July t, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
41 
INDIAN, CEYLON AND CHINA TEAS : 
PBACTICAL SUGGESTIONS. 
A gentleman engag3d iu the wholesale tea trade at 
home has sent us some interesting notes suggested by 
an article that recently appeared in our columns on 
the subject of Indian tea. He points out the dis- 
tinctive properties of Ohina, Indian and Ceylon teas, 
and gives his opinion, as an expert in tea-tasting, 
that under favourable conditions for infusion no tea 
has yet been grown out of China that equals iu 
elegance of flavour and refreshing properties the really 
good Ohineso article. He adds, however, that the 
water in which China tea is infused must be soft and 
pure. In hard or limy or irony water its properties 
are not drawn out, find the liquor is pale and tasteless. 
This throws an important light on the somewhat re- 
markable circumstance drawn attention to in our 
leader that English tea dealers recognize and cater for 
local tastes, one class of tea finding a ready sale in 
one district that would fail to meet with favour in 
another. Our correspondent points out that this is 
not merely due to special tastes acquired by habit, but 
is more to be accounted for by the different waters 
in which the tea is infused, which vary in every 
locality and have an important effect on the in- 
fusion, the precise chemical nature of which is not 
yet understood but which is quite apparent to 
the senses of the tea taster. Hence in localities 
where the water is hard or impregnated with lime 
or iron, under which circumstances China tea 
becomes insipid, Indian tea has a distinct advantage, 
giving by its superior strength and barky, grippy taste 
a full and rich liquor which, however, has to be modi- 
fied with cream and sugar before it becomes agreeable 
to the palate. This beverage, iu our correspondent's 
opinion, is never so finely flavoured or so refreshing 
as fine China tea under favourable infusion. But as 
the supremely favourable conditions under which 
China tea is to be had in perfection are comparatively 
rare, there is a large field in England peculiarly favour- 
able as a new market for Indian tea. The tea, how- 
ever, must be supplied of the best possible qualifies. 
The great desideratum to be aimed at is to combine as 
far as possible the strength of the Indian tea, with 
the fragrance of the China leaf. In our former leader 
we quoted a statement made by Captain Temple that a 
nati"* tea grower in the Kangra district has made 
his estate pay large profits by supplying a quality of 
tea for which the natives of the Punjab have shown a 
liking This preference, our correspondent says, is 
solely'due to the fact that in the Darjeeling and Kangra 
dist ric ts the tea plant most closely resembles the China 
variety, being a hybrid, not the native indigenous 
ludiau plant of Assam. So, in England, the increased 
cousumpiiou of Indian tea has been largely brought 
about by the extended cultivation of the more de- 
licately flavoured kinds, and especially those which 
combine depth of liquor and flavour. It is a matter 
of great nicety in the manufacture to secure this com- 
bination, as flavour alone and sharp liquor means 
under-fermentation, and great depth of liquor means 
ovi 1 fermentation with want of flavour or deadness 
of taste. The exact point betweon the two requires 
to be taken, and will vary according to the con- 
dition of tho leaves and local circumstances, which 
only an experienced and observant manager will bo 
able by closo assiduity and intelligence to cope with. 
Our correspondent says that much of the Indian 
tea that reached tho English market during the past 
sciison was beautifully made, better than ever before, 
but withal of lowor quality of liquor than in any 
previous year. This may have been partly duo to 
unfavourable climatic conditions, but our correspond- 
ent gives it as his opinion that another factor has 
to bo taken into account, uamoly that as the 
gardens grow older the tendency is for the tea to 
deteriorate, beoomiug less fresh Savoury and with 
less point and character. Thus, the bulk of the Indian 
tea sold last year in England was of dry, woody me- 
dium and low qualities, and, iu our correspondent's 
opinion, i', baa deservedly low prices. Its cheapness, 
however, led to a greatly increased consumption, » s 
the retail price was two shillings and under, a figure 
at which the home consumption of tea now largely 
runs. But it is at the same time important to note 
that parcels with any pretensions to point (fresh 
flavour) or distinctive qualities fetched relatively very 
high prices, in many instances bringing 2s to 2s 4d 
per lb. wholesale on the London market though only 
just a little better than the kinds fetching b'd or 3d 
per lb. Last year, writes our correspondent, the Indian 
growers seem to have gone in for quantity more than 
for quality. The above figures show that the re- 
verse policy will be far and away the better paying. 
The increased consumption last year was more marked 
in the case of Oeylon tea than of Indian tea, the extra 
, 4£ millions of the former that reached the Loudon 
market being very quickly taken off in preference to 
the Indian growths. This is accounted for by our cor- 
respondent simply on the ground that Ceylon tea com- 
bines the thickness of Indian with a sweet flavour 
almost approaching to Ohiua tea. The Ceylon teas, 
when true in character, give a soft, luscious, sweet 
liquoring, suitable for drinking alone. When burnt, or 
peculiar in flavour, it is against their use for mixing. 
" As long," adds our correspondent, " as Ceylon can 
produce as thick fresh teas as the new gardens do now, 
they will be popular. What effect time will have on 
the gardens remaius to be seen." 
One great and undoubted advantage, our authority 
points out, that the Indian tea trade has over China 
is the fact that growers here are in close and intelli- 
gent touch with the consumers at home, and are quick 
to ascertain exactly what is wanted. In Ohina the actual 
growers of the tea are in absolute ignorance of its 
fate, and they go on year after year turning out the 
article in a haphazard and unintelligent way. They 
go in for cheapness instead of quality, and now 
grow comparatively little of the superior article they 
sent over twenty years ago, and which fetched from 
2s to 3s per lb. on the London market. Hence the 
China tea of today is for the moat part thin and 
watery, and if flavoury at the beginning of the season 
loses its freshness month by month, and is therefore 
considered by the trade in England dangerous to hold 
in large quantities. If the Chinese were thoroughly 
abreast of the times they would at once procure Indian 
seed and hybridise. Our correspondent points out the 
danger that Indian tea will come to this state also if 
the tendency continues of growing for quantity rather 
than for quality. He concludes by giving the Indian 
planter a brush up : "A peculiarity of Indian plant- 
ers," he writes, " is that each thinks the produce of his 
own garden the best, and that he should get the 
highest price going. If he does not obtain this, 
he considers himself robbed by the dealers here. It 
is a mistake. Tea from all parts of the world is in 
oue focus in the London market, and its true value 
is compared and ascertained to a nicety according 
to its deserts by keen and intelligent competition." 
To sum up, the more important points brought out 
by this interesting communication are (1) that Indiau 
tea has an advantage in competing with China tea 
in localities where the water is hard or impregnated 
with lime or iron ; (2) that it has a further advant- 
age from the fact that the Indian tea grower is 
more in touch with the home market than his 
Chinese rival ; (3) that the continued advancement 
in the consumption of Indian tea will depend maiuly 
on good kinds being placed ou tho market; and (I J 
that, as a really fine tea possessed of distinctive pto- 
[ perties commands a price from three to fi ur times 
! greater than that given for the ordiuary article, it 
will pay the Indian grower to go in for quality rather 
! thau for quantity. — Times, of India, June 3rd. 
CEYLON TEA IX AMEPICA. 
Open Secrets About the People We Sleet and What 
They Arc Doing. 
For twenty years prior to yesterday I had not last* d 
I tea. At the beginning of that period I had suddenly 
tired of the adulterated stuff that so many pi v ■ 
find pleasure in sipping, and I never expeoted to touob 
it again. I was yesterday induced to forego this 
