Edible Products, 



512 



[December, 1910. 



ing are called for, and comparatively 

 few complaints of a serious nature have 

 been brought to the notice of managing 

 agents in Calcutta. There have, how- 

 ever, at times been difficulties with the 

 ocean steamer companies who seem late- 

 ly to have adopted most stringent regu- 

 lations with regard to sale teas which 

 have not been gunny-packed before ship- 

 ment. The Venesta, Imperial and other 

 patent veneer packages still enjoy 

 premier attention from Russian buyers 

 who will usually pay more for teas so 

 packed, and they seem inclined to give 

 the preference to parcels weighing from 

 100 to 115 lbs. net or even more ; this re- 

 fers more particularly to teas of medium 

 class, and in the case of Darjeeling 

 growths chests of 100 to 110 lbs. or half- 

 chests of about 50 lbs. appear to be 

 almost equally appreciated, 



Dusts seem to find more favour when 

 packed in strong ordinary wooden pack- 

 ages with corner-pieces netting not more 

 than 90 to 100 lbs. a chest. 



The introduction of the rule making 

 it compulsory that all parcels under 

 1,200 lbs. shall be sold as " small breaks " 

 after the full-sized lots have been dis- 

 posed of, has now had a fair trial, but 

 has not perhaps received the notice it 

 might have from tbe gardens, for the 

 number of parcels representing only a 

 few hundred pounds each which are 

 advertised weekly in the Brokers' cata- 

 logues seem if anything to be on the 

 increase. Although this matter is per- 

 haps not so important where Darjeeling 

 teas are in question, and more particu- 

 larly fine invoices from the second flush 

 and autumn pluckings, other districts 

 will usually score by marketing their 

 produce in breaks of useful shipping 

 size, and in this respect single lines of 30 

 to 50 packages will generally be appre- 

 ciated. 



The Port Commissioners' 

 Wharehouse. 

 It is only fair to give the devil his due, 

 and the working of the Kidderpore Tea 

 Warehouse, which has too often perhaps 

 been the subject of adverse criticism, 

 must be briefly summarised. Difficul- 

 ties have of course arisen, and many 

 obstacles have had to be negotiated 

 during the past season, and although 

 congestion has at times temporarily 

 retarded operations in ragard to the re- 

 packing and shipping of Calcutta sale 

 teas, great credit is nevertheless reflected 

 on the warehouse authorities ; their 

 efforts throughout have contributed 

 largely to the smooth and successful 

 working of the Trade, and they have 

 always been ready to listen to any 



suggestion which might further facili- 

 tate business between the Calcutta 

 market and the various tea-consuming 

 centres which are fed through the local 

 auctions. 



Labour Recruiting— to Assist the 

 Planter. 



Advices from the district would seem 

 to indicate that most off the gardens 

 are now comparatively well off in res- 

 pect of labour, and although perhaps 

 recruiting operations for the coming 

 season are not being attended with 

 so much success as was the case a 

 year ago, the present situaciou neverthe- 

 less places most estates in such a position 

 that no immediate anxiety need be 

 entertained regarding an adequate 

 labour force. The recruiting question 

 has largely engaged the attention of 

 Government during the past eighteen 

 months, and improved regulations and 

 modifications in existing rules have been 

 effected in order to benefit the industry. 

 The transport of labour from the recruit- 

 ing depots to the various estates has 

 also, through the efforts of the Indian 

 Tea Association, received more consider- 

 ation from the Railway and inland 

 Steamer Companies, and the accommo- 

 dation now provided, together with im- 

 provements effected in the matter of 

 feeding, etc., en route, have combined in 

 removing in a great measure one of thp 

 most serious obstacles which have of 

 recent years beset the industry. 



The Indian Tea Cess Committee. 



The work conducted by the Tea Cess 

 Committee in the past season has bene- 

 fited the industry in no small measure, 

 and the advertising campaigns prose- 

 cuted with untiring energy by the 

 Committee's agents in the Ucited King- 

 dom, America, Germany, and elsewhere 

 have probably done much towards 

 popularizing Indian Tea. The bonus 

 which had formerly been granted out of 

 the Cess funds on a certain quantity of 

 green tea was, during the period in 

 question, discontinued, but devoted in- 

 stead to an experiment almost entirely 

 new to India, namely, the manufacture 

 of " brick " tea. The Committee's offer, 

 unfortunately, has not been availed of, 

 and it has been said that the difficulty 

 in obtaining machinery and appliances 

 necessary in the manufacture of this 

 commodity has in a large measure stood 

 in the way of advancement. It is more 

 probable, however, that the insignificant 

 grant of 3 pies per lb. has not been suffi- 

 cient inducement to planters who have 

 shown no inclination to interest them- 

 selves in a somewhat costly experiment, 



