1885. J RUSSIAN TEA-GROWING. 7* 



RUSSIAN TEA-GROWING. 



INDIAN and China tea-growers had better look to their laurels. 

 The Russian Government, which have been experimenting for 

 some time past in the cultivation of tea, are once more putting forth 

 all their energy to develop the tea plant in Western Asia. They 

 have decided on laying out a plantation at Soukhum Kale, and 

 importing a ship-load of Chinese coolies to work it. Here they have 

 followed in the footsteps of the British Consul at Tiflis, who, not 

 very long ago, grew a quantity of tea, and during the course of last 

 summer, a German, who tried an experiment with a number of 

 shrubs imported from China, succeeded to some extent. These, 

 however, have been one and all tentative measures, and give one 

 result in establishing the fact that tea can be cultivated in the 

 Caucasus ; but the important problem yet remains undetermined, 

 whether it can be grown on such a large scale as will enable it to 

 compete successfully with the article wdiich is produced in India 

 and China. As matters at present stand, all the tea consumed in 

 Russia has to be imported — that is, 72,000,000 lbs. have to be 

 purchased at a cost of £6,000,000. Half of this quantity is con- 

 veyed to Russia overland across Siberia, and the other half borne 

 by water to Odessa in the Black Sea and Kronstadt in the Baltic, 

 If the experiment to be tried at Soukhum Kale is a success, the 

 foreign article will be at a discount, since Soukhum Kale is only a 

 couple of days' run from Odessa. But there is another and an impor- 

 tant factor in a consideration of the question ; labour is at a premium 

 in the Caucasus, and the moist climate of the country would mate- 

 rially interfere with emigration on a large scale. In this respect 

 the Indian and China coolie have the advantage, and besides, 

 there not being much capital in the country for the development of 

 the industry, the assistance of foreign capitalists must needs be 

 called in, and here the difhculty begins. Be that as it may, we 

 have no doubt Indian tea-growers will watch with some intei'est the 

 operations of the Russian Government in this direction. — Indian 

 Agriculturist. 



