and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society. 



285 



Calcutta and Colombo taken together have 

 not, any more than London, gained during the 

 year in their tracing with the rest of tho world, 

 as compared with 1907. Statistics are as yet in- 

 complete, but it appears as if Russia would take 

 about 2 million pounds loss ; Australasia is 

 taking about 4 million pounds less ; Canada 

 and the United States of America together cake 

 an increase of 2'i million pounds, while there 

 is a general increase in places not spocially 

 named of about million pounds. 



Ships' Stores. 

 The quantity of Tea absorbed for the use of 

 passengers and ships' crews has increased in 

 proportion to the large development of tonnage 

 afloat in merchant and Government vessels, 

 but it is unfortunate that so little attempt is 

 yet made to supply tea better in quality and in 

 methods of infusion for the useof those who "go 

 down to the sea in ships." 



Pckixy of Tea, 



There was a considerable increase in the 

 number of tea samples analysed by authority 

 of the Commissioners of Customs during the 

 last completed Customs' year, which doubtless 

 arose from the free importation of China tea of 

 at least questionable purity. Only 33 packages 

 were condemned as unfit for food, while '2,070 

 were refused admission for Home Consumption. 

 The percentage is very small relative to the 

 wholo importation and probably a large portion 

 of the rejected teas consisted of packages 

 damaged in transit. 



The general character of all tea arriving from 

 abroad does not tend to improve, and it would 

 appear that the same amount of care as for- 

 merly is not exercised in the preparation. The 

 only growth showing a general improvement 

 is that of Java. The prevalence of "stalks'' 

 in Indian and Ceylon teas has caused much 

 complaint from country and foreign buyers, and 

 Java teas being, so far, much freer from anything 

 of the kind, have frequently received a pre- 

 ference in consequence. 



The Tea Duty. 

 Fortunately for the trade, there was about 

 a minimum of disturbance of regular trading 

 conditions arising from anticipation of Budget 

 possibilities, and it is to be hoped that 1909 

 will be allowed to pass in an equally placid 

 way. Unfortunately, attempts are being made 

 by professional scaremongers to work up an 

 agitation about a possible increase of outy, but 

 they are unlikely to attract serious attention. 



Prospects. 



The New Year started with a stock on hand in 

 all the bonded warehouses of the United King- 

 dom of l'.>8,393,000 lb., against 1-24, 712, 000 lb. at 

 the end of 1907. The difference may be taken as 

 roughly representing the dead-weight of almost 

 unsaleable China sorts now lying in London. Of 

 the stock, however, probably somewhere about 

 5,000,000 lb. moro than at the same time last 

 year are held by the buyers and not by the im- 



Eorters. Tho moderate prices ruling in November 

 3d to free buying for forward requirements, 

 and it is known that some prominent concerns 

 cau now stay out of the market for months. 



They are unlikely to pay the recently made ad- 

 vance on lower grade teas until their cheaper 

 stocks are exhausted. Much of the buying in 

 December was not for immodiate requirements 

 but merely to guard against the risk of another 

 serious advance in tea for price. A rise actually 

 resulted, but, as it did not come from an actual 

 demand for immediate consumption, it wiil bo 

 difficult to maintain. Should the sellers of tea 

 attempt to regulate the weekly offerings, it will 

 be necessary to take into account the surplus 

 over the quantity at tho same time in last year, 

 which has passed into the stocks of dealers and 

 blenders. 



Although 1909 is starting at a more moderate 

 level of price and with better general financial 

 conditions, there are some factors in the future 

 that may be viewed with concern. China tea 

 can be dismissod as a negligible quantity ; Java 

 may show further development ; Ceylon looks 

 like being stationary or even retrograde in 

 yield, but India is still very far from having 

 reached a maximum possible, without making 

 any allowance for new areas coming into bearing. 

 Given generally favourable weather conditions, 

 with the full labour forces now on the majority 

 of estates everywhere, there is the possibility 

 of a large increase in production at any time. 

 With the home consumption practically stan- 

 ding still and the foreign trade taken all round 

 not progressives large yield would be disastrous. 

 There is hope that the lower prices may stimu- 

 late consumption and that possibly the foreign 

 trade of 19U9 may expand, because it would ap- 

 pear as if part of the large export business done 

 in 1907 vvas because of an over-estimation of 

 requirements, leading to a corresponding reduc- 

 tion in requirements during 190S. — McMeekin 

 & Co., 10 & 11, Limo Street, E.C., London, 

 19th January, 1909. 



JAPANESE CAMPHOR. 



Ln its JDooeuibor issue the "Toyo Yakuho" of 

 Yokohama refers to the Japanese camphor- 

 agency recently acquired by the Mitsui Com- 

 pany. Owing to the fact that Japanese camphor 

 had to face the powerful competition of the 

 cheaper Chinese and synthetic camphor, the 

 company, it states, resolved to obtain absolute 

 control of the business, and to place the staple 

 on the foreign market in the same way as ordi- 

 nary merchandise, without being subject to 

 Government control. Last August the European 

 market heavily declined, and the Formosan 

 monopoly authorities were filled with dismay. 

 The Mitsui Company, quick to seize the oppor- 

 tunity, lost no timo in persuading the authori- 

 ties that the present system of working the 

 monopoly was very inconvenient, as it impeded 

 the taking of prompt action to meet circumstan- 

 ces. By the present arrangement the Minister 

 of Finance agrees to relegate to the Formosan 

 Government the right to dictate the price of 

 camphor abroad, the Formosan Government in 

 turn being authorised to place the matter in the 

 hands of the London and New York agents of 

 the monopoly. These officials are thus enabled 

 to lower or raise the price according to their 

 own judgment, and they are now transacting 

 business ou these linos in London and New 

 York.— Chemist and Druggist, Jan, 



