November j, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
323 
last wook are nearly all in "Brunswick" and "13. 
& S." bulk, partly scot, but mostly for Ootober- 
Docombcjr delivery, at la 5d, rising to Is 5Ad per 
oz., at wbieb latter figure there are still plenty of 
sellers today, tho German makers quoting Is Bd 
per oz. — Qhemist and Druggist, Sept. 15th. 
CEYLON TEA IN AUSTRALIA. 
The exports for the past four yours have been 
as follows : — 
lb. Percentage 
of crop. 
1881-85 '11,124 1-08 
1885-86 151,707 2-12 
1830-87 251.25U 2'09 
1SH7-88 '17'J,020 2 31 
showing that the Australian demand has increased 
elevenfold in four years, and the increase in 
the demand during that period has more than 
overtaken the increase in tho supply. The par- 
ticular;; of the Colombo tea sales published in 
ouv issue of 27th ultimo shew that the market 
from which the Australian supplies are mainly 
drawn, is not being supported in proportion, a 
circumstance to bo regretted. The ability of those 
members of the tea trade working in Colombo to 
supply markets other than that of London seems 
to us to be as important to the welfare of the 
planting interest, as is the support accorded to 
the "Ceylon Tea Fund." We aro all hoping 
that the present Melbourne Exhibition will, 
among other things, lead to an increased 
demand for Ceylon teas; but how then if 
there be a complaint of an insullieienoy 
of teas offered in the local market from which 
to choose for the Southern Colonies 1 Seeing that 
the chances are of quite as good a price being 
obtained from a local sale as from shipping to 
London —better indeed in the case of small breaks 
which aro often disregarded in Mincing Lane — we 
trust planters will support the local market more 
freely during the prcstut season. 
* 
THE TEA TRADE OE FOOOHOW. 
REPORTS TO* RESUSCITATE THE CHINA 
TEA TRADE. 
Wo published last week, from tho Foochow Daily 
I , A short 1 article on tho tea trade of that port at 
present, and Mince an agreement had been come to 
by tbe tea-men and tho Kung-Y'ih Tong Guild. We 
were not in possession of the text of the latter 
document at the time, but having now received it we 
print it today. It is a very explicit document and 
it will certainly bo carried out. In future years none 
of tho black tea plantations ate to manufacture or soli 
any tea after about tho beginning of September. The 
initial diro penalties, which tho Guild knows well how- 
to e&foree, are lulminated against all who shall in- 
fringe its decrees, and wo may reasonably expect th it 
tho new resolutions will bavo tho effect wbieb tbe ten. 
men and tbe Guild and foreign merchants desire — a 
diminution of tbe quantity of low priced common 
ti-ns. Thus wo scu that the Eooebow dialers, 
probably tho most sanguine body of men in 
the tea trade, tho must speculative in business 
and eager to do a large trade — b ii .; sometimes 
not over careful aw to tbe timts on which they did 
trade, to long as it was done, — have at length seen 
the wisdom of listening to tbe advice of foreigners. 
Tin i will ciiu.-e hitter disa|,|iiuiilim nt In the tea glowers, 
DQt their interests a tit I tboso of country middlemen 
and carriers and the Ul.in farmers alono will sulfcr. 
Tbe Ki. rlicnv inline t, mien have done » selisiblu 
thing but uot bolero it bad become inevitable, a fact 
wbieb wo hope will be brought to the notice of the 
Yauieii as the tr.ide at other ports is certain to bo 
obliged to follow their example sooner or later. Our 
1'oucbow contemporary dealt, however, wl t u the cliect 
which this measure of tho men would have on the 
leliin and on the export duly, the deficiency on both 
promising tj be very Urge and what is more to in- 
crease, unless a great deal be done to improve tbe 
make aud quality of teas of all kinds. We have 
already written so fully on what should bo done by 
tbe Chinese authorities that it would be useless to 
go over tbe same grouud again. But we heartily 
commend the position of the tea trade at Eoochow 
aud the action of the tea men there to the con- 
sideration of those who have the ineaDs of bringing tho 
state of the trade to the notice of the Tsuug-Ji Yameu. 
Wo kuow that the report of Mr. Consul Allen, which 
we reproduced a few weeks ago, has been translated tor 
the benefit of tho Yam fin and it would further enlighten 
that body if what has been done in Foochow were 
brought to its noticu. There is good reason to believe 
that a few years of improved cultivation and manufac- 
ture would restore (Jhina black teas to tho favour of tho 
British public, aud the green to tbe place they have so 
greatly lost in tho American market, bimultaueously 
with this, new and more liberal fiscal arrangements in 
the country must be made. The neglect of these things 
will iulalhbly lead to tho destruction of the trade, tor 
Iudia aud Ceylon are increasing their production and 
are leaving no stone uutiirued to attract the buyers of 
the world to their wares. The increase in tho export to 
Russia may possibly be regarded by tho Tsuug-li 
Yameii as showing that matters cannot be so bad as 
foieigners ropresent them. But the Yaracu should 
also note that lately ludian teas havo been well re- 
ceived in Kussia, wherein former years they could not 
find a market, and when Indian tea merchants get ad- 
mission to a market, they not only hold their own but 
increase their trade iu it, and this is nothing more than 
a fair reward for the care with which all who are en- 
gaged iu Indian aud Ceylon tea growing and prepara- 
tion endeavour to supply teas of a quality which the 
markets, which they already ship to, require, aud 
which aro likely to attempt others they are invading. A 
similar policy must be adopted by the tea growers in 
Ohiua, and us lime presses, it is to be hoped that thu 
Tsuug-li Yameu will he moved without delay to do 
somethiug efficient, — -Y.-C. Herald, Sept. 21st. 
♦ 
PLANTING IN NETHERLANDS INDIA. 
(Translated for the Straits Timers.) 
On behalf of the planting community in Java steps 
havo been taken to petition the Minister for tho 
Colonies against any further extension of the Govern- 
ment cinchona cultivation in that island. Tho Minister 
will bo urged to curtail official enterprise in that 
direction, until tbe plantations are brought to tbe 
footing of an experimental farm conducted on scieutihc 
principles. They were started at tho outset with 
that object in view. Their extension as now pursued, 
leads to a harmful competition with private enter- 
prise iu that lino of cultivation. The State more- 
over, by persisting in its present policy, rnus the risk 
of losing heavily on a steady continuance of low 
prices in the cinchona market. 
At Batavia, a factory has just been started to ex- 
tract tannin out of the bark of trees, aud forward 
it to Kuropo as export article. The bark used 
generally contains 10 per cent of the extract but 
sometimes higher percentages are met with. A sample 
ouco displayed at the Colonial Exhibition in Amster- 
dam held sixteen per cent. It consisted of dried 
and pulverised maugOBtoeu husks. The success of tbe 
enterprise depends upon a cheap aud easy way of 
extracting thu tannin. 
♦ 
PLANTING IN DELI. 
(Translated lor the .Straits Tuned.) 
The new i stablished toll. iceo growing companies now 
at work on recently opened districts on tile East coast 
of Sumatra, do not seem to bo ruu iu a .-alisfactory 
fashion. The Deli I'm'/ "/if points out that the direc- 
tors in Kuropo manege these ventures ignorantly, to 
their own detriment iu the near future. On too many 
ol t l.tse new estates, managers have been appointed 
without security that economy and sound judgment will 
