November i, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
No effect is being spared in Ceylon to insure a con- 
tinuance of popularity by keeping up the quality, and 
the public should, in its own interests, encourage, with 
tie patronage, those firms whose Ceylon Tea is Ceylon 
Tea, and many of whom supply it much more nearly 
direct from the gardens than Mr.G, M. Roberts would 
lead you suppose. In conclusion, I would point out 
that Ceylon is British-grown Tea, and should, on that 
account (given equal value), be preferred to China. 
September 14. Okvlon. 
Si'', — Notwithstanding the opinion which is ex- 
piessed i.y •■,). li. 10. -.).," in the; lettor contained 
in your issue of to-ilay, I am afraid that those who 
procded under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1887, 
against the vendors of "cheap'' Tea, wil meet with 
disappointment. No doubt, in the case of fraudulent 
"garden marks'' allixed to packages of Ceylon or 
Indian Tea, by the Act there is alforded, in addi- 
tion to the procedure hy which planters and importers 
can protect themselves, an oxcelleut method of 
dealing with dishonest traders. 
I!u', in the case of China Teas, an oxpert alone 
is able to distinguish a first from a second crop, or 
between many of the infinite number of varieties. 
And in every case the packages are marked under the 
direction of experts in China. So that, even were a 
Prosecutor able to prove that such "markings" as 
"finest," "choicest," "first crop," &c., were trade 
descriptions within the meaning of the Act, so long 
as the Defendant had confined himself to the general- 
ly sufficiently attractive description inscribed on the 
packages, he would havo little difficulty iu proving 
that he "had no reason to suspect the genuineness 
of the trade description," or hail "otherwise acted in- 
nocently;" iu either of which cases he could not be 
convicted. 
Since, also, the Prosecutor must show the trade 
description to be "false in a material respect," he 
would be under considerable difficulty in obtaining a 
conviction in the case of Tea sold at a shilling, 
and described as " Kaisow " or " Mouiug. " Whether 
a buyer of Tea at one shilling aud fourpeuce per 
pound, duty paid — which, though so described, proves 
not to bo tho "finest first crop Mouing" — is fairly 
entitled to consider himself swindled is, I veuturo to 
• gest, doubtful. MALOO. 
The Temple, September 17. 
Sir,— Tho letter of your Correspondent " B. M. " 
requires a reply from me, as ho evidently did not 
read my letter as carefully as he should have done. 
He says that he cannot allow my remarks to go 
unanswered " as to the branding of Teas iu packets 
being a guarantee of their quality. " In advising 
tho public t<> buy their Tea iu packets, 1 gave these 
wprdjs, "Packed by respectable firm-, bearing a 
trade mark, with a guarantee of qua ity. " "With 
regard to Ceylon Tea in packets, deception has 
undoubtedly been practiced by some linns who cannot 
bo called respectable, and tho packets senl out by 
sueh linns contain no guarantee of quality, a!.,. ,i 
they bear misleading statements, which tend to deceive 
the public. But because thoro are certain unprincipled 
men who do a Lolo-and-corner business in this way, 
your Correspondent must not cast a slur on Houses 
who are doing a largo business in supplying grocers 
with packed Tea, which bear a guarantee of quality, 
an 1 are labelled in conformity with the Merchandise 
Marks Act. 
As to a certain House sending out packed Tea at 
one shilling and fourpence per pound, your Oorre- 
Bpoudcut asks what I havo to say to this? I 
MoODUnend the publio not to buy Tea in any slmpo 
or form at this prico. The closing words of my 
WttU were, •• Let tho public pay a lair pneo for their 
Ten, and lolcot a brau l which pleases their palate." 
The Tea be refers to tulfils neither of these conditions. 
Your Correspondent, " Anti-Mouopollst, " cannot bo 
an expert, when ho lUtd that Tea only rutain-, lis 
aroma when kept iu bulk. If ho were n buyer and 
holder of Tea he would kuow how soon oven tho 
best Teas, whether Indian, Ceylon, or China, lose 
their aroma, although kept in bulk; andthat their 
value at "prompt day," if unsold, is very different 
to their cost three months previously. 
On the other hand, I havo tasted Tea. which has 
been three and four months in h ad packets, or in 
paper packets lined with damp-proof paper, which 
was as fresh at the end of this time as the day it 
was packed. Taster and BlBNDBH. 
London, September 17. 
Sir,— I feel sure the Tea-drinking community will 
one and all thank you for allowing so much space 
iu the Standard to be taken up, and sueh free opi- 
nions expressed, with reference to the Tea we drink. 
I feel compelled to remind your readers that any 
customer who purchases packet Tea may, if he be- 
lieves he is defrauded in the article, take proceedings 
under the Merchandise Marks Act, which Cirue into 
operation on the 1st January last. 
Your Correspondent, in to-day's issue, makes a 
sweeping charge respecting Ceylon Tea iu packets, 
which he says the country is flooded with, bearing 
names of estates in most cases fictitious. I can only 
say that he, being a planter, and jealous of the re- 
putation of the trade, wou'd be doing a public good, 
if he at once took proceedings under the before- 
mentioned Act, to bring the guilty parties to justice, 
and put a stop to the fierce competition now raging, 
which induces many to sell various descriptions of 
Teas under false names; 
The article iu The Standard has already been the 
means of clearing the windows of many large London 
shops of their immense posters, announcing "First 
Crop Congou," "Finest Kaisow," &c, at oue shilling 
and fourpeuce. East Indian. 
Esher, Surrey, September 17. 
Sir, — The summing up by Oarlyle of the character 
of the British public as being " 33,000,000, mostly 
fools, " is again amply confirmed. 
It costs close upon, if not quite, 2d. per lb. to 
pack Tea in those so-called " original lead packets. " 
It stands to reason, tbis has to be paid for by tbo 
British public. This same British public may as well 
make up their minds to what (no matter what 
advertising packet Tea dealers may say) is an absolute 
fact. If they want to get the best value they can 
for their money, they must go to their grocer (who, 
I take it for granted, is a good one — at any rate 
most people have the choice between good and bad ) 
and buv from him his ordinary Tea at 2». or 2s. 6d. 
Below 2s. Tea cannot be good, and, certainly, there 
is not the least necessity to pay more than 2s. 5d 
Although interested in the packet trade, in honesty 
I must admit the British public havo to pay through 
the nose for it. 
It has let into tho Tea trade, too, a lot of inexpe- 
rienced noodles, who are incompetent to blen 1 aud 
pack their own Teas, and who bofore supplying 
tle ir customers (who, by tho byo, they make believe 
Unit tho Tea is their own blending, &c), pay yet 
another profit themselves to tho firms thoy employ 
to hlend aud pack for them. A. J. G. C. 
September 18. 
Sir, — 1 hope you will allow mo. to confute the 
statement of your Correspondent, "A. J. G. C," 
that " Below 2s. Tea cannot bo good." 
I do not think ho cau have much knowledge of 
the Miuciug-lanc market, or he would know that 
really good China Tea cau he bought nt tho public 
auctions at 8 Ail. to !)Jd. per lb., and very fair Ceylon 
and Darjceling from PJd. to Is.; a duty of (iJ. per 
lb. brings these prices to Is. Sid, and Is. 34di in 
the case of China Teas, and Is. Bid. to I.-. Sd. iu 
that of Coy Ions and Indians. Add ltd. per II. profit 
to the retailor, which ought, iu a large turnover, to 
bo amply sufficient margin of profit for such trans- 
actions, and you buve tho price of really good 
serviceable Tea from Is. £>Jd., or, say la. OM. to 
Is. Od. per lb. AWUUJl H&WXHT, 
Loudou, September l'J. 
