TEA. 



STILL AN 

 EXPERIMENT. 



FAVOURABLE 

 REPORTS. 



PROSPECTS 

 OF SUCCESS. 



^EA cannot yet be regarded as among the products 

 that have proved themselves commercial pro- 

 positions in B.E.A. Nevertiheless, experiments have 

 proved that in parts of the Highlands the soil and 

 climate are favourable to its growth, and several 

 schemes are on foot to lay down plantations. 



As far back as 1903 an experiment was under- 

 taken at Limuru by the late Mr. G. W. h. Caine, who 

 had considerable experience of tea in India, and in 

 the following year an area of two acres was planted 

 out with plants raised from seed of the Manipur 

 hybrid variety. Unfortunately a break in the rains 

 just after the transplanting resulted in the loss of 

 many of the plants. Notwithstanding this, some 

 500 healthy, luxuriant trees of the original experiment 

 are still flourishing, and may be taken as evidence of 

 what covild be done with the tea plant in the district. 



Samples of this tea sent home to the Imperial 

 Institute were reported on by Professor Wyndham R. 

 Dunstan, M.A., F.R.S. The results of an analysis 

 shewed that it resembled Indian tea in the amount of 

 extractive matter and tannin present. The liquor 

 obtained on infusion was found to be of very fair 

 quality, and the tea was valued by a firm of brokers 

 at from G^/d. to yd. per lb. "The investigation 

 shews," concluded Professor Dunstan in his report, 

 "that tea of good saleable character can be grown in 

 the Limuru district of the East Africa Protectorate 

 with prospects of success." Again, in 191 1, two sam- 

 ples were sent home, and were favourably reported 

 on by a firm of tea experts, the teas being valued 

 at Sd. and 8Hd. per lb. 



From this it is evident that only further experi- 

 ment is necessary to establish tea as a paying invest- 

 ment in British East Africa. But the process may be 

 slow, as it is not an undertaking that can be embarked 

 on by the inexperienced, and the dij0&culties of 

 obtaining seed are a hindrance. 



Tea seed rapidly loses its vitality, so that rapid 

 transit is essential, and it must be planted immediate- 

 ly on arrival at its destination. The nurseries should 



