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The World's Commercial Products 



A ROLLING MACHINE AT WORK 



Undoubtedly the most hopeful outlook for the Natal tea industry lies in capturing the 

 South African market ; for, while the annual import of tea into South Africa is considerably 

 over 6,000,000 lbs., the annual production of the commodity in Natal does not exceed more 

 than 2,000,000 lbs. In order to satisfy the local demand it would be necessary to increase 

 the present acreage three-fold, i.e., to about 13,000 acres. 



TEA IN THE CAUCASUS 



For several years past serious efforts have been made by the Russian Government 

 and by private individuals to establish a tea industry in the neighbourhood of Batoum, 

 in the Caucasus. The Imperial plantations are situated at Chackra, and have an area 

 of about 400 acres, and in 1905 the tea prepared from a plucking of 102 acres reached 

 a total of 21,600 lbs. The Popoff plantations, which are owned by a private firm, are somewhat 

 smaller in area, and are situated at Chackra, Salibauri, and Kaprshun. Up to the present, 

 however, comparatively little progress has been made in the industry, the labour question 

 being one of great difficulty. 



OTHER TEA-GROWING COUNTRIES 



A small tea industry alsoexists in Jamaica. In 1868 an acre of land was planted with tea 

 by the Government, and, as the experiment met with some considerable success, the area was 

 later increased. In 1887 there was one private tea-garden in the island at Portland Gap, 

 about twelve miles from Kingston, with twelve acres under cultivation. Nine years later 







