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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



[August i, 1885, 



breaks. la our owu case our London agents have recently 

 combined several invoices at one sale, not certainly 

 to our advantage, however much it may have been 

 to the convenience of the big brokers. 



CEYLON TEA. 



(Beport hy Messrs. Gow, Wilson ^-Stanton, Tea Broilers.) 



Vt'e beg to submit for your consideration a few facts 

 bearing on the statistical position of Ceylon Tea, which may 

 be of interest to you. 



The rapid increase in the production of Oeylon Tea, 

 and the universal favor with which it has been received, 

 attract attention to the growing importance of this island 

 as a field of production. In order to convey graphically the 

 progress made, we give, in diagram* form, a comparison 

 both of the quarterly and yearly increases, together with 

 a line tracing the course of price averaged in the London 

 public sales during the period under review. 



The blocks representing the production speak for them- 

 selves, but a few words in reference to the " price line " 

 will be of interest to all concerned in the industry. It gen- 

 erally happens with articles of consumption that increased 

 production leads to reduced values, but in this instance it 

 will be seen that the reverse has taken place. Now, we 

 would ask, to what cause this enhanced value is to be 

 attributed ? Is it that the price of Tea generally has im- 

 proved during the past five years? This is decidedly not 

 the case, and we can see no other cause than that the 

 efforts of planters, favored by a climate suited to the pro- 

 duction of Tea, have been successful, and that this success 

 has so far been appreciated by the consumer. 



Referring to the second diagram we observe that the 

 amount shipped in 1884 is twenty times as great as in 

 1880 ; and if we examine the number of gardens repre- 

 sented in the London auctions, as stated below, the 

 result is exceedingly striking, for while In 1880 the 

 number was under '20, it has risen in 1884 to 135. 



and the present year has already contributed nearly 50 

 new names. 



Large tracts of land recently devoted to the cultivation 

 of Oollee are now being planted with Tea. As an instance 

 of this, it is said that in the district of Dickoja alone 

 which lately contained 27,500 acres of Coffee, the Tea 

 shrub now covers 11,000 acres, and it is e-xpected that 

 before the end of the current year these figures will be 

 nearly doubled. We may therefore assume that the rapid 

 development of the Tea industry is likely to continue, 

 and as tbe out-turn from India is certain to inereasi', we 

 are compelled to ask ourselves whether the supply of Tea 

 will not soon exceed the demand, and become too gnat to 

 admit of a profit to the planter. 



In considering this important matter let us glance over 

 the last 45 years, and oliserve the annual quantity of Tea 

 consumel jjer head of the population of the United 

 Kingdom in each decade, viz. — 



1840. 1850. ISOO. 1870. 1880. 1884. 

 11 lb. IJlb. 2a lb. 3J lb. 4nb. 4J lb. 



The home consumption in 1SG4 was 8S,.500,000 lb. and 

 in I8S4 175,092,001) lb. and had, therefore, almost exactly 

 doubled itself in twenty years. Here, then, we notice a 

 steady advance ; and we are led to infer that the gradual 

 cheapening of the commodity, together with the amelior- 

 ated condition of the working classes, the spread of temper- 

 ance amongst the masses, and the modified social habits 

 of the people, have largely contributed to a more general 

 use of the article. There is, therefore, substantial reason 

 for believing that the demand will continue to increase. 



[* We regret we cannot reproduce the diagrams, but the 

 letterpress is sufficiently explanatory.— Ed.] 



With this augmented consumption has come a 

 demand for improved quality and flavor; and as these 

 characteristics are especially combined in Indian and 

 Ceylon descriptions, it is evidently on this account 

 that these teas have grown so much in favor with 

 the public ; we find that whereas in 1861 only three per 

 cent of all the tea consumed was Indian, in 1884 the per- 

 centage had risen to thirti/sereit. Considering the great 

 similarity existing between Ceylon and Indian teas, we 

 may almost treat them as one article ; and there is no 

 doubt that by the combined efforts of the two sister 

 countries the percentage of their teas consumed will year 

 by year increase ; and that the consumption of China" tea 

 will be proportionately reduced on account of its general 

 deficiency in strength, pungency, and flavor, while it seems 

 probable that before many years are passed, the staple 

 tea of the London market will be Imlian and Ceylon, and 

 that only such amount as these countries are unable to 

 produce will be drawn from China. We may add that 

 the exportation of Indian and Ceylon tea to the Continent 

 shows a gradual increase, and that there is every prob- 

 ability of this branch of the trade becoming largely developed. 



In furtherance of these ends we would impress upon 

 planters the paramount importance of keeping up the 

 quality. Let them never rest until they have succeeded 

 in producing a " perfect tea " ; until they have exhausted 

 every virtue which the plant possesses. Do they fully 

 comprehend the nature of the plant with which they have 

 to deal ; the soils which are best suited to its develop- 

 ment, and the situations which are most conducive to its 

 growth ? Do they understand how to utilize its various 

 properties for their own purpose, and what qualities they 

 should strive to foster in their plants; can they accoimt 

 for " delicate flavor " " peculiar pungency " or " unu.-ual 

 strength"; in short, do they understand that which 

 chemically constitutes " tea " ':' 



They have already pressed into their service the engin- 

 eer, who has shown them how to cheapen their manu- 

 facture, and at the fame time to improve their produce 

 by the judicious use of machinery. It is now time that 

 they proceeded a step further, and learned from the 

 chemist the nature of a " true " tea, and the agricultural 

 requirements neees.sary to obtain it — whether by manuring 

 the soil so as to supply the plants with those particular 

 ingredients in which they might be individually lacking, 

 or fn so manipulating the leaves in the process of manu- 

 facture as most effectively to preserve the active principle 

 contained in them. As soil has much to do with flavor, 

 an analysis of portions of it might in some cases prove 

 an advantage. 



From on,- own personal knowledge of tea planting, we 

 venture to ask planters when dealing with " Green " leaf, 

 to keep the following facts before them, viz. : — 



1st. Starch is universally diffused throughout the veget- 

 able economy, especially in leaves. 



2nd. The absorption of oxygen from the air converts 

 the starch into sugar. 



3rd. The green resinous principle of the leaf diminishes 

 in quantity while oxygen is absorbed. 



The excellence of black tea depends upon the management 

 of the leaves in such a way that the above noted chemical 

 changes may take place. 



The following suggestions regarding Sorting, Packing, 

 Ac, may be of use: — 



Sorting. — It is the custom in the London market to 

 postpone the sale of Breaks, under eight chests, eight half- 

 chests, or twenty boxes until the conclusion of the general 

 sales, when the majority of buyers have alrea<ly left the 

 sale-room. In addition to this objection the trade have 

 not the same facilities for obtaining samples of these 

 " small breaks." We would therefore impress on managers, 

 especially of smaller gardens, the desirability of sorting 

 into as few grades as possible. In our opinion four grades 

 are sufficient, viz.. One fine tea, two mediums, and oue lower 

 class, and, when necessary, an occasional Dust. 



Bulking. — By the new Custom's Kegulations for weighing 

 nett, the old system of turning out and repacking each 

 chest in London, by which the tea was frequently injured, 

 can be avoided, when the bulking has been eflfectively 

 performed upon the garden. We give these regulations 

 as published by the Tea District Association, which must 

 be strictly adhered to. 



