May i, 1882.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
markets, the actual quantity imported direct from China | 
and Japan last year being 6,975,223 lb.; but this is only 
a small proportion of the trade. From Chicago all the 
great Central and. Western States of America are sup- 
plied with I he lea consumed, the quality and price 
being almost identical with New York; as all the large 
Now York ealers, or "jobbers" as they are here called, 
have travellers constantly on the road. The quantity 
of tea sold through Chicago is variously estimated at 
from 10 to 1 0 million lb. yearly, but, as there are no 
guides to go by, it is impossible to say exactly. 
Indian teas have been sold by Messrs. J. W.Doane 
& Co., the Agents of the Syndicate at Chicago, at, I 
belii've, satisfactory prices, but they were private ship- 
ments, and I have no particulars. The first consign- 
ment from the Syndicate is now in their hands, and 
I hope shortly to he able to report sales. I expect 
samples of the breaks daily, and on receipt of them 
will forward you a report immediately. 
San Francisco is an important market for tea, foi' 
through it, the whole of the Pacific States and Territ- 
ories draw their supplies. The amount of all kinds 
of tea imported la t year was 4,210,000 lb., of which 
only 700,000 lb came from China, and the balance 
3,4.50,000 lb. from Japan. The consumption of Japan 
tea is steadily increasing, while that of China tea is 
falling off. China green teas are UBed very little west 
of the Rocky Mountains, Salt Lake City being the only 
place to which they go. Congous sell in San Fran- 
cisco at from 20 cents to 30 cents per lb., for the 
lower grades, and for the best kinds as much as 55 
cents per lb. is obtained. Oolong teas from Formosa 
are popular, selling readily as high as GO cents per 
lb., and they are gradually taking the place of Eng- 
lish breakfast teas, which were at one time iu great 
demand. The prices ruling for Japan teas range from 
15 to 25 cents per lb. for the lower, to as high as 
45 to 55 cents per lb. for the finest grades. 
I could find no trace of any sales of Indian teas on the 
San Francisco markets during my stay there, the samples 
I had with me weie admired, but small hope of business 
was held out 1 hope that the shipment now on the 
water will do well and lead to further business. 
The other large cities of the United States import 
very little tea ; they do most of their business with 
New York, Chicago or San Francisco, so the particulars 
given respecting these markets are a guide to the whole 
tea trade of the United States 
Auction sales may be said to command the New York 
market now. Speaking of this the Review before 
quoted from says : " An important feature in the 
business of the last year has been the increased dis- 
tribution through the auction room. Not only have the 
offerings been much larger, but the year has witnessed 
the establishment of a second linn who make a speciality 
of this mode of distribution. In 1870 there were sold 
by public auction 1-19,167 pkgs. of sound tea, while 
during -1880 the quantity so disposed of increased to 
232.375 pkgs., comprizing one-fifth of the total dis- 
tribution from the Fort for tho year. This method of 
telling has undoubtedly grown in popularity with that 
class of buyers who can afford to wait at the unreserved ; 
sn cs for values to reach their limit, but tho problem I 
yet to bo solved in whether in tho long run this 
ta bhod of Belling will prove as remunerative to 
tho importer ns well as the johber, as the system which 
heretofore required the services of a broker. Undoubt- 1 
odly the auction sales have thus far had the effect of 
concentrating the demand in New York from a much 
larger number of interior buyers, and in this way in. 
OrCMed the importance of tliis market as a distributing 
centre " 
American ijnnrii Teas. — I have seen some line sam- 
ples of these 11 rown and manufactured in the State of 
Georgia, the black tea resembles our Assam makes, 
and tho green teas iuiitato closely tine liquoring Moyuu 
teas from Shanghai, but the samples were only experi- 
mental, and the high cost of labour in this country will 
always, I imagine, prove an insuperable bar to the suc- 
cessful production of American teas. Reviewing this 
subject, tho authority I h ive before quoted from says : 
" The experiments of Commissioner Le Due, in his efforts 
to prove that the tea plant can be grown in this couutr/ 
and tho leaf successfully prepared for use, have attracted 
a good deal of newspaper noiice during the past year, 
and some of our local cha szees have enjoyed the privil- 
ege of tasting the b verage drawn from this home pro- 
duction and been asked to vouch for its character, but 
it will probably be many vears before the tea crop of 
the United States will become of sullicient importance 
to more than merit the notice and approval of the ladies 
of the White House, who, upon their accession to tho 
honor, have heretofore been presented with a cup, and. as 
requested, have given the enterprize their support. The 
expensive efforts of the Agricultural Bureau may thus far 
have been highly successful as landscape gardening and 
in the interests of fancy agriculture, but, as for provid- 
ing a beverage for the people, the experiments have 
proved futile. Until the American labourer iscon'ent 
with wages not exceeding ten cents a day, it is hopeless 
to think of competing with the heathen Chinee." 
Tea is not yet the importaut beverage in America 
that it is at home, and in the Australian colonies. 
Such a thing as an afternoon tea is almost unknown in 
purely American society. Ladies — always the planters' 
best friends — are here seldom confirmed tea drinkers 
such as one meets in other English-speaking countries ; 
the little tea they do drink is generally Oolong or 
Japun tea made very weak, and well iced, taken with- 
out milk or sugar, generally out of a tumbler, and a 
very fair drink it is for the hot weather, although my 
" insular prejudice" compels me to confess to a prefer- 
ence for a cup of good Iudian tea with cream and sugar. 
The Canadian tea trade, as before noted, bears a much 
better proportion to the population than that o? 
America, for with a population in 1830 of 4,350,933 
persons the total consumption of tea was 13,400,217 lb., 
but the trade 111 Canada is not increasing nearly so 
rapidly asit is in America, as ten years ago with a popu- 
lation of 3,070,400 the consumption was 10,959,000 lb. 
Montreal and Torouto are the two great markets 
for tea in the Dominion, the city of Quebec doing 
little or nothing, but nearly all the Provinces import 
a little. [Table omitted.] 
The above figures show that tho Provinces of Ontario 
aud Quebec, of which Toronto and Moutreal are res- 
pectively the centres, do the bulk of the business, 
Ontario being a good deal ahead, as the greater part 
of the black teas of the better kinds imported to 
Montreal is sold in the Upper Provinces, aud the du'v 
being paid in Montreal, further trace for statistics is 
lost. You will doubtless remember that it was for 
this reason I recommended Toronto as the head-quarters 
of the agency for the Syndicate in Canada. 
Black teas sell in Canada at prices varying from 
12 to 15 cents per lb. for common, up to 50 cents for 
finest, and Japanese and green teas sell from 10 cents 
per lb. for low class up to as high as (!0 cents 
per lb. for the highest grades of basket-fired teas, 
which have a last growing popularity with the 
Canadians, as also have Oolougs which sell at prices 
varying from 20 cents to 60 cents per lb. These prices 
do not include the duty, which is on, groeu teas 3 
oents per lb. and 10 per cent. </</ OdfOTtm, and on black 
teas 2 cents per lb. and 10 per cent, ad valorem, also 
an additional ID per cent, ad mlorem on all teas im- 
ported from countries n'her than where grown. These 
duties the present Government have pledged them- 
selves to take oil" in the Owning session, bat I doubt 
if they will withdraw tho 10 per cent, leviable 
on the other than direct shipments. As things stand 
at present, the importer sells Ins tea at o du' v pud 
