July i, 1885.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



2? 



case of the " jiniricUshaws," we do not see why local I 

 makers should not copy the Japanese pattern when 1 

 it is fully introduced, that is if generally approved j 

 of. We hear deplorable accounts of the state of the 

 carpenters of the Moratuwa district for want of work. 

 Have they begun to try their hauds at " jinirick- 

 shaws," the use of which is extending upcountry, or j 

 at tea boxes? — Ed.] ■ | 



New Ze.vland Flax. — It will interest colonial | 

 botanists to know, that a very fine specimen of the 

 plant Plmrmium tenax fariegata is blooming in the 

 conservatory at Castle Hill House, Huntingdon, the 

 residence of the Ven. Archdeacon Vesey. The speci- 

 men is in a No. 2 pot (I'li inches in diameter). 

 The flower-spike is already IS' feet high, and secma 

 likely to reach another 2 feet. The spread of the 

 beautifully-striped leaves is 13 feet, and aliogether 

 the plant forms a striking object in an angle at the 

 garden entrance to the conservatory, — Europetin Mail. 

 Tea Pkospeots. — Commenting on the future of 

 the tea market, the Grocrs' Chronicle says : — We 

 have examined into the prospective supply and carefully 

 considered the figures as far as they are known, and 

 our investigation leads U3 to the conclusion that the 

 total crop of the year is about four millirms of pounds 

 in excess of last year, New Zealand, Australia, and 

 America have taken about one million in excess of 

 last season; and the S. S. "Justitia." which was 

 lost had about three quarters of a million on board. 

 So that as nearly as possible the excess to be expected 

 in London over last year is about 2,250,0001b. The 

 deliveries have been 8,000,000 lb. greater tlian last year, 

 and the good piiccs ruling here for the last two 

 months have tempted importers to put up every chest 

 they had for sale. So that the unsnld part of the 

 crop now in dock is only about 4,000,000 lb. against 

 14,000,000 lb. this time last year. Some nutborities 

 say that at this time last year there wa>i not so much 

 as 14,000,000 1b. remaining ; but from the 15tb Arrd, 

 16S4, to the end of the season, l(iO,000 packages 

 were catalogued for sale ; and allowing each package 

 to average 00 1b., we incline to regard our statem.^ut 

 as quite within the mark. Of course, r.s long as the 

 market is so well supplied as it hiis been for the 

 last ten weeks (during which time 40,000 chests more 

 than last year have been sold in sale), no ic.^rcity is 

 felt, but as soon as the four mil'ican yet to be sold are 

 cleared off, there will be r.itlier a want of occupation 

 for the noble army of tea-tasters in Mincing Lane. 

 Perhaps, therefore, the active desire to get hold of 

 a^ much tea as pos-ible is, after all, not far wrong, 

 although the price.s piid for some lots this week in our 

 judgment could scarcely be justified ou any other 

 grounds. — Home and Colonial Mail. 



Tea Taxation. —Nearly simultaneously, at both ends 

 of the longUne over which it travels, tea has been threat- 

 ened with increased taiatiou, owing to financial exigencies 

 caused by war. The alarm has proved a false one, so 

 far as London is concerned. The ii te'ests of teetotal- 

 ism and the free breakfast table have prevailed ; Mr. 

 Childers has sought other sources of revenue, and those 

 interested in the leaf are quit from the excitfment and 

 the temporary spurt which it caused. It is, however, 

 not so certain that it will be equally fortunate in China. 

 Though stronger in a military senae than before the 

 French w'ar broke out, China has without doubt been 

 subjected to a severe Hnauic.il strain ; and the necessity 

 for some additional taxation may well remain, even 

 now peace has been declared. The fmancial scheme 

 lately drawn up by the Board of Revenue and Tsungli- 

 Yam6n seems to have contemplated an addition of from 

 25 to 40 per ceut. to existing dues on the common and 

 medium teas ; and though that increase in not greater 

 probably, than would havo been imposed here, if tea 

 had beea seleottd for additional taxation, the 



effect would bo vastly different on the China 

 trade. An additional tax at this end would affect 

 Indian and China teas alike, and place the latter 

 therefore at no relative disadvantage ; while an addition- 

 al tix in China would give an impulse to the cult, 

 ivation in India and elsewhere that would probably affect 

 permanently both the selling v.ilne and the demand for 

 the Chinese produce. As we have said before, however, 

 the new scheme was drawn up before preliminaries of 

 peace had been fettled, and will hardly be m.iintained in 

 its integrity under thealtered conditions. The Imperial 

 approv-d was provisionally accorded, subject to the 

 advice of the provincial authoritie.s ; but we can hardly 

 doubt that the alarm of the Chinese dealers, who 

 fully appreciate the situation, will communicate itself 

 to the latter, and lead at least to a modification of 

 the plan. If additional revenue must still be had, 

 the Chinese Government will be wise to follow the 

 English example, and leave tea alon3 — visiting its 

 difficulties upon the other articles in its programme. 

 In opium alone it has a rich mine, if it would 

 frankly recognize the squeezes which are actually 

 levied ou the native drug, but whose quasi illegality 

 enables the diversion eif the greater portion into the 

 official pocket. China tea is already taxed heavily 

 enough, at either end ; and any modification should 

 be rather in the direction of easing than lightening 

 the burden, if it is to keep its place in the market ; 

 whereas it has had a narrow escape of incurring a 

 double mulct. The escape is complete so far as the 

 threatened 3d at this end is concerned j and we hope 

 it may escape the greater portion, if not all, of the 

 threatened increase in China. Chinese mindaiins aro 

 not the most skilful or most moral of financiers, 

 but they have a crude idea of the folly of quito 

 killing the goose that lays th'J gold, n egg ; and the 

 danger in this case is likely to be borne in upon 

 them from many sources. They cannot afford to 

 injure severely a large and important industry ; eo 

 we may probably take it for granted that, if there 

 be an increase, it will be a more moderate one than 

 the memorial proposes. 



In the tea market, operators are relieved from 

 further uncertainty as regards the duty, in which 

 no alteration has been made. By an increase in 

 the tax ou beer and spirits it is not improbable a 

 further stimulus will be given to the consumption of 

 the leaf, aud which is undoubtedly the cheapest 

 beverage that is sold. The consumer has now been 

 educated to a preference for Indian grown, but there 

 is no doubt, if teas from China showed improvement 

 in quility they would quickly regain the lost ground. 

 An effort was made by the Foochow teamen by an 

 " edict, " strongly urging the growers in the differ- 

 ent districts of the Foh-Kion province to devote 

 greater care in the cultivation io, , and so compete 

 with tho teas grown in India. The Chinese now 

 seem fairly aroused to the necessity of arresting 

 the declining trade, the total export for the season 

 being only 14,5,000,000 lb., against 153,000,000 lb. 

 As regards Indian tea, consumption goes ou rapidly 

 increasing, and this has been helped by low prices. The 

 accounts from India, however, are not satisfactory, as 

 planters have done no good at the prices current 

 duiiijg the greater part of this season. The firm belief 

 that the duty would be increased on tea continued up 

 to the time of the Chancellor of the Exchequer making 

 his statement last night. Yesterday two firms alono 

 paid as much as £24,000 in duty, representing nearly 

 a million pounds of Tea. During last month advances 

 havo been made to a con.sidorable extent by the banks 

 j against the amounts cleared by the dealejs. A quiet 

 ' market may now be expected, unless war breaks out 

 which would create a roactiou. — London and China 

 I hxpresi, May let, 



