

CAMELLIA 



INDIAN PROSPERITY THEA 



Trade 



rod nets are not as soluble as the original tannin, they are still fairly 

 . and have a brown colour. At higher temperatures still more 

 brown oxidation products are formed, much less soluble in water. 

 Tin- result is disastrous to the tea, and hence no fermentation should be 

 mducted at a temperature above 80 to 82 F., if this is possible. [Cf. 

 n, r'.-nnent. of Tea, in Ind. Tea Assoc., 1906. No. 19, pt. i. ; 1907, 

 . 1. pt. ii.] 



Tin* tannin present in the original leaf has been carefully examined 

 and described by Nanninga (I.e. 7). He found it to be a crystalline powder, 

 so livdniMiopic that an instant's exposure to the air turned it into a yel- 

 ish-brown syrupy mass. It is not soluble in chloroform, benzine or 

 roloum ether, and very little in anhydrous ether. On the other hand 

 ry soluble in alcohol, acetone, or acetic ether. It has a very as- 

 ;gent, but not bitter taste. It is precipitated by copper sulphate and 

 acetate. Ferric chloride gives a deep blue precipitate. It is optically 

 ve. 



The other substances present in tea-leaf are of minor importance. A Gallic Add. 

 ce of gallic acid can always be found, as well as quercitrin. An acid, 

 which the name of Boheic Add was given, has been described by Roch- 

 er (Ann. Chem. Pharm., 63, 202), but its existence as a definite chemical 

 bstance is very doubtful. Other constituents it seems unnecessary to 

 ribe. [Harold H. Mann.] 



TRADE IN INDIAN TEA The prosperity of the Indian Tea Trade Trade in 

 y be mentioned as one of the many striking results of the British Tea. 

 ministration in India. The East India Company enjoyed for 

 ny years a monopoly in the Chinese exports of tea, and they were 

 refore, and perhaps naturally, not over-anxious at first to establish 

 tea industry in India. In the year 1721 the imports of tea from 1721. 

 ina into Great Britain became one million pounds, and during the 

 tury from 1710 to 1810 the aggregate sales of the Company were 

 1 million pounds, valued at close on 130 million pounds sterling. It 

 y be useful to recapitulate some of the historic facts already mentioned. 1788. 

 1788 Sir Joseph Banks suggested the desirability of cultivating tea in 

 dia. Little was accomplished, however, until Lord William Bentinck originated 



me Viceroy in 1834. But the success shortly after attained was such 

 it in 1840 the Government were able to withdraw from tea-planting, and Government 

 1865 had handed over all their experimental plantations to private * 

 terprise. The first public sales of Indian-grown tea took place in 

 Icutta during 1841, when 4,613 Ib. were sold. A sample of Indian- First Sales 1841. 

 de tea had, however, been sent to England a few years earlier 

 838). By way of contrast with these beginnings it may be added Present 

 t sales of Indian tea in 1904 stood at 200 million pounds, valued Po8itlon - 

 6,000,000 (see p. 218). 



Area and Localities of Production Capital and Labour, etc. Area, 

 e area under tea at the end of 1903 extended over 524,827 acres, 

 nearly two-thirds (64-4 per cent.) being in Assam (viz. 338,278 acres, or 

 204,702 in Assam proper, and 133,576 in Cachar and Sylhet). In Bengal 

 the area was 135,956 acres (25-9 per cent.). Thus these two provinces 

 (Assam and Bengal) have nine-tenths of the Indian tea area, the 

 remaining tenth being in the United Provinces, Panjab, Madras and 

 Travancore, a total of 49,073 acres, of which one-half is in the Native 

 State of Travancore. In addition to all these there is a small area of 1,520 



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