CHAPTER XXXI. 



PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF INDIAN TEA. 



A FEW words on the past, the present, and the future of 

 Indian Tea will now conclude this Essay, and will, I hope, 

 be acceptable to the reader. 



The subject is one of growing importance, but being a new 

 one, there are points connected with it on which the public are 

 very ignorant, and should be enlightened. 



To begin with, the following facts are not disputed by 

 those who know anything of the subject : 



1. Indian Teas have far more body, that is strength, 

 than Chinese Teas. 



2. Indian Teas consequently command a higher price 

 at the London sales than Chinese Teas. 



3. In spite of its higher price, it is far more economical 

 than the Chinese produce, as, generally speaking, one-third of 

 the quantity suffices. 



4. There are lands enough in India to grow all the Tea 

 required for England's use, and, indeed, for all her colonies. 



If these are facts, and I confidentially affirm they are so, 

 how is it that the following holds in England ? 



1. Indian Tea is not known to the public. 



2. Except in one or two shops in London and Glasgow, 

 unknown to the mass of the people, not an ounce of pure 

 Indian Tea can be bought in all England. 



3. That India is even a Tea-producing country is scarcely 

 known in England. 1 



I l Note to 3rd edition. The above three statements, quite true when written, 

 are not so now. The heavy fall in the value of both Indian and Chinese Teas in 

 ,1877, while pressing hard on the Indian producer, has certainly had the one good 



