2l6 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



to take shares. I could name more than one influential native also 

 who is willing to join, and this is a good sign, for, in my opinion, a 

 moiety of the directors should be natives. I will myself become a 

 large shareholder, though I cannot offer my services on the board, for 

 it must be in Calcutta, and I do not reside there. 



I am convinced, if the company is launched, the shares will be 

 taken up in a week. 



But if no one in Calcutta is public-spirited enough to launch such 

 a company, why should not an association of a few individuals try to 

 carry out the scheme. I quite believe Tea proprietors would help 

 them, at starting, by supplying, on reasonable credit, the coarse Teas 

 suitable. Were this done, the thin edge of the wedge would be driven 

 in, and, if the association succeeded, they might later transfer the 

 business at a fair profit to a company. 



I had written so far when I saw your remarks on the same subject 

 in your last issue. I cannot agree with you in thinking an association 

 would be better than a company, but I say, failing the last let us have 

 the first in fact, let us make a beginning. 



I give here below, to save the trouble of reference, the last part ot 

 my former article : 



" I will now, in conclusion, shortly estimate for how much two and 

 four ounce packets could be sold to the consumer. 



" Supposing suitable Teas could be bought at six annas per Ib. (and 

 all Tea planters know that a very large supply of broken Teas with 

 some red leaf would be available at that price), one ounce would equal 

 4^ pie or 9 pie for 2 ounces. We may then calculate thus for each 

 2 ounce packet : R. A. p. 



Tea ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...009 



Tin foil, company's mark, labour of making up packet, 



wear and tear, bulking machinery ... ... ... o o 3 



Profit to company ... ... ... ... ... ...003 



Price at which company could sell 2 ounce packets ... o i 3 



Profit to dealer or middleman 003 



Profit to retailer ... ... ... ... ... ...003 



Cost to consumer for 2 ounce packet o i 9 



" As making up a 4 ounce packet would be cheaper in proportion, 

 and the profit to company, middleman, and retailer need not be 

 double the 2 ounce rate, we may fairly say that 4 ounce packets could 

 be sold at 3 annas. 



