May i, 1888.J THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
757 
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Indian 18H7 Chop. — The Indian season opened in 
.Time witli small quantities, chiefly o£ unattractive 
quality, whilst most of that effored in July was 
b (low the average ; the few iinest lots from Dar- 
jojling, Terai, and Dooars realizing extravagantly high 
figures. With few exceptions, however, thero has 
not been so much fluctuation in prices as m for- 
mer years, and as there was no budget scare to 
displace figures, a fairly steady trade has been 
carried on throughout. One notable feature has 
boon that, owing to more rapid despatch, teas came 
to hand quicker, and the heaviest sales were held in 
September, whoreas they used generally to occur in 
November. The quality was on the whole good, 
though there was a preponderance of well mado 
tea, especially I'ekoes with liylit cup and consequently 
diuk liquoring teas have been much wanted and sold 
well. Although the \ ield has been larger and the crop 
better, there has been a smaller proportion of com- 
mon to fair broken teas, which is an ad- 
vantage, as this class is lc3s used than formerly, 
and is not saleable if in full supply, except at very low 
ratos. On the whole, though in some instances the 
avorago price has been less, results have probably been 
better to many garden owners, as with increased 
facilities for manufacture and despatch, lower freights 
and reduced warehouse charges, the tea has been laid 
down in London cheaper, and in some cases as low 
as 7|d per lb. 
Oiovri.oN.— Ceylon teas have been in favour throughout 
the season, except wl en the quality fell off temporarily, 
and have sold well. The demand for these, 01 iginally 
fostered to a large extent by those interested in their 
production, has become thoroughly established, and 
owing to the contiuued energy displayed in keeping 
them well beforo the public, they now hold a prominent 
position, as they have special merit of their own and 
a taking flavour which induces those who have 
oner acquired the taste, to continue to use 
them, ft is evident that more care is usually 
taken in plucking, as well as in manufacture, 
than formerly, as the leaves are on the 
whole more even in appearance with a very small 
proportion of broken tea, and freer from stalks and 
pieces of stick than Indian. Mmy dealers will not 
buy stalky tea, unless at reduced rates, because gro- 
cers do not like the expeuso aud trouble of picking 
it over, and if loft in, thoir customers complain that 
it is adulterated. 
Au aualysis has recently been made by Dr. Paul 
to dotermiue the proportion of Theiue in tea grown 
at different elevations in Ceylon. The result attained 
is interesting, as it tends to show that altitude has 
au effect on the growth and properties of tea, the 
produce of high elevations containing less Theine 
aud Tannin than that of lower ; aud consequently, 
though both may be equally valuable, the one will 
bo most appreciated by connoisseurs who prefer 
flavour, and tho other will commend itself to those 
who desire strength, aud will be useful for bleudiug 
purposes. 
Java. — The quantity of Java tea shipped to this coun- 
try has been less than usual, but the way in which 
all good aud useful parcels have boon taken up, shows 
how they aro gradually gaining favour with tho differ- 
ent buyers, and not beiug dependent 011 0110 market can 
take advantage of both home and export demand, 
Nkw Maukkis — There is a growing feeling amongst 
those interested in tea gardens, that with larger sup- 
plier it will be necessary to open up new outlets for 
their produco in the shupe of fro-h markets, aud to 
facilitate this, a meeting was recently held in Loudon, 
at the otle-en ol the Indian Tea District Association, 
with tho object of selling Indian feu in Canada and the 
United States. Something of this sort would no 
doubt bo of use, for, although homu consumption in- 
creases, and export to the Continent slowly augments 
still some further impetus will bo required to carry off 
the yield of the lurgu tract* in Ceylou uow coining 
into bearing, as well a* of extensions in India. I'p to 
the present, the drinking of tea as an ordinary be- 
verage bus been, to a great extent, confined to 
(•rout liiituiu aud her Australasian Colouies, 
tho overuse auuuilcouauinptiou per head fur thy former 
— .' — ' : — : — : : rrr— ■ 1 — — * » • 
being about 4j lb, while in the latter it varies from 
about 5j to Is lb. whon, therefore, we see that Canada 
takes, rather more than UK lb. per head, the United 
States barely 1.J lb. and Russia a litllo over j Id per head, 
while the other continental natious use only a very small 
quantity, it is evident that if thuso latter could be per- 
suaded to take to tea drinking on the same scale as tho 
British public, an enormous development would follow. 
Prospects. — Although the news from India re- 
cently received points to a rather late open- 
ing of tho season, and advices from Ceylon 
state that very dry weather had been expe- 
rienced , which woull temporarily curtail the outturn, 
still there should be full supplies in this market by 
August, and it is to be hopod that managers will en- 
deavour to send good quality, as fine teas will theu 
be much wanted. Calcutta aud Colombo buyers will 
no doubt be alive to this, but should not attach, as 
they have done this season, to much importance to 
the possible curtailment of shipments from China, 
as so much leas Congou will be required for home use. 
Size of Breaks. — During this season thero have 
been many complaints from buyers, of duplicate 
breaks of the same grade of tea in a factory- 
bulked invoice, and they have ref us id to buy them 
unless bulked together here. Two and even three 
invoices from one garden have also been shipped 
in the same vessel, and as this happened fre- 
quently (although also factory-bulked) they had 
to be rebulked here. The recurrence of this should 
be avoided, as with the very large number of 
samples to taste each day, every tndeavour must 
be made to minimise the labour and economise 
the time of buyers who often, even now, are unable 
to give proper attention to the whole of the large daily 
sales. Soraespeoially full-sized breaks, sent lately, consist- 
ing of '200 chests each, have been much appreciated, aud 
sold well. A reduction in the number might often he 
effected if managers, for instauce, instead of sending 
say 40 chests of Pekoe Souchong, wnieh sell at 7jd 
per lb. aud 40 chests of Souchong at 1 per lb., would 
make a break of 80 chests, so that one sample would 
suffice. 
Bulking. — Speaking generally, tho work of bulking 
(especially in Ceylon) has been better done tbau for- 
merly. In some cases, however, the tea, although well 
blended, has had to be re-bulked here owing to the 
irregularity in appearance caused by crushing the leaf 
into the chest so as to alter its colour, or by tho end of 
the pile, which is usually dusty, beiug placed on the 
tops of somo of the packages. Some Ceylon teas, 
lately to hand, packed by David Iviirweather's packer, 
were very regular in appearance, the leaf being much 
less crushed thau by the old method of treading in the 
tea, and somethiug of this kind would be available 
adjunct to the machinery of an estat?. Iu these 
days of oompp'itinn a ,- .d rutti'ig down of the London 
warehouse charge j, ino toudency is to bestow loss 
time and care on the work than it should receive, 
which renders it the more desirable that the tea should 
arrive here in a merchantable condition, so that no 
time nocd bo lost in bringing it forward for sale on 
arrival. Some parcels, especially from Assam, though 
carefully blended, have had a peculiar fusty, almost 
approaching to mouldy m 11. more noticiablo on 
some packages than others. This has probably arisen 
from tho Tea being passed too quickly through the 
drier at a very high temperature, so that tuw out- 
side of the leaf is crisp, but the middle is not thoroughly 
desiccated. The moisture thus left behind causes 
a roaction to set iu after tho toa is packed] 
and the musty flavour is thus acquired. On the other 
hand, many parcels, notably leaf kinds, doubtless 
owing to over-firing at a very high temperature, ap- 
peared to have had all the sap and flavour dried out 
and on iufusiou drew pale pointless lia ior>. I u 
defects might bo obviated by slower and more effici- 
ent drying at a lower temperature, especially iu thu 
case of l'ekoes and .Souchongs. 
Somo plauters storo their tea, when manufactured, 
temporarily in lead-lined cheats until they have suflici- 
cut of each sort to bulk into a break, aud they li t 1 
it kovps Irosbor thau iu bius which they h*>y dj|« 
