August i, 1893.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
83 
THE PKOGRESS OF INDIAN AND 
CEYLON TEA. 
Messrs. Gow, Wilson & Stanton have pub- 
lished their annual Diagram-Circular under 
the above heading, and it is not one whit behind 
its preiecessors in interest, or in the tasteful 
execution on line paper of the ruany coloured 
diagrams. Writing to us on the 1st June, the 
Rood Lane Firm report that some days pre- 
vious a large supply of the diagram circulars 
had been despatched to our address ; but they 
have apparently failed to come forward by 
this mail. No doubt they will appear by the 
next steamer in good time for each of our 
subscribers to be furnished with a copy of 
this useful document as it will be published 
as a ISupplenicnt with the daily Observer and 
Tropical Agriculturist. The compilers report 
to us : — " This circular is issued partly with a 
view of showing to planters generally the 
various diagrams which have been exhibited 
in the Chicago Exhibition as well as in the 
Imperial Institute, and we think it will in- 
terest owners of tea estates to see what has 
been done in this matter." 
The first diagram shows in a series of 
coloured blocks " Thirty Years' Record of the 
Tea Trade in the United Kingdom." Each 
square represents one million lb.; and the 
colours are red for Indian; yellow for Ceylon ; 
and dark grey for China. In 1862 in a total 
consumption of 80 million, there was only 
^ a million lb, of Indian tea and none of Ceylon; 
indeed the first appearance of Ceylon (and 
for half-a million lb.) appears only in 1882 — 
the comparative blocks being given at five 
years' intervals. In 1892, yellow (Ceylon) 
shows on the top for the large total of 68 
million ; Indian (red) for 110 million and 
China for only 34 million out of the total of 207 
million lb. consumed in the United Kingdom 
last year. This Diagram, we are informed, 
is placecf in an enlarged form in the Indian and 
the Ceylon Courts at the ('hicago Exhibition 
and in the Ceylon Court at the Imperial 
Institute. 
The second page repeats the same information 
in a more striking form by means of coloured 
circles with lines drawn to the several countries 
of supply on a section of the map of Asia. 
For some unexplained reason this diagram 
entitled " The rise of Indian and Ceylon tea 
and the eclipse of China tea,"— in its enlarged 
form is only exhibited in the Indian Court. 
We read as follows in the letterpress ap- 
pended : — 
Had not last Season's Tea Crop from India and 
Ceylon proved to be considerably below the esti- 
mated quantity, the need of assistance from foreign 
markets would have been much more keenly felt. 
Simultaneous short crops from both countries pro- 
ved a temporary relief lo the industry in general, 
but increased production must be anticipated in the 
near future, and therefore no effort should be 
spared to develop eveiy existing outlet, as well as 
to open up new markets ,wherever such is possible. 
On the third page we get " Thirteen Years' 
History of Ceylon Tea," the diagram showing 
the " Production in Ceylon " by means of 
green circles from a mere dot of 50 tons in 
1B80, to ai,08o tons in 1892 ; while the value 
is gi^eu next iQ oblongs vitiiDg iu tlie game 
way from i'5,024 in 1880 to ^2,766,050 ; then 
is shown the consumption (in blue circles) 
in Great Britain from 40 tons in 1880 to 
28,170 tons. This diagram enlarged is shown 
in both Courts. The letterpress tells us:— 
Increasing supply o m only with fafety be met by 
incre.isod demand — a fact of vital importacce to the 
welfare of the industry. Eotrgy aod determination 
can effect much, and if in two jears the quantity of 
Indian and Ceylon Tta taken by markets outside 
Great Britain could be raised from fourteen million 
pov.iw's to twenty inillon pounds, as actually cconrred 
in 1890 and 1891, tliere i-i the etroogest encourage- 
ment to foster this branch of the entsrpiise in every 
possible way. 
With tiiia object iu view, the Oommissioncrs for 
India and Oeylon at the World's Columbian Ei- 
position have taken steps for the tepretentation of 
Indian and Ceylon Tea at Chicago, where packets 
w 11 bo freely distributed, thus biiuging these Teas 
prominently before the numerous visitors, who will 
assemble there not onlv fr^m America and Canada, 
but also from Europe and, doubtless, many other parts 
of the world. 
Finally we have a diagram showing the 
" Tea Consumption in the United Kingdom " 
from 1864 of the three kinds— Ceylon beginning 
as we said in 1880. 
Altogether a more striking way of shewing 
the great progress made by India and Cey- 
lon iu ousting China teas in the United 
Kingdom could not be desired and if our 
American cousins only take to themselves the 
" object-lesson," we may hope to see China 
and Japan teas pretty soon beginning to 
give way before the purer British-growu 
article, across the Atlantic. There can be no 
doubt, at any rate, that Messrs. Gow, Wilson 
& Stanton deserve the thanks of all Indian 
and Ceylon tea-planters for the trouble they 
have taken in compiling and publishing this 
very elaborate and well-finished Circular- 
Diagram at this particular juncture. 
^ . 
MEDIUM OR COARSE AND FINE 
PLUCKING OF TEA. 
There would seem to be very little likelihood 
of this oft-dieputed question receiving an early, 
fioal settlement. Indeed, we fear it is one of a 
clasj which cannot admit of a wholly satisfaotory 
determination. So scon as one set of evidence 
appears to dispose of it, another, quite ot a 
contrary chftracter, is advanced which cannot fail 
to re opsn the argument, leaving as no chance 
of finally making up our minds as to whether 
the advantage remains with the advocates for 
coarse or even medium plucking, or with those who 
bold that the reputation of our tras and the ohancs 
ot maintaining prices are being sacrificed to such 
a course. Very recently Mr. John Hughts demon- 
strated by the result of his chemical analyses that 
it must pay oar planters better to pluck for the 
commoner grades of tea than to endeavor, by 
Eacrilioing quantity, to secure quality. We hao; 
scarcely had time to digest hia advice, and to 
consider the full meaning of the scientific de- 
ductions made by him from his experiments, 
than we are assured by Latdon tea authorities that 
the inftrior quality of the teas received of late 
from Ceylon is forcing down prices most 
Beriously ; — bo much so, indeed, that the trade, when 
tlie mail lelt, feared a fallmg-o£f in the general 
prices for our teas to a point lower than has 
yet been reached. This would seem to be con- 
tinued by (be bad uewa Ulegtajihed Itom tt>e Lao^ 
