478 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [January i, 1889. 
direction he is specially handicapped. All dealers 
in Ceylon tea in the United Kingdom receive a 
great deal of gratuitous advertisement from the 
many interested in Ceylon scattered over the 
Kingdom, but across the Atlantic where advertising 
is far more necessary this gratuitous assistance 
is not forthcoming. But while I should be very glad 
to see Mr. Murray helped, and knowing something of 
the struggle he is having, I think he is deserving of all 
help, — I object most strongly to anyone imagining 
they have a claim upon the Planters' Association 
of Ceylon for their championship of Ceylon tea, 
more especially when that championship is self- 
constituted. I remember pointing this out at a 
meeting in Kandy, and now that I have seen 
something more of business, I hold the view 
more strongly. The Planters' Association should 
have nothing to do with trade, and the mo- 
ment it takes any special tradesman under its 
protection, it places itself in a very invidious 
position : the clamorous receive help which the more 
modest but perhaps more deserving do not apply 
for, and instead of keeping the retailer and pro- 
ducer in harmony, a section of the trade is at once 
irritated. 
I can imagine no case more deserving of, and 
more directly appealing for aid to the Tea Fund 
than that of Mr. Horsfall of Bournemouth, who, 
after having overcome the difficulties inseparable 
from the establishment of a new business, suffered 
serious loss, direct and indirect, from his premises 
being burnt down ; but so far as I know he has 
borne his loss uncomplainingly while others who 
have ventured on their own account to introduce 
Ceylon tea into foreign countries and who may have 
lost in so doing, clamor for assistance. I, likemaoy 
others conneoted with Ceylon, am constantly trying 
new markets for tea, but I do so as a tea dealer 
and not as a member of the P. A., with the full 
responsibility and with the full intention of pocket- 
ing all profits if any, derived from my ventures. 
I value the P. A. of Ceylon far too highly to desire 
to see its field of usefulness impaired, or its name 
in any way degraded, and I could not but regret 
lately to see a firm advertizing as a special in- 
ducement why people should try Ceylon tea from 
it, " That its partners were members of the Planters' 
Association of Ceylon." Of course if buyers knew 
what this meant they would not attach much value 
to i+, and they would just as soon think of buying 
their butter from a man because he happened to 
be a member of an Agricultural Society ; but the 
buyer, as a rule, does not know what the P. A. of 
Ceylon, is, and such an advertisement either means 
nothing, or conveys the false impression that the 
P. A. of Ceylon is a tea-trading body ; and 
woe betide the tea planter of Ceylon if that idea 
once became prevalent. I believe Mr. Murray to be 
on the right path in not trying to force pure Ceylon 
tea down American throats. In America as in 
Europe if prices are to be maintained, the great bulk 
of Ceylon tea must be used for blending. — Faithfully 
yours, J. L. SHAND. 
Philadelphia, 25th Oct. 1888. 
I >"-,ir i-'ir, — In view of possible business relations being 
, irmed between myself and other parties resident in 
or connected with Oeylon,I would like to express my 
candid opinion*; on certain subjects, at the ri=k of 
being considered heterodox. If such is the yetdict, I 
must bo content to plead guilty, for my convictions 
are at it ant honest, being the result of every dny ex- 
perience, and a pretty intimate acquaintance with the 
Lutes nnd habits of American tea-drinkers. 
" Ceylon tea it not appreciated over here" is an oft-re- 
pe&ti ' Bertiftn, and roundi like "a oheBnut," as the 
Arncrk.i is term it; but, as you are not armed with 
"ehoBUUt" hells in Ceylon, I am courageous enough to, 
repeat myself until you cable me that your columns 
are for ever closed against me. No one is so tried of 
hearing this not very encouraging piece of information 
repeated as I am, and I only stand it because I know 
it is but too true. 
Will Ceylon tea ever be appreciated in America ? — In 
the opinion of Americans who ought to know, it will, 
in time, be appreciated by a minority of American peo- 
ple, but never by the majority. In other words, it will 
never be the popular tea of America. To this a reserva- 
tion might be added — unless Ceylon and India can 
successfully compete with the Foochow or Formosa 
Oolong by producing a tea of similar character. 
Is the demand for such a tea as Ceylon now produces 
sufficient to support or warrant the establishment of a 
business in that lea to the exclusion of others ? 
— No! emphatically no! The ready demand is no- 
minal if indeed existent at all. Any demand for the 
tea has to be made by constant advertizing, involving 
great outlay and indefatigable energy on the part of 
the pioneers who undertake to introduce it. What 
is true of an agent undertaking to introduce it in 
a small way, is applicable to a Company of large 
capital on the greater undertaking. Money spent in 
judious advertizing, with plenty of push and energy, 
will create demand, but 'not in proportion to the ex- 
penditure. The question then arises 
Who ought to bear " the initial loss inseparable to 
making markets" ? — Why — surely those whom the 
making of the markets benefits. The pioneer wbo does 
the practical work is certainly more or less benefited 
when the market is made, if he is fortunate enough to 
pull through, but if unassisted the chances are that the 
making of the market proves his ruin and the fortune 
of those, who follow. 
Who benefit by the making of the market ? — Perhaps 
the easier way to put this question would be to put 
it in the negative form, and ask "Who does wot benefit by 
the making of the market ? The whole country is un- 
doubtedly benefited, and the Government must be 
looked to as headquarters. The planters are perhaps 
the most directly interested parties, and they have res- 
ponded liberally to the suggestions of their leaders- 
The next point I would touch upon is how best to aid 
pioneers in their work. No private party can be ex- 
pected to face certain loss and possible ruin, to serve 
the interests of a whole community. The same applies 
to a company formed to carry out a commercial enter- 
prize. If they do so, they have a right to ask the sup- 
port of those who ultimately benefit by their work. 
Mr. Shand has suggested one means by which a 
pioneer can be effectually assisted. If on purchasing 
2000 lb. of tea he received 3,000 lb. he could afford to 
put the tea into successful competition with all other 
teas and at the same time make a large profit. Had I 
been able to secure tea on these terms last week, I 
could have placed 12 chests of tea in very good hands. 
As it was, an Assam took its place at a few cents 
cheaper than I could afford to tell. I had a talk with 
Mr. Finley Acker three days ago, and he seems to think 
he could double his exertions if I could let him have 
the tea at about London market rates, which I could 
do if I oould secure the tea on such terms as Mr. Shand 
suggests. 
Another means of assistance occurred to me as reason- 
able and fair. What are the expenses which the 
pioneer feels the most? Not the rent or fixtures neces- 
sary to the adornment of his place of business. These 
are common to all manner of business. It is the neces- 
sary advertising of a new article. It is not the excel- 
lence of the article itself that makes the market so 
much as the advertising of the article. The consump- 
tion of pure Ceylon tea is dependent on the amount of 
advertising done for it. Advertise for me and I will 
guarantee thesales. Now, if the Chamber of Commerce 
would vote $1,000 to be handed over to Mr. George W. 
Childs of the Public Ledger, I think I could prevail 
upon that great philanthropic t io give good value for 
the same in the " personal " column, which 99 out of 
100 ladies of Philadelphia read every morning with 
perhaps more regularity and interest than they 
read their Bible. If there could be iu;;erted in 
this column of interest, such an advertisement as 
'Have you tasted Ciylon tea? it is absolutely 
