 Firing at a very high temperature aud briskly is advoc- 

 ated by a few, but it is generally considered that tea fired 

 at a moderate- heat is usually the best. 



The chemistry of tea has been talked about for many- 

 years, and is no doubt a most necessary portion of manu- 

 facture. In 1881 we wrote rather fully on this subject, 

 from which we will quote the following: — 



" There is little doubt that large' quantities of leaf properly 

 grown and evenpropi rly withered, are spoilt annually for want 

 of kuowb I ;i in the details of curing, which we believe is still 

 in its infancy. The leaf after plucking has to pass through 

 certain stages of fermentation and chemical action, which 

 ought to be carried on with the utmost care and super- 

 vision. It has. in fact, to be and like other food 

 is often spoilt in the cooking. Under the old fashion, that 

 is to say the ■ ' m 1! ban , there ed to be 

 some verv fine tea made, and iclined to think that 

 one of the processes, uz„ that of panning, which has 

 been discontinued, might be revived to advantage :" 

 which is quite as true now as then. We also drew atten- 

 tion at the same time to a Calcutta eircul 

 that. planters should exchange ideas regarding manufacture 

 and economy in working more than n in ensi unary. This 

 has been done of late, especially amongsl Oeylon planters, 

 who ventilate their ideas and experiences openly in the 

 newspapers, aud with Tea Associations in London and Cal- 



cutta, there should he ample opportunity of disseminating 

 Ige. We would suggest that a fund for experi- 

 ments should be started, under the control of one of these 

 Associations, who should appoint an able man or men to 

 be employed solelv in making experiments for the common 

 weal, moi ly as to the chemical processes of wither- 



ing, fermenting, fifing, etc. 



Oeylon ami Java are expected to produce about four- 

 and-a-half millions each do ring the coming season, which 

 will tend to increase the quantity available. Planters in 

 the former island appear determined not to be left behind 

 in the race, which they bave been carrying on so well 

 for the past two years, while the produce of the latter 

 has shown a great improvement, some of the teas having 

 full rich flavor like hill-grown Indians or Oeylons. 



To obtain a good name for a garden should be one of 

 the chief aims, as many buyers will give pence per pound 

 more for a marl: which they have become used to, and of 

 which they can depend upon obtaining a regular supply. 

 AVhilst on the subject of marks) we would mention that it 

 is questionable whether the elaborate ones on some packages 

 do not deter the produce of a garden from being well-known. 

 The plain name of the Estate or Company is much more 

 likely to be remembered and asked for than several letters 

 in the corners of a double triangle. Besides the name of 

 the Estate, the garden number of the package and the 

 description of tea are the only things requisite, the gross 

 and tare is unnecessary and often misleading. With 

 Calcutta purchases a distinct shipping mark a? in China 

 Teas is also necessary, otherwise different importers' invoices 

 are apt to be mixed in the warehouses. 



Packages and size of breaks. — As regards sorting, the 

 tendency to make as few sorts as possible is gaining 

 ground steadily, and we strongly advocate it especially on 

 small gardens. We still look forward to the days of unas- 

 sorted Tea, but the time for that has not yet arrived. 



The proportion of breaks under 20 chests in garden 

 invoices, and of subdivided lots in Calcutta purchases, 

 has been less this season. Now that it has been ar- 

 ranged that all parcels under 8 chests are sold by 

 themselves after the sales, it is the more necessary that the 

 breaks should be large so as to ensure the attention of all 

 the buyers. For fine and finest 20 to 50 chests (or half 

 chests) aud 50 to 100 chests for common and medium 

 descriptions are the best. 



The proportion of half-chests this season has been below 

 the average, and there has consequently been a demand 

 for them ; if not in excess, Teas packed in this way often 

 sell better than in chests. 



Boxes, especially of tlavoury (self-drinking) Teas, such 

 as Darjeelings and Ceylous have also been in request, and 

 are still sought after as they are often sold direct to the 

 consumers in their original state, that is to say, without 

 admixture. They should, however, be under 28 lb. gross, 

 as they are then not subject to any draft, whereas if over 

 that weight they are treated as chests. 



During the season a large quantity has been sold as 

 "Factory bulked" on the whole with satisfactory results, 

 aud it is ouly a work of time for London bulking to be a 

 thing of the past. 



The system of weighing net appears to work satisfact- 

 orily when care is taken to avoid irregularity, and that 

 the weight deciared to the Customs is the same in every 

 package in a break. Complaints have, however, been 

 made iu many p! lis has not been attended to, 



the result being that all the packages, although bulked in 

 India, have had eventually to he turned out to as 



. and some I posif ively refuse 



to pin 



the Tea shipped to Kugland from all pa .ivesin 



such a condition with r> 



is no need for turning out in 1 rohoi 



eep in the case of those gardens where no bulking 

 pxist. 

 Although tie.' su; 1 i reviously thrown out about 



ci pal bulking 1 lablishmeuts in 1 

 tricts may not be feasible, why should not experi 

 buyers make periodical trips to the different 

 aul buy up the unassorted nd it to Calcutta 



i . > I':- 81 i'ii d and 1 All parcel 1 no( quit 



even iii quality might very easily in- bulked in 1 alcutta 

 prior lo sale in that market, and retired before ship 



