Ko^EMBER 3, i885 •] 'i'Hfi TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



311 



TEA AND COFFEE COXSUMPTION IX THE 



UNITED STATES AND EEITAIN 

 are thus noticed by the American Grocer : — 



The detailed yearly statement from tlio Bureau of 

 Statistics enables us to study from official data the 

 coDsumptiou of tea and coffee. 



Diiriug the past four years of depression and liquid- 

 ation tlie country has steadily increased its per capita 

 consumption of coffee, while that of tea has steadily 

 declined. 



The imports of coffee for the year ended June 30th 

 were the largest on record. Those of tea exceed the 

 previous year about five million pounds, and with that 

 exception are Hghter than for any year since IS'SI. The 

 tables below exhibit the gross imports of hot li articles, 

 exjwrls of the same, the difference between the two 

 being considered consumption. 

 Tea. 



Year Oonsump- Per 



ended Imports. Exports. tion. Capita. 



Jane 30th lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. 



1885.. .81,843,988 5,T3O,.501 CG,372,7(i5 1-54 



I884...7S,7e9,0e0 7,603,9U9 60,001,944 1-46 



1883...73,479,164 3.881,219 89,597,94-5 128 



1882...G7,665,910 1,578.000 77,191,060 120 



1881. ..72,103,3.56 2,713,139 79,130,849 1-16 



The population is based upon bureau estimates, ex- 

 cept for 1885, we estimating it at 57,000,0(10. We 

 believe this reduction in the popularity of tea as a 

 beverage largely due to 1 he average quality of tlie leaf 

 being below what it should be to captivate the palate. 

 It has always been a mystery why the people cling so 

 tenaciously to the harsh flavored Japan in preference 

 to the delicate and deliciously aromatic teas of China 

 or some blend with the rich and full flavored product 

 of India. 



COFFEE. 



Per 

 Tear ended Imports. Exports. Consump. Cap. 

 June 30. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. 



1885 572,.599,552 33,335,146 539,264,400 9.46 



1884 534,785,.542 26,152,679 508,632,863 9.(18 



1883 515,878,515 37.376,390 478,502,125 S.83 



1882 459,922,768 24,343,479 435,579,289 8.25 



1881 453,189,534 31,913,062 423,276,472 8.23 



Here 's a gain of 1"23 lb. per capita in the consump- 

 tion. VThy is it ? Because the coffee trade has taken 

 pains to secure the distribution of the bean in a roasted 

 rather than a green state, and this added to the con- 

 petition of rival dealers and the portable coffee mill 

 has resulted in enabling consumers to make a more uni- 

 form infusion than when the beans were roasted at home 

 in skillet or frying pan. In the South, where five ye.irs 

 ajfo scarcely any roasted coffee was sold, it is fast dis- 

 placing the raw bean. 



In the United Kingdom, where China and India 

 teas are consumed and no Japan of account, and 

 where adulterated coffee is the rule, we find that the 

 per capita consumption of tea has increased, while 

 that of coffee is about stationary, as the followiug table 

 e-xhibits ; — 



Tea. Coffee. Per 



lbs, Per capita, lbs. capita. 



1884... 175,097,983 482 83,016,258 (i-91 

 1883... 170 812,6P7 474 32,448.080 090 

 1S82,., 16.5,0T9,S81 4 62 31,962,,i60 0-89 

 1881... 1 ■0,225,789 4 54 31,043,403 090 

 18^0... 158,.i70 331 4(0 5i,56Bfiii 0-96 

 Tbc Tiulef, ill a leading rtici-; on the rejjcift of the 

 Inlanil Revenue Cohimissioners, .fays:" The I'onsiimp- 

 tiiiii of t a, it is true, contiimes to hicrease, which is 

 a j»ign that the ma.is of the people Were better off 

 ill 18^4 t tan some people woul 1 have us believe." 



Statistics are looked upon as dry reading, but we think 

 the above tables are very suggestive and mighty in- 

 teresting to every merchant handling the articles and in 

 love with their business. We can see no good reason 

 ■why the same determined effort on the part of dealers 

 in tea to improve flavor and raise the standard should 

 not result in a gain in consumption quite as pro- 

 jjouuced as that in the world's moiSV lumwis berry, 



In rcferriurr to this matter, James Cook & Co., of 

 London, iu :,:.a-ch last said:— ''If we had some clear- 

 sighted men in uur coft'ce trade, such as you have, the 

 cc:: K'nptiou could be pushed very nuicli ; but we ex- 

 pect cheapness has much to do with it. Tea here is 

 relatively cheaper with coffee than with von, and prob- 

 ably one pound would make seven or eiglit gallons of an 

 iufusiou such as the worldng classes would be satisfied 

 with." Taking the economical view of the question, we 

 must then couchule that the resources of the working 

 classes here are far greater th.an in the United King- 

 dom, whereby thiy are enabled to become free con- 

 sumers of coffee. But we must not forpet tliatbeer 

 costs consumers iu Victoria's realm far more than coffee 

 costs consumers iu the United States; and that is on 

 reason why the moral tone of our laboring cla.sses i^ 

 so far above that of those living in the United Kingdom^ 



BAELEY OE BEAEDED WHEAT IN CEYLON ? 



We have received two stalks, inscribed " Barle 

 groAvn at Hakgala from Indian seed?" The grain, 

 which is well developed and set, may he barley, 

 but the heads look remarkably like the " bearded 

 wheat " we first eaw growing in Italy and sub- 

 sequently around Muttra, in Northern India. From 

 the latter locality we brought some heads, sowed 

 the seeds on Abbotsford estate, and obtained several 

 successive crops. Wheat can be obtained so cheaply 

 from India, tliat we should thuik there cannot 

 be much encouragement for its culture in Ceylon, 

 hut we noticed in the recent report of the proceed- 

 ings of the Ceylon Agricultural Society, that Mr. 

 C. H. De Soysa had reported a successful experi- 

 ment on his own part. AVe suspect the Bakers 

 were not over-successful with their experiments in 

 barley-growing at Nuwara Eliya. At any rate, we 

 know they imported malt from Britain and com- 

 plained grievously when a duty was imposed on 

 it mth reference to its relation to imported beer. 

 It remains to be seen what the new Brewery Com- 

 pany will do. Not only barley but hops can, wo 

 suppose, be grown iu Ceylon, but we suspect the 

 Company will find the imported articles cheaper 

 and better. ,Some of the finest hops in the world 

 are grown on the banks of the Mitchell Eiver iu 

 Gipps Land, Victoria, and on the banks of the 

 Derwent in Tasmania.— Fortunately, before publish- 

 ing, we have had the advantage of Dr. Trimen's 

 opinion. He was a little puzzled at first, but 

 finally pronounced the grain to be '■ six-rank barley," 

 HonUiiii lif.rastidlioii. 



MANURING TEA WITH BONE-DUST 



AND CASTOE-POONAC MIXED, AND 



WITH CASTOR.POONAC ALONE. 



Mr, F, McL. Carter, the Manager of Chandpora 

 Tea Estate, Chittagong, has comniunioatsd to ths 

 Indian Tea Gaiettc the results of an interestiub' 

 and evidently a very carefully conducted e.'cperi. 

 raetit in the tnanuring of tea. The substances 

 chosen were those so familiiir to coffee-plantei's-- 

 bone-dust and castor'pooflac— and it will scarcely 

 excite the siuprise of readers familiar with tha 

 subject of manuring to learn that, while the 

 phosphiitic substance alone told more ei't'eetually with 

 us in increasing the fruit crops of coffee, the ani- 

 moniacal substance alone gave the larger increase 

 in the leaf crops of tea. It is right to mention, 

 liowcver, that bone-dust alone was not used by 

 ^ Mr. Carter in his experiment, but that (he com- 

 ^ parison was between 18 cwt. per acre 0' bone-dii*!, 



