January i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
473 
CEYLON TEA IN AMERICA. 
We call attention to the lonn and interesting 
letters (see page 177) addressed to us by Mr. J. Ij. 
Shand and Mr. MuCombie Murray, to which we 
have nodoubt the Tea Fund Committee especially will 
give due consideration. Mr. Shand writes forcibly 
and to tho point as he generally does, and Mr. Murray 
clearly shows that he is maintaining a gallant 
struggle in the interosts of Ceylon tea and that ho 
is deserving of encouragement. But wo cannot 
help expressing our surprise that there is not a 
word in the whole of his long letter about the 
pre-eminent importance of carrying his teas to 
the consumers in that part of America — namely the 
Central and Western States — where, in our opinion, 
there is far and away the best chanco of creating 
very rapidly, a stoady and ever-growing demand for 
our Ceylon teas. We know Mr. Goorgo W. Childs 
— at least so far as a very pleasant, interesting 
interview in his princely editorial sanctum could 
mako us acquainted— and esteem him as perhaps 
the most notable and high-principled of American 
journalists, and his paper is undoubtedly a power 
in every sense, in the fair state of Pennsylvania 
and also considerably beyond its hounds in the 
Eastern States. But we very much question 
whether Mr. Childs himself would not agree 
that it would be wiser, as a beginning at least, 
to oarry a new product like Ceylon tea — as also its 
advertising, — " out West," to Chicago, to Kansas 
City, Omaha, Denver and even Salt Lake City, than 
to begin knocking against tho prejudices due to a hun- 
dred years' building-up of the Americans in the old 
and settled Eastern States. 
We should certainly advise the Ceylon Tea 
Fund Committee to offer a handsome bonus to 
the first man who could prove to them that he 
had opened a storo or agency for the sale of Ceylon 
teas in the rising town of Denver, the oapital of 
the splendid state of Colorado. There tho people 
are free from many of the prejudices of their 
neighbours in the Ear East — they are a now people. 
Leadville, a towji near Denver, of 14,000 people 
when we were there in 188-1, had all sprung up within 
10 years — and many of tho people are emigrants 
from the old country who would gladly drink good 
tea if they could get it. In that region, we 
hrliove, lies by far tho best chance for Mr. 
McCombic Murray. Let bim start out West, or 
send a trustworthy representative, and the day that 
he can announce the establishment of a Storo for 
the sale of puro Coylon toas in Denver (and if 
posbiblc, in Chicago), nothing will be wanting on 
our part at least, to urge that he should be libe- 
rally supported by tho Ceylon Tea Planters from 
their Fund, in his then most deserving pioneering 
enterprise. 
CEYLON TEA AT THE MELBOURNE 
EXHIBITION. 
Planters' Association of Gevloti, 
Kandy, lfitfa Dec. 1888. 
IbeKditor, Ceylon Observer. 
Sin, — I beg lo enclose extract from the Argus Sup- 
plement, as it gives .some interesting inform ition re- 
garding the "Ceylon Tea Room " at tho Melbourne 
Centennial Bxhibitiou. — Yours faithfully, 
A. I'll I UP. Secretary. 
. Extracts fhom tub " Anoi't* " Supplkmknt. 
Melbourne, Centennial Inhibition 1888. 
MlSOB COI'RTS. 
Tka. — "An the hirers' consumers • • t tea in the world, 
Australian* may well tako an interest in tho tea 
exhibit-, on view in that part of the building which 
Is occupied by the Minor Ootirts. The animal MB* 
sumption ol tea in Australia, according to t h« latent 
figured, in 7 60 lb. per head as compared. 5 "J It', in 
60 
Great Britain, 0*61 H>. in Russia, and 0 03 lb. in coffee 
drinking France- Ol this the largest amount is at 
preseDt imported from China, whose teas still hold the 
foremost position in the commercial world. Of late 
years however, Indian teas, and still more recently, 
those, of Ceylon, have been attracting agreat deal of 
attention at tiome, and bid fair at tho present rate of 
increase seriously to threaten the monopoly hitherto 
enjoyed by China and Japan. Tho fact, however, 
seems to be that neither tea is likely altogether to 
drive out the other, and that there is room for both 
kinds in a world which can appreciate the good quali- 
ties of each. Indian tea having more strength and 
character than most of the China teas, is fouud ex- 
tremely useful in blending with the lighter sorts of 
tho latter. For Ceylou tea it is claimed that, while 
possessing the strength of the Indian herb, it has a 
delicate aroma of its own, which is quite peculiar to 
it, and which must make it a more and more popular 
beverage as it becomes more and more widely known. 
From this healthy competition among the various tea 
producing countries the public have naturally derived 
considerable benefit. Instead of having to pay, as in 
the 16th Century, 10 guineas a pound for tea, or 30s, 
as was the case at home not very many years ago, 
tea can now be procured for 3s, and of a quality better, 
probably, on an av> rage thau that for which the higher 
price was paid. Moreover, the successful cultivation 
of tea in India and U- ylon has provided opportunities 
for the profitable investment of immense amounts of 
British capital, and for the remunerative employment 
of large numbers of British subjects in those parts of 
the world." 
Ceylon. — "Twenty years ago the island of Ceylon 
was known as one of the three chief coffee-producing 
countries in tho world, exporting the berry to the 
value of five millions sterling annually. About the 
year 1868, however, leaf-blight attacked tho coffee 
plants, and in a very short time nearly ruined the in- 
dustry as well as many of those who were engaged in 
carrying it on. At the present time the value of coffee 
exported annually from Ceylon is reduced to £800,000. 
Cinchona, cardamoms, cocoa, and other products were 
tried with varying success, until about eight yenrs ago 
the planters in despair turned their attention to 
tea. The industry is still of suoh recent date that 
ouly a portion of the cultivated area is as yet 
iu full beariug. The area at present under culti- 
vation for tea is estimated at about 21)0,000 
acres, tho great bulk of which has only been planted 
during the last few years. Notwithstanding this, tho 
amount annually oxported has increased from 
114,815 lb. in 1880 to 20,755,779 lb. iu 1888, and tho 
estimato from October 1st of tho present year to 
September 30th, 1889, is 32,000.000 lb. Between the 
year 188-1 and 1885, and again between 1886 and 1887 
the export very nearly doubled itself. In spite of the 
iucreaso in production, tho average price during these 
years showed an advance, and Ceylon teas still obtain 
almost top prices in the market. This is due to the 
fact that tbey possess a variety which is seldom found 
in teas grown elsewhere, and combine the richness 
and strength of the Indian herb with the delicaoy and 
flavour of the Chinese variety. The diversities of 
flavour are very great, teas grown at high elevatioDS 
being noted moro for delicacy, and those iu lower- 
lying districts for strength. The climate of the island, 
with its abundant rainfall alternating with bright 
sunshine, is particularly suited to tho growth of tho 
tea plant, which flourishes where coffee has failed to 
yield. Labour in abundance is supplied by the Tamil 
population from tho neighbouring ooast of India, 
and is obtained at a cost of about sixpence per head 
per day. Tho roads in Ceylon aro about tho best in 
the world, and a railway through the centre of tho 
ialaud helps to provide cheap and easy transport to 
tho ooast. whenco tho produce oan be onveyou hy sea 
to every part "f the world. 
ExntniTs " In a prettily-arranged but made of bam- 
DOOa, bung round with photographs of various Cingalese 
scenes, tho Coylon Planters' Association make a good 
display of the exhibits. Foremost aniougst these, of 
oourse, are the teas, e.f which a great many samples 
