August i, 1881.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
199 
sell at prices within the reach of the masses. I met 
Mr. Goldstonc of the Oriental Tea Company this morn- 
ing, and I jocularly remarked : "To keep up the 
quality ot your teas you must go on adding a larger 
and larger proportion of Ceylon tea." He replied that 
nothing but mere samples were yet available. I 
ventured to assure him, as I have done all others, 
that in a very short period Ceylon tea in ample quantity 
as well as of good quality will be available. While 
I attach the utmost importance to the reports of Meesrs. 
Moody and Sibthorp, followed up as these will be 
by regular scientific analyses of samples (average) of 
the dillerent classes of tea made, it will, of course, 
be remembered, that it by no means follows that the 
awards of the jurors may be in accordance with those 
reports. It will be seen that Messrs. Moody aud 
Sibthorp diverge on the test of leaf and liquor, and 
amongst the jurors similar divergence may obtain. 
1 know that one of those who will deliver judgment 
on tea objected to a gentleman nominated as juror, 
that at Sydney he had shewn undue preference to 
Indian tea. It seemed to me clear that my interlocut- 
or was equally prejudiced in favour of the China leaf. 
(Reports referred to.) 
Melbourne, 24th November 1880. 
Dear Sir, — Herewith we hand you two tins con- 
taining following samples of tea, say : — 
No. 87. Pekoe value to-day 2s per lb. in bond. 
No. 88. Pekoe souchong value to-day Is Gd to Is 9d. 
Both are mixed teas but fairly represent standards of 
a large proportion of the consumption of tea in Aus- 
tralasia, and we regard them as safe teas to send to 
the Colonies, for they will always be saleable at a 
price. No. 88 would command to-day Is 9d, but think 
Is Gd a safer standard value. They should be packed 
in 38 lb. nett weight half chests, a few at 201b. quarter 
chests and 11 lb. boxes are very saleable at about 2d 
per lb. over same tea in half chests, but only No. 88 
should be so put up. Original packages even if weigh- 
ing up to GO lb. will meet with ready sale in a bare 
market, but nearly the whole of the trade is done in 
packages of 38 lb. nett (or not over 40 lb. ) and we 
therefore consider it safest to work on this weight 
which all the Colonies are used to. 
The packages can be the usual lead lined wooden 
ones shipped to this. Tea should be bulked so as to 
insure uniformity of sample throughout the break. 
Brand is of some importance, this would be a good 
specimen : — 
Sinhalese pure Ceylon tea [KandyJ ; 
Break 1 
Nett weight ... 381b. 
' Ne if season's' to be printed or stencilled on end 
ut package. If over 30 halfchests of one kind of tea, 
then divide the line say if 120 halfchests 381b. each, 
into say Break 1 30 hfebts. 
2 30 „ 
3 30 
" . 4 . . 30 
and so on. This is is to facilitate sale : our buyers 
are always anxious to have the whole of a line or 
number and yet object to too many. 
Mr. D. A. Sibthorp, the representative of the Cal- 
cutta Tea Syndicate, at present in Melbourue, has 
in conjunction with ourselves carefully examined and 
{ignored all the teas exhibited in the Ceylon Court; 
iiud values affixed in the accompanying Report are 
based on the result of some 3,000 hfchts. of Indian 
teas sold on the Melbourne market within the last 
two mouths. Mr. Sibthorp, who has large British and 
Calcutta experience, taking our standpoint, in coucur- 
inc with the values affixed. 
We regret that the souchong and unassorted teas 
of Messrs. Leo, Hedges & Co., the tea from Mr. 
James Nolson, and the three samples from Mr. 0. 
Shand, aro nil out of condition, having probably gone 
wrong on the voyage through being damp. With these 
few exceptions the rest of the teas turn out very 
well packed and many samples must be unsurpassed 
by any thing produced in any other part of the world. 
In accordance with your instructions we have made 
average samples of the exhibits of tea and forwarded 
same to Mr. J. Cosmo Newbery (the Government 
analyst) for analysis, say — 
Orange pekoe 
Pekoe 
Pekoe souchong 
Souchong 
Congou 
Green tea. 
Six samples, and when we receive report will forward 
it to you, but as we have asked Mr, Newbery to 
include the Theine extract it will take some time 
to do. 
The sample of Ceylon tea not exhibited in the Court, 
but handed to us a few days back, is far too large 
in the leaf: and liquors with thin burnt flavor, it 
would not bo saleable in Melbourne in its present slate. 
— We remain, your obedient servants 
Jas. Henty & Co. 
Pr. J. O. Moody: 
P. S. — The prices realised at Greig & Murray's 
auction- sale early in the month for Rookwood teas 
were low, owiug to the heavy weights of the packages, 
say SO to 90 lb. The 10 cases pekoe sold at is lOd 
worth 2s in lighter weight; 16 chests pekoe souchong 
Is 4r}d worth Is Gd to Is 7d; 42 chests souchong Is Id 
to Is ljd, its value was too large in the leaf. 
J. H. per J. O. M. 
Reports by Messes. Moody and Sibthorp, alluded 
to in letter from messrs. j ames henty & co. 
to the Ceylon Commissioner. 
No on catalogue 726— Exhibitor: Messrs. Lee, Hedges 
& Co., Estate Kandaloya, District Yakdessa. 
1. Broken pekoe, small broken rather even blackish 
leaf few, tips, fair strong burnt, value per lb. in bond 
Is 9d. 
2. Flowery pekoe, small even wiry yellowish black- 
ish leaf, little mixed, full of tips, thin little pun«eut. 
2s 3d. 
3. Pekoe, small rather wiry blackish leaf, little broken 
tips, full pekoe flavour 2s. 
4. Pekoe souchong, rather large, little broken black- 
ish leaf souchong, fruity, little peculiar, useful mixer, 
Is 6d. 
5. Souchong, large greyish blacish leaf 1 Out of 
6. Unassorted, large rather blackish leaf > condi- 
souchong ) tion. 
For the Australian trade Nos. 1 and 2 should be 
kept together and packed in 40 lb. and 20 lb. pack- 
ages: Noe. 3 and 4 also together and packed in 38 lb. 
packages. The leaf of Nos. 5 and 6 unsaleable in any 
quantity. 
Jas Henty & Co.. pr. J. O. Moody, 
Melbourne, 20th Nor. 18S0. 
The above valuations are considerably higher than 
the teas would be likely to obtain in London, where 
liijuor is looked for more than leaf. 
D. A. SlBTUORl'. 
No. on catalogue 727— Exhibitor : T. C. Owen, Esq., 
Estate Oonooua-alla, District Kelebokka. 
I. Mixed tea, rather huge mixed irregular leafy 
tea, greenish flavour, value per lb. iu bond Is 4. 
Leaf rather large for Australian trade, should be 
smaller packed in 38 lb. packages aud a better liquor. 
Jas. Henty & Co., Pr. J. O. Moody. 
Melbourne, 20th Nov. 1S80, 
The above valuation is considerably higher than the 
tea would be likely to obtain on the London market, 
where liquor is more looked for than /.«./. 
D. A. SiBTiionr. 
