CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



On the other hand, I do not for the reasons stated, viz., 

 that Tea is an acquired taste and thus a new kind is not at 

 first palatable anticipate any very sudden increase in the 

 demand. If, however, I am wrong, and from a largely 

 increased demand the prices of Indian Teas rise, I do not 

 doubt that the cultivation will be greatly extended, and that 

 after an interval of four years (it takes that time for the Tea 

 plant to produce) the supply will be equal to the then wants 

 of the English market. 



The future of Indian Tea is, I think, a bright one, and 

 I know nothing in which capital can be more profitably in- 

 vested if the business is conducted with knowledge and 

 experience, but to embark in it without these two requisites 

 is ruin. 



A few figures may be given here. The imports into 

 Great Britain of Indian Teas have been yearly increasing, till 

 in 1873 they amounted to 18,367,000 Ibs., and judging 

 from the estimate out here of the produce this year, viz., 

 1874, the imports into Great Britain in 1874 will not be far 

 short of 20,000,000 Ibs. 1 



But as the annual consumption of Tea in the United 

 Kingdom is not less than 130,000,000 Ibs., India is still very 

 far from supplying enough to give a mixture of three-fourths 

 Chinese and one-fourth Indian Tea. 2 



The finest Chinese Tea sells in London in bond at 2s. ^d. 



1 Note to 3rd edition. The imports have been as follows during the last 

 three years : 



1875 . . . ' . . . . 25,615,000. 



1876 . . :., . , >..:. . 29,384,000. 



1877 . . . . . 31,882,000. 



2 Note to 3rd edition. The annual consumption of all Teas in Great Britain 

 in 1877 was 



Chinese 158,000,000 



Indian 28,000,000 



Total , 186,000,000 



