THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST [June i. 1888 
a few smaller branches gave about 4 cooly-loads 
of firewood. 
This tree ia at an elevation of 3,500 feet in old 
coffee, and exposed to the monsoon at a lower 
elevation, growth would be greater. 
LONDON V. LOCAL TEA SALES. 
Dear Sib, — I am glad "Tea Buyer " has publicly 
discussed my objections to patronizing the local 
market, as only good can result one way or the 
other. If we have prejudices, let them be removed ; 
if the brokers and buyers have faults, let them 
be amended. 
To my first objection " Tea Buyer " replies : — 
"Planter must have little confidence in his own 
brokers and their valuations of his teas, if he 
supposes the latter would be allowed to sell below 
value. " Upon this I have to remark that what we 
want is a market in which competition is always 
keen enough to offer the full value of the tea 
in the sales-rooms quite independent of any broker's 
valuations. Brokers are neither better nor worse 
than any other hungry class of middlemen. Their 
livelihood depends upon their business, and so long 
as they can get more business by depreeiating the 
value of produce as the most likely means to 
ensure a sale and to secure a commission — they 
will do so, as most conducive to their interest, 
however it may go with the planters. * 
To my second objection he replies: — " The general 
opinion in Colombo is that there are too many 
buyers." This will be news to most of us. 
From our point of view, upcountry, there caDnot 
possibly be "too many ;" but I can quite understand 
any individual tea buyer taking that view, even if 
there were only two. 
In his next reply he has quite misapprehended 
my meaning, and lost my point, a most telling 
one. "He says : — "No after-sales are at loweb rates 
than offered in the room." I should think not : 
that would, indeed, be absurd ! My objection is 
that, in consequence of there being too few buyers, 
or that buyers accommodate each other, so that 
fair bidding does not take place in the room, witness 
the everlasting after-bargains made on the lots 
withdrawn, the local market is to be distrusted ! 
Is it not a faot that nearly all the lots withdrawn 
(for want of fair bidding ? ) are sold after the sale 
at higher rates than were bid in the room? So keen, 
indeed, is the competition of these " too many 
buyers" that they all are in the habit of letting 
parcels he "bought in" under their value ; so that 
one of their number may buy the lots 
after the sale at the planter's own higher 
reserve, taking their chance in the room 
of there being no reserve. Next, "Tea Buyer" 
informs us that "small lots have a far better chance 
here than in Mincing Lane." We are glad to know 
this, though it must surely be a new state of 
things in the local sales, for not long ago we were 
assured, in the brokers' monthly reports and in 
the columns of the local papers, that too many 
small lots were sent, and that they were placed 
at the same disadvantage here as in London. This 
is a distinct improvement in the local market, 
and the planters should not fail to make a note 
of. Big lots, of course, give the " brokers " no more 
trsuble, and take up no more of their time than 
small lots, while giving them much more profit. 
Was it not business-like on their part, to discourage 
* Oh ! oh ! " Planter " forgets that apart from the 
special care taken with tea valuations (for reputa- 
tion's sake if for no other) there is a constant and 
speedy check in that infallible test, Mincing Lane. 
Planters as well as brokers eagerly watch what Cey- 
lon teas fetch there and contrast results with local 
valuations and prices at local sales.— Ed. 
small lots as much as possible ? But your broker 
as well as your buyer is a very honorable man, 
and so are they all honorable men. The incessant 
application of the whip for big lots not having 
had the desired effect, we are not told that small 
lots and lots of 'em will do. Lastly, after all 
the care taken by every planter to solder down 
his tea hot from the fire, it is not nice to con- 
template 75 per cent of the cases being ruthlessly 
opened again in Colombo, where we know tea will 
not keep good a day exposed to the south-west 
monsoon. We have " Tea Buyer " 's assurance 
that the operation is too rapid to injure the 
tea, but as practical men we know accidents will 
happen, and good theory does not always 
mean good practice, though we are thankful for 
good intentions. The fact remains that if a chest 
of tea is left open, and its contents exposed to the 
south-west monsoon in Colombo a whole day 
before being shipped, the tea must suffer in con- 
dition very seriously. 
Your correspondent "Tea Buyer" is, I believe, the 
largest local buyer, and, in discussing this matter 
in your columns, has added to the many other 
obligations he has placed so many of us planters 
under for valuable information and hints always 
so freely and kindly given whenever asked. 
PLA NTEB. 
MR. PINEO'S SCHEME FOR PUSHING 
"CEYLON TEAS" IN AMERICA. 
" The Hermitage," Kandy, 17th May 1888. 
Sir, — Mr. Rutherford, I think, is under a wrong 
impression in supposing that Mr. Pineo's " scheme" 
for placing Ceylon tea before our American cousins 
needs money from the Planters' Association 
Tea Fund. 
Mr. Pineo has come to the Ceylon planters 
with a very business-like proposal, from powerful 
friends in America, to push the sale of Ceylon tea, 
and we know how splendidly they can do these 
things in that go-ahead country. It would 
appear to me very shortsighted policy should 
Ceylon planters not now respond freely to such a 
chance of spreading our tea in front of the United 
States andr its sixty million inhabitants. I main- 
tain we can give to Mr. Pineo's fund not 6,000 lb., 
but twice that quantity without in the least en- 
croaching upon the preserves of the Planters' 
Association Tea Fund Scheme Mr. Rutherford so 
ably started. 
I am sorry Mr. Rutherford goes so far as to say 
he does not think it fair to give an extra donation 
to Mr. Pineo's scheme. Surely we have 300 tea 
gardens in Ceylon that might give away a 20 lb. 
packet, and smile at such a flea-bite ! when they 
consider the enormous benefit gained, should we 
get the Americans to take our Ceylon tea. 
I threw out the suggestion of circulating lists 
amongst the District Associations, not in any 
way intending it to clash sith the existing 
Tea Fund scheme, but with a view of expedit- 
ing matters, as I believ6 it is of importance 
that Mr. Pineo's friends in America be assured 
as soon as possible that his scheme will be 
backed up and. carried through by the Planters' 
Association of Ceylon. If the Association will 
consent to receive contributions to Mr. Pineo's fund, 
the sooner it is publicly made known, the better, 
and I feel confident that 6,000 lb. of tea will very 
speedily be at their disposal. 
Although Mr. Pineo has taken up other work 
here, I feel certain that it will in no wise interfere 
with the object of his visit, which is to spread 
Ceylon tea over America through powerful agencies, 
and in so doing to pile up dollars for himself 
his friends, and the Ceylon planters. — I am, sir, 
&c, SHELTON AGAR, 
