March i, i88y.J THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
583 
ANNUAL TEA REPORT FOR 1888. 
London, Jan. 23rd, 1889. 
In reviewing the course of the Tea Trade for the 
]>ast year, the most satisfactory feature to notice 
18 the increased Delivery compared with 1887, 
the total quantity amounting to 222 million lb.: 
Home Consumption showing an excess of 3h millions, 
and the Export 3 millions. Another matter of con- 
siderable; importance is the larger supply of Oeylon 
Teas, and the appreciation of the quality by the 
public, the Import and Consumption having nearly 
doubled during the year. 
CHINA. — Notwithstanding 24 millions decrease in the 
Export last season, all common to fair grades continued 
to decline in value, and, before the arrival of thenew 
crop by the end of June, had reached an extremely 
low point. The new Teas opened at very full rates, ow- 
ing to tin- absence of any good Tea of the previous sea- 
son remaining on the Market. The quality was 
pronuueed inferior, attributable, perhaps, to the bad 
weather during the time of plucking. The Rus- 
sian buyers in China held aloof from purchasing on 
account of this inferiority, which eventually led to 
large orders coming direct here, and further stimu- 
lating prices of Black Leaf Congous, the market be- 
coming almost cleared of all desirable parcels of 
medium to finest grades. Foochow descriptions did 
not participate, and although a small portion of the 
first crop sold at paying rates to Importers, the 
general result has been unsatisfactory. Common 
classes have somewhat rallied from the lowest point, 
but still are selling under cost of production. 
Indian and Ceylon.— The year has been again 
marked by a further growth in supply and expan- 
sion of consumption, the Import of Indian being 7 
millions larger, and the deliveries 3$ millions heavier 
than in 1887, whi'e from Ceylon the receipts have 
increased !)j millions and tho deliveries 8 millions, 
British grown tea thus furnishing 105 millions towards 
the 184 millions taken for home consumption in the 
United Kingdom. An active market in the Spring 
DM followed by dulness in the middle months and a 
heavy depreciation in the value of all grades over Is. 
per lb., which lasted until the Autumn trade demand 
ret in, when values for the finest sorts began to recover, 
the advance being stimulated by the small proportion of 
Bfioiofl tea found in any of the vairous crops. .Setting 
the abundant yield and reduced cost of manufacture 
against dearer freights, higher warehouse rates, and 
a slightly lower average sale price, — the Industry con- 
tinues to occupy a strong position,' and promises to 
yield a good result to growers both in India and 
Ceylon. Systematic action is now being taken on 
behalf of producers to bring the merits of British- 
grown tea more direetly under the notice of the 
important markets of the United States and Canada; 
and it is anticipated that, as in the Australian 
Colonics, when- consumption is steadily growing, so 
also iti America the improved demand now visible 
may develop into trade of somo dimensions. 
Java. — Imports shew an increase, and improved 
quality has led to their receiving more attention from 
the Homo Trade, values now standing close to cur- 
rencies lor Iudiau, Wm. Jas. &Uy. Thompson. 
TEA IN AMERICA. 
At a time when India ami Ceylon are making efforts 
I cure a shoe at nny rate of tho tea trade of tho 
1 nitrd States, it is interesting to b arn a few particulars 
of that trade. Tho total receipts of tea into the United 
States for t|,,. ..-a-on lssi;.; amounted in value to 
16.771,802 lots., of which 12..'ii'>s,or>3dols . or (iS,.|rr_ > ,if.slli. 
pnsHril through the port of New York, or three-fourths 
of tho whole. Of this 998,7861b., valued at 7.">,o3Sdol., 
• it of I total of 407,169dola., or newly three-fourths 
of tho t 'tnl of export", w.is from New York. The re- 
eeipta from Japan were 16, U) 3,0001b .. and threo-fonrlhs 
of tho yenr's supply came Wfl tho Pacific coast, which 
«as an increase over the previous year. The conrso of 
trade if. increasing m this direction, while the improved 
steamer service on tho Pacific and transcontinental 
railway facilities are gradually making this the prob- 
able roulo of the future. Japan tea is, in round num- 
bers, about one-half of tho United States tea consump- 
tion which has risen from 37,843,6121b. in 1808 to 
89,831,221 in 1887,* being the lowest and highest years 
of the twenty. The Japan houses have all agents in 
New York, and these seek out the leading customers 
in the large cities, and consign to them direct instead 
of them buying in New York. In this way the direct 
trade between New York and Japan, especially by sea, 
is being largely reduced iu volume. Of the total Japan 
trade, which amounted in the above year to 17,114,181 
dols. imports, and 3,336,562 dols. exports, only 4,464,315 
dols. imports and 1, 158,455 dols. exports were entered 
ilia New York, being only one-fourth of the whole. 
There is an article in the current number of the 
gentleman on the " Russian Tea Trade." It is signed 
" T. Brush," and deals with the subject at some 
length. In it the writer says : — Although Russia is a 
long way behind England as a tea-consuming country, 
still the tea trade is a most important branch of its 
commerce, and has a history fully as interesting as 
that of England. There is a great difference between 
the two countries in the stylo of tea used and in the 
method of its use. Indian and Ceylou teas have 
quite revolutionised the English market, but tbo 
character of the Russian tea market has remained 
almost the same since the commencement of its 
history. Some few parcels of Indian tea have fonud 
their way into Russia, and have been very highly 
spoken of. Their quality and strength have been so 
much appreciated that the semi-official Kavkaz says : 
— " What hinders us even now obtaining our tea from 
India, where it is prepared by machinery, and not 
as in China, by an objectionable use of the feet 'i 
Even if we were to conquer India, nobody would give 
us tea for nothing, and our countrymen would have 
to pay all the same for this national beverage." At 
the present time, however, China tea is alone used 
in general consumption ; and as the taste of the 
Russian nation has been educated to this style of tea, 
it will be many years, perhaps never before Indians and 
Oevlons become important factors in the Russiau trade. 
—R. $ CMail, Jan. lltb. 
♦ 
OUR MANCHUEIAN SILKWORMS. 
(Continued from page //ll.) 
TnE Oak-sii.k Industry. — It used to be a travel- 
ler's tale that silk grew on trees, and the ancients 
pictured it to themselves as one of the pretty sights 
of nature. In reality there is not much to see iu 
an oak shrub laden with cocoons. The genius of the 
spinner is occupied in great measure with the art of 
concealment. Sometimes a cocoon will be euclosed 
between two leaves as large as one's hands, so that a 
passer-by has no suspicion of its existence. At other 
times quite a ball is made of smaller leaves, and 
the cocoon is equally invisible. The spinner, of course, 
needs a base of operations, and can spin if it gets 
one or two convenient tags by which to form an 
outline in rough ; but it glories in abundance and 
variety. It becomes an interesting study to compare 
a few bushes, and to see tho power of adaptation to 
circumstances iu the formation of the cocoon*. Difli- 
oulties arise alike from dearth as from excess of 
material for extraueous support. On one occasion I 
saw no less than three twigs bound together by the 
suspending lines, while quito a group of leaves had 
to be dexterously manipulated so as not to obstruct 
the work of the spinner; nay, it was gratifyiog to 
notice the touches of instinct, one might say genius, 
by which hindrances wero worked into helps. On 
another occasion, the cocoon of a rival was in the fray, 
and had to bo slewed about with silk ropes to see 
that it maintained its relative position. Tho suspend- 
ing lines are the first consideration, as dealing here 
'Britain with little more than one-half the popu- 
lation consumes more than twice tins quantity, but 
11 the great beverage iu the United States is 
oofloo.— Eu. 
