THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[May i, 1889. 
and their foreign visitors at thn forthcoming Paris 
Exhibition, deserve success. To thoroughly attain this 
however, experience in the past suggests that facilities 
should be provided for the purchase of the article 
afterwards, in a retail form, in convenient localities, or 
the trouble and expense incurred will be to a great 
extent thrown away. 
It is somewhat surprising that, while such efforts are 
being made among Western nations and in the Colonies 
to increase the consumption, so little comparatively has 
yet been done towards utilising the vast field existing 
among the large native populations of India and other 
parts of Asia, where so many are already by their 
religion debarred from the use of alcohol, and would 
seem naturally constituted to regard tea as a beverage. 
For instance, would it not be feasible to develop the 
trade with Thibet and adjacent countries, where in past 
years a fair business was carried on, and was a useful 
outlet for both black and green tea, mostly made in 
the North-West Provinces, though, owing to various 
causes traders latterly have been forced to draw their 
chief supplies, as in times of yore, from China, princip- 
ally in the form of brick tea. To meet this demand a 
considerable portion of common kinds, often unsuit- 
able for this market, might be pressed by machinery 
into bricks, in the way for some time past adopted by 
the Russians in the North of China. 
Bulking and Packing. 
We referred at length to these subjects in our An- 
nual Report last year, and it is gratifying to record 
that some progress has been made in this important 
part of the planters' work during the present seanon, 
both in India and Ceylon, and it is to be hoped that 
increasing facilities and gathered experience will bring 
about a still further advance in this direction. The 
saving in expense on this side and the depreciation 
in value caused by the damage done to the leaf 
in repacking are powerful inducements for garden 
managers to undertake the work themselves, and 
to do it so that no need may arise for incurring 
the cost here. The leaf must present as even an 
appearance as possible, and should not be " crushed" 
into the chest. It is desirable that the whole break, 
comprising one description of Tea, should be subjected 
to the same final firing, or bulked afterwards, otherwise 
the character will vary and the Tea require re-bulking 
in London. Care should also be taken to regulate the 
quantity in each chest so as to take advantage, as 
much as possible, of the scale of charges adopted by 
the London bonded warehouses. Except in the case of 
fine Teas, it is not desirable to send too many half, 
chests, as they cost more to pack, and the freight is 
heavier than for chests, while the price obtained often 
does not differ materially. Boxes of Pekoe and Pekoe 
Souchong (under 28 lb. gross to save draft), suitable 
for self drinking, often recoup the extra expenditure 
incurred. 
In some districts there appears to be a scarcity of 
proper wood for makiDg chests, and in them, especially, 
the patent packages will no doubt grow in favour. 
Several kinds of these are now in use, and as they 
offer many advantages, they may in time supersede the 
wooden chests to a great extent, being cheaper and 
effecting a considerable saving in freight. 
Marking. 
Name of garden, description of Tea, and number is 
all that is required on the package. Weight and 
tare are superfluous, only lead to confusion, and can 
always be ohecked from the garden invoice. 
Net-weighing. 
Notice has been given by the Wholesale Tea Dealers-' 
Association that "net weighed" Teaswillnot betaken 
after the close of this season, the result of this system 
of weighing having been considered unsatisfactory, on 
account of the quantities in the packages being irre- 
gular. Whether this is carried out or no, care should 
be taken to make both weights and tares as even as 
possible. 
Details of Outturn of thr Different Districts 
fob the Past Season. 
Assam, 113,000 acres under tea, outturn of 1888, 
42,000,000 lb. — Inferior on the whole in liquor to la§t 
season, partly owing to unfavourable weather, even 
the best marks, with few exceptions, lacking quality 
until the last invoices, which were in some instances 
much better and sold well. Results of some gardens 
good, owing to largo yied, notwithstanding reduced 
average price. 
Oachnr and Svlbet 92,000 acres under tea, outturn 
of 1888, 29,000,000 lb — In some parts a heavy but 
poor out-turu from the majority of gardens. The one 
or two which made fine tea commanded high figures, 
but the averages for the two districts were low and 
disappointing. 
Kursioug, Darjeeling, Terai aud Dooars, large ex- 
tensions recently made, but not yet in bearing, 70,000 
acres under tea, outturn of 18*8, 18,500,0001b.— From the 
first three a very varied crop has been sent. At the com- 
mencement of the season, as is usual, thin in cup, 
then better for a time, afterwards inferior again, and 
finishing with some very poor and a few very choice 
Darjeelings. These Teas have to compete now-a-days, 
with Oeylons, and unless first-rate have been much out 
of favour this season. From Dooars some very useful 
Teas have been receiv. d, but the bulk has been poor. 
Some high prices were realised for a few closing invoices 
with full autumn flavour. 
Kangra Valley, Kumaon, and Dehra Doon, 17,500 
acres under tea, outturn of 1888, 4,600,000 lb. Ohota 
Nagpore, 2,000 acres under tea, outturn of 1888, 700,000 
lb. — A worse crop has hardly ever been seen, especially 
from the former, the percentage of fairly good being 
small and that of fine almost nil. Kumaon and Dehra 
Doon have been ouly sparsely represented, and the 
little received has been mostly of an undesirable char- 
acter. Supplies from Chota Nagpore have also been 
unimportant, the chief produce of this and the two 
last-named districts going into consumption locally, 
so that the amount shipped to this country is small 
but the quality from the latter has shewn some im- 
provement. 
Chittagong, 3,000 acres under tea, outurn of 1888, 
950,0001b, — Some fairly useful teas, but proportion of 
fine small, the bulk being only ordinary and lacking 
the destinctive merits of this district. 
Neilgherries and Wynaad, 6,000 acres under tea, out- 
turn of 1888, 1,500,0001b.— Unless all the choice-flav- 
oured descriptions (similar to those received informer 
years) are disposed of on the spot, the yield generally 
this season has been more devoid of desirable charac- 
teristics even than that of the two previous ones, the 
teas on the whole being thin and wanting flavour. 
Travancore. — Including land recently cleared and 
planted, but not yet in bearing, 4,000 acres under tea, 
outturn of 1888, 750,0001b. — Some very useful parcels 
have come to hand, with a fair sprinkling, possessing 
fine full flavour, which have heen much appreciated 
by the trade. Quality, on the whole, has been above 
that of most other districts. 
Totals, 307,500 acres under tea, outturn of 1888, 
98,000,0001b.— From which, deducting, say 1J million 
for local consumption and 3J millions for export to 
Australia and America and elsewhere, will leave about 
93 millions for Great Britain. 
Ceylon. — Large portion planted, but not yet in bear- 
ing, 180,000 aores under tea, outturn of 1888 24,000,000 
lb. — Of which 750,000 lb. exported to Colonies, &c.,and 
250,000 lb. used locally, leaving 23 million lb. for Great 
Britain. An increasing yield, with a decreasing pro- 
portion of really choice-flavoured invoices, has contri- 
buted to lower the avevage price. A larger quantity 
of overtired and burnt teas has been shipped to this 
country, which has not met with favour from buyers. 
Quality must be kept up if the prestige of these 
growths is to be maintained. 
Java, 20,000 acres under tea, outturn of 1888, 
4,500,000 lb. — Of which about 3 millions shipped to 
Great Britain. As compared with former years, these 
have held their own well, as regards style of leaf and 
liquor, there being less of that undesirable flavour 
which they used to have. Blenders now buy them in 
large quantities, whilst the enquiry for export has also 
been good. 
GEO. WHITE & Oo. Tea Bkokebs. 
