94 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, (August i, 1893. 
to us. The onioncrop of Bermuda, which is sent to 
the New York market, and brings in some i;30,000 
a year, was a complete failure some years ago ; 
and the assistance of Kew was invoked by the colony 
It was then discovered that with the onion seed, which 
was obtained from Teneriffe, a fungoid diseafie had 
been imported, which was the cause of the disaster. 
A cure was effected ; and in token of gratitude Ber- 
muda is constantly sending rare and useful plants 
to Kew. This was my first visit to these beautiful 
and wonderful Gardens ; and I was sorry that 1 was 
not able to spend a longer time there. One of the 
greatest attractions of Kew Gardens, to my mind, is 
the North Picture Gallery. One is lost in amaze- 
ment at the skill and industry of the late Miss 
Marianne North here displayed in such a variety and 
wealth of colour. 
INDIAN AND CEYLON TEA : 
ANNUAIi REVIEW. 
38, Minoing Lane, June 1893. 
By perDoission of the Proprietors we are enabled 
to pablieb some figures showing the reeult of another 
year's work on many of the estates whose produce is 
sold on the London market. 
A comparison with the statistics compiled a jesr 
ago— "Which practioally covered the seme ground — 
shows that decrease in outturn in India has found 
oompeoeation in higher average value of produce. 
Bearing in mind that growers have had the benefit 
of lower rates of exchange, and of che&per freights 
than ruled in previous years, the returns— which 
are fairly representative of the entire crop — afford 
evidence that the past year has beeu a remunerative 
one, and has placed the indnstry in a position of 
Btrengtb and prosperity surpassing the ezpectatioD9 
of those who have experienced the vicissitudes of 
its early history, and have taken note of the strenuous 
competition which always h»s to be encouutered. 
In one respect the season has afforded a contrast to 
all that have preceded it. For the first time the 
total production of India has shown an appreciable 
decrease in quantity: and for the first time since 
Oeylon became a prodnoiug country of high import- 
ance, the yield has ceased to shotv a large increase. 
In so far as this has been the result of bad weather 
prevailing in particular places it is a matter of general 
regret; but where it has resulted fiom the policy of 
trying to secure crops moderate in bulk but good in 
quantity, it affords groands in satiefaction. 
Increased supplies, both from India and Ceylon, 
may indeed eventually be called for by all the con- 
suming countries of the world: bnt if producers would 
avoid the inconvenience of wide fluctuations in value, 
the incteaae should be gradual in its growth, attained 
by the natural development of the new acreage, and 
not by the sudden inrush of crops made at the ex- 
pense of quality. 
In another respect the past year has been very unlike 
the season which preceded it. The crop being of higher 
average quality has contained a larger percentage of 
good and fine tea — though not much more of the tinest 
— and consequently less than before of the inferior 
grades. The effect of this has been gradually to alter 
the normal relative range of value bb betw- en " com- 
mon" and "good," bringing their quotations very 
close together. While this has not adveisely affected 
average value— which is, of course, the main consider- 
ation — it has cert&inly for the time being gi^ en some 
B/dvantage to the producer of a heavy crop of low grade 
tea, and we fear it may prove a temptation to seek 
Buccess in the made rather than io its fualify 
the more so as there seems to be an vmpiessiou that 
the demand for the finer qualities is dimif iabing. 
That the oonrse of the market at one time gB\ e 
some ground for this impression we cannot dispute ; 
and it is necessary to add that those who ought to 
know allege that the widespread advertisement of "the 
finest Indian and Uejlon Teas " for retail sale 
at prices far lelow what such kinds realise 
at Public Auction ia affeoting the trade of those 
who used to sell them. But after due allowance has 
1 
been made for this, the fact remaias that, taking the 
yeaf as a whole, the best teas have rirely failed to 
naeet «ith enquiry and to brin? full prices. 
While obrervant of the tendency for retailers to 
reduce their quotations under strehs of tl e keen com- 
petition for tlie trade of the couQiry, we note that 
more than ever are care and discrimination shown by 
the buyers in picking out the l/ttt liquoring tea ; and 
we must, therefore, prepare for a e^peedy reinru to tbe 
low rates ruling for interior sorts a yrar ago if the 
coming crops from India or Ceylon shculd give a 
large supply of ttem. 
It is poeeiblo that those who prodoee at a low cost 
could ftce Buch a price with equanimity ; and that thofe 
who make specially good tea might even benefit by it 
— but for the great mass of growers it would be • 
disadvantage. 
The London Warehouse Beturns, which we piiot 
at foot, do not afford the sati>^factory feature of in- 
creased Deliveries, snob ns we were able to point to a 
year ago, except in the case of Ceylon which continue 
to make headway, mainly at tbe expense of China. 
But we do not think thfse returns neccsearily prove 
that consumption in the United Kingdom i« declining. 
We attribute the deorease in the qi.antity taken out 
of bond partly to the less prosperoue condition of the 
trade and industries of tbe ocnutry in general, but 
more to tbe fact that for the last tix months there 
has been comparatively little tea of any kind obtainable 
under 7d per lb., whereas during the cnrrespording 
period of the previous year, when the great increase in 
delivery took place, retailers were freely supplied with 
cheap tea selling from 4d to 6d per lb. The icference 
is that the invisible supplies held out of bond are now 
light. This we believe to he the cane, and it is an 
element of strength for the near future, unless China 
should once more heavily sapply us with Congou laid 
down at a low price early in tbe teaeon. 
The displacement of China by Britieh-grown tea, 
has progtessed so regularly for many years, that the 
fear of the procets ever being reversed may seem a 
gronodlees one— but it should be borne in mind that 
consnrcerd have no prejudice agaioft China tea as 
euob, and that its disuse has been largely due to the 
deterioration in its quality being to marked as to 
emphasize the superior economical value of our teas. 
It U at least conceivable that a charge might take 
plBce, and we must not, therefore, allow Obina and 
its power ot supply to be forgotten factors in our 
forecast of the future, in this coLnect;on the follow- 
ing figures, taken from Board of Trade Relume, 
showing the proportions in which the difieieut kiLds 
of tea have been used during tbe past two years 
may be of interest : — ' 
Duty pi_\ meuts for the year ending 31st May. 
1893. 
1892. 
Per cent. 
Per cet.t 
50-80 
2815 
2105 
100 
100 
Exported from U. K. year ending 31ft May 
1893. 
1892. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
11-30 
8-20 
80 50 
100 
100 
In times past it has been customary to discuss in 
detail the measures wLiih managers should tfko 
to secure the moft profitable resuitf. Precti- 
cally, all that has been written before holds 
good today, bnt the evidence before ns of the 
thorough eflBciency of those who are responsible 
and their general appreciation of the needs of onr 
market, seems to render repetition snpexfluous. The 
