August i , 1888. 
THF. TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
M3 
" ambrosial nectar " when com- 
villainous compound" they now 
age which is as 
pared with the 
indulge in. 
Again, let us go shoulder to shoulder as in the 
" Tea Fund," and give <-ur support to a scheme 
for a company which, if it benefits one, will benc- 
tit all. H. K. RUTHERFORD. 
THE PINEO-MAY AMERICAN TEA AGENCY. 
Haklummulla, 11th August 1888. 
Nik,— Now that the Dimbula Planters' Association 
has passed a resolution favorable to supporting Mr. 
May, there should be no hesitation on the part of 
the Central Planters' Association in at once mak- 
ing that gentleman its accredited agent in America. 
If, however, we are to wait until Mr. May sends 
certilicatcs of character, business standing, <&c. much 
valuable time will be lost and viry little gained. 
Por years the press of Ceylon has been demand- 
ing tho opening of new markets for Ceylon teal 
lias any real footing boon established outside of 
(treat Britain? Has anyone done anything except 
write to the local press? Does anyone here know 
really what is tho best course to pursue to open up 
a trade in Ceylon tea in the United States and 
Canada ? Has any real progress been made toward 
making Ceylon tea known to the American people? 
Does the planting interest realize that if the United 
Statej consumed as much tea per head of its popu- 
lation ns (ircat Biitain, :i00, 000,000 lb. of tea 
would be required to supply its wants ? Are my 
efforts to receive no recognition beyond covert sneers 
and faint damning praise? Is it conceivable that I 
would knowingly and willingly introduce to the notice 
of the Central Planters' Association any man whose 
character -both business and private — would not 
bear tho closest investigation ? What certificates 
regarding Mr. May's character will satisfy the 
planters of Ceylon ? If he cannot produce references 
to leading men iu Ceylon, will they be satisfied 
with any other ? 
Betore concluding negociations with Mr. May 
I exhausted every known and recognised channel 
to ascertain his business standing, probity, means 
etc. and in every respect my investigation satis- 
tied me that he had the character of being a 
shrewd, honorable, business man, and his private 
character was very highly spoken of. Mr. May 
has his own method of transacting business, and he 
will not swerve from it. Ho is an extensive 
advertiser, and his circulars and reviews go into 
every quarter of the world. What have I to gain 
by introducing any man who cannot be trusted ? 
What has the Planters' Association to lose by 
making Mr. May its accredited agent ? Simply 
nothing. The authority can, at any lime, bo with- 
drawn. Tho tea enterprise has, on the other hand, 
everything to gain, and with Mr. May at the 
helm of affairs in America it will gain a very 
great deal indeed. Mr. May's energy, push, 
uniipio methods and means will placo our teas 
beforo the American people in a way that will 
Utoniah and ploasc all who are interested in our 
great industry. 
In Mr. May's Monthly Review he states that 
" Our bankers are Messrs. Brown Brothers A Co., 
New ork, Messrs. Brown, Shipley & Co., London 
and Liverpool, and their various branches and 
correspondents in all the principal cities of the 
world. Mossrs. Brown Bros. & Co.'s connections 
uro the strongest financial institutions in the world." 
I'll' pmnission to use the names of thoso houses 
is one of the best possible proofs of Mr. May's 
atauding. It is poasiblo that nino-tontha of tho 
planters never heard of the old house of Messrs. 
Brown, Sfiipley & Co., and I take this opportunity 
of telling them that the house is known throughout 
Amorica, Europe, China and Japan as well, and, 
perhaps better, than thoso of houses whose names 
are more familiar to them. Many in Ceylon may 
possibly be unacquainted with the scope and au- 
thentically defined intelligence of the Dun's & 
Bradstreet's mercantile agencies. In these offices 
every business man in the United States is 
thoroughly known, his means, his character, his 
career, his dishonorable methods or transactions, 
all arc on record, and there is no escaping the 
vigilance of these agencies, and every particular 
of a man's business career is there. To both of 
these agencies I had access, and there Mr. May's 
character was recorded, and nothing whatever dis- 
honorable was said of it during all the years he 
had been in business in New York. In a 
letter dated July 5th, Mr. May writes that 
an important London tea-house offer him an 
agency for Ceylon tea, a very handsome discount, 
free samples and tea on lime ! He adds : — " You can 
readily see that unless you can induce the tea planters 
of Ceylon to make me their accredited agent and 
show some liberality aa to samples of tea that I 
will be working to a deoided disadvantage alongside 
of the agent that this London house will appoint 
here. At least planters gain everything by the 
money we risk and the work we do, as large quanti- 
ties of Ceylon tea would eventually find its way here 
through the London market after I had made its 
sale successful. Upon this they would receive all the 
benefit. We have decided to name the tea, should 
we take up its sale, the May Ceylon brand, and what 
we want is the accredited agency from the Planters' 
Association and the sole agency for this brand with 
as many booming letters as possible for advertising 
purposes." Here you see that a London house has 
evidently seen Mr. May's name mentioned in the 
Ceylon papers, and immediately writes asking him 
to take up the agency for their house. There i3 no 
time to be lost if the planters want to securo Mr. 
May's invaluable aid. 
The Dimbula Planters' Association, in the most 
spirited manner, comes forward and makes a decidedly 
favorable move, and it now only needs the Central 
Association to give its verdict one way or the other 
to have the matter finally disposed of.— Yours 
faithfully, R. E. PINEO. 
DISTRIBUTION OF CEYLON EXPORTS. 
(From 1st Oct. 
1887 to 9th 
AlKJ. 
1888.) 
C'chona 
Branch 
Oarda • 
Countries. 
Coffee & Trunk 
Tea. C'coa 
mom*. 
cwt. | lb. 
1 
lb. 
cwt. \ 
lb. 
To United Kingdom ... 
8SS70 952US1 
172070H) B120 
L4108I 
,, Marseille:! 
962 ... 
7757, 
686 
,, Genoa 
93 
1487 1 
32 
,, Venice 
2298' 5C8190 
„ Trieste 
(5121 ... 
"*083 
„ Odessa 
31 ... 
200 
„ Hamburg 
14« ... 
13143 
"l89< 
,, Antwrrp 
12' ol52l 
3882 
100 
Bremen 
»; ... 
10>'58 
„ Havre 
I960 8174 
"20 
„ Rotterdam 
5 ... 
4490 
,, Africa 
293 ... 
3188 
"435 
„ Mauritius 
51 ... 
9K12S 
,, India Se Eastward .. 
9213 8 
; in iw 
818 
184348 
,, Australia 
1 9601 
86167J 
307 
, , America 
513 07203 LWM 
1431 
Total Exports from (lot. 1. 
1887 to Aug. 8, 1888 
Do 1VWJ do 1887 
Do 1886 do 1888 
Po 1884 do 1885 
1 109.17 lii|.-.t.-,77 170 >1.W I j.-.i.: 
lii.;.nw iKj.'tt'Ol' l"IJi712 I" »i> 
St 12831 137>">3S6 6118M5 12>)<3 
.•i:::7 yo*5Wi J1>>1>; "U.' 
