THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [May t\ 1888 
packets bought under that mark many months ago 
by reliable correspondents — Ceylon planters and 
others — showed how trashy were some of the teas 
sold. Here is the report on some o£ them fur- 
nished in September 1886 :— 
"We have been favoured with the following report 
on one of the samples sent us by Mr. John R. 
Hood of tea bought by him at Brighton as Oeylon 
tea, and this we give here to shoiv how much need 
there is for establishments where pure Oeylon tea 
can be guaranteed : — 
To the Editor of the "Ceylon Observer," 
Colombo, 24th Sept. 1886. 
Dear Sir, — Having examined and tasted the follow- 
ing Tea, we now beg to hand you our Report and 
Valuations, as under, viz. : — 
MAZAWATTEE BLEND : SAMPLE, 
Mazawattee Blend: Description, Broken Pekoe 
Souchong ; London value 8d. Blackish, reddish, mixed, 
broken souchong and sittings very dusty, dull com- 
mon liquor wanting point and character. 
This tea has a peculiar China " rhonmg" flavor and 
contains, in our opinion, a very small percentage of 
Ceylon tea. — We are, dear sir, yours faithfully, 
pp. SOMERVILLE & Co., 
A. H. Thompson. 
It is right to say that the packets now before 
us are made up with extreme neatness, and that 
" blend " is clearly marked on the poorest. 
THE GREAT TEA COMPETITION. 
Not a moment too soon has the Pekin Govern- 
ment taken action for the improvement of Chinese 
tea. The policy of " masterly inactivity " which 
was previously adhered to by the mandarins in 
this matter was steadily destroying the industry. 
It appears from the annual circular of Messrs. 
G. White and Co. that during the last three years, 
China tea has lost ground at an accelerated speed. 
In 1885, the total deliveries into the United King- 
dom amounted to 123,842,000 lb ; the year follow- 
ing, the quantity diminished a little more than 
5,000,000 lb ; last year witnesses a further shrink- 
age of over 21,000,000 lb. Has the taste for tea 
drinking diminished in the British Isles ? By no 
means ; Great Britain still remains the greatest tea 
consuming country in the world, in proportion to 
population, with the exception of her Australasian 
colonies, which absorb about 1 J lb per head more 
than their English kinsfolk. Our consumption last 
year was, we learn, 3 J million pounds in excess 
of the previous year. How, then, was the deficiency 
of the Chinese supply made good ? By the aug- 
mentation of imports from India and Ceylon. In 
the course of three years these increased from 
68,896,000 lb to 93,054,000 lb, a prodigious growth 
to occur in so short a period. But now that the 
Chinese Government has awakened to the perils of 
the situation, we may expect a steady improve- 
ment in Celestial teas. There is no question what- 
ever that the Chinese can, if they like, produce an 
excellent article, quite capable of holding; its own 
against any competitor, and now that they see the 
unprofitableness of sacrificing quality to quantity, 
their shrewdness will soon influence them to re- 
verse the process. — London Globe. 
ANNUAL REPORT ON TEA. 
INDIA, CEYLON, AVA. 
(From Geo. White <& Co.'s Annual Indian, Ceylon, 
and Java Tea Report.) 
London, 31, Fenciiurch St., E.G., March 19th. 
Iu reviewing the course of the Indian tea market 
lor the past twelve months, we find that from March 
until tho arrival of tho new crop, there was a jpres- 
eedtouo for nllthc^ower grades, which, for the bettor 
descriptions prices improved, especially after Easter, 
and, up to Whitsuntide, showed a marked advance. 
Subsequently, however, business became dull and 
continued more or less so until August. Prices dur- 
ing the current season have not fluctuated so much 
as in former years, although they have varied 
from time to time according to the amount 
brought forward. The most noticeable features 
have been the large increare in the imports, that the 
demand has kept pace with them, and that there is 
every probability that by the end of June the deli- 
veries will more than absorb the extra supplies, which 
owing to the abrupt close of the season, will fall below 
the original estimates, telegrams from Calcutta, just 
received, giving shipments thence as 83 million pounds. 
Ceylons have followed very much the market for 
Indians during the greater part of the year, except the 
last three months of 1887, when all descriptions 
under Is 3d per lb., owing to limited arrivals, sold 
at enhanced rates, and were much above those ruling 
lor similar grades of Indian. With heavy sales after 
the turn of the year there was a gradual decline 
uutil the fine grades showed better value than In- 
dians, while the lower descriptions were more nearly 
assimilated. 
Javas have not been in over supply, partly in con- 
sequence of the shortness of the crop. Some very good 
teas have been received, and these have met with steady 
support from home and export buyers, but there has 
been a considerable quantity, thin and pointless in the 
cup, which have realised very poor averages, the uiiprece- 
dentedly low prices ruling for China Congous having 
affected values. Rather more business than usual has 
been done for London in Holland, some of tbe pur- 
chaseshaving given very satisfactory results to buyers. 
There is also a large and increasing demand in Java 
for Teas especially prepared for direct shipment to 
Constantinople and Persia. 
The London Bonded Stock on 30th June, 1887, was as 
fo'lows :— Indian, 18,803,0001b.; Oeylon, 2,737,0001b. 
Java, 1,154,000 lb against 16,426,000 lb. 1,919,000 
lb. 1,016,000 lb. respectively, at the same date in 1886. 
The average prices for this season have been — 
say, Ceylon Is Id., Indian about lid per lb ; China 8d 
per lb as compared with Is V £ & lid and 8jd per lb 
during 1886-7, and Is 3id Is ljd andlOid per lb for the 
previous year. 
The total home consumption of all tea for the year 
1887 was 180|j million lb., against 177 million lb. in 
1886, an increase of 3j million lb. ; whilst our export 
for the same period, chiefly on account of larger 
direct shipments from China to Russia, decreased 9 
million lb, being 35 million lb. against 44 million lb. 
in 1886. The falling-orf iu the home consumption of 
China tea was, however, no less than 13| million lb., 
but the increased deliveries of Indian and Oeylon 
have more than covered this deficiency, and made up 
the excess in the total home consumption. This 
proves that British-grown tea has gained in favour 
rapidly at the expense of Chinese, as the monthly de- 
liveries of the former have at times rather iu excess 
of Congou. 
It has been fortunate for the market generally, that 
total shipments for the season, as telegraphed from 
China, are about 28 million lb. less to Great Britain, 
otherwise there would have been an excess to deal with 
but with the probable increased yields from India 
and Ceylon, another shrinkage of 20 to 35 million 
lb. is necessary in the exports from China during 
the coming season. 
Supposing our Home Consumption to be lb. 
increased to... ... ... 185,000,000 
And Export Trade to be reduced to 30,000,000 
215,000,000 
The total requirements will be... 
India will probably send . . 92,000,000 
Oeylon and Java ... ... 33,000,000 
The balance required from China will be 90,000,900 
215,000,000 
From which it will be seen that only 60 million lb. 
of China Tea will be wanted for home consunipti 'od, 
