June i, 1894.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST,- 
8ri 
I am credibly informed by an antiquary who haB 
Beirched tbe registers in wbioh the bills of fare of the 
ooart are recorded, that instead of tea and bread and 
butter, which have prevailed of late years, the maida 
of boDOur in Queen Elizabeth's time were allowed three 
ramps of beef for their breakfast."— 77(e Tatler, 
March 21at, 1709. 
Why do you treat chairs very spitefully in Ceylon? — 
Because you have them caned, simply because they 
cannot bear you. 
Why should you never tell a man to take a back 
Beat ? — Because if jou do, he may take affront (a front.) 
What is the most warlike nation '{ — Vacaioation, 
because it's alwajs in arms. 
Advbnturbs of a Half-Ohest op Tea.— A Liver- 
pool merchant recently sent 3 half-cheata to a subur- 
ban customer by carrier. On tbe tea being delivered 
it was discovered that one of the packages bad 
Dudergoue a process of transformation. It had been 
relieved of about half its contents, and the purchaser 
states that the following articles had been substituted. 
Three old canisters, a tin dish, a teapot, oyster-knife, 
a rusty gimlet, and au old rag ! (Food. Sept. 1884, 
-p. 31.) 
Tea-Oil.— A little to the west of Pu-ki I came upon 
the boarders of the tea districts. Here, as well as 
. elaewhere in Hunan, a goed deal of the tea oil is 
made. The plants from which the seeds are obtained 
be grown about 8 or 9 feet high, and are more 
straggling than the tea-ehrubs. The leaves of this 
tree cannot be used for making tea. The tree has 
been named Camellia Oleifera, but in Simonds's work 
on Tropical Agrimlture, it is stated that Tea-oil is 
obtained from the seeds of Thea Yiridis and in many 
parts of Hunan the natives assert that the plant was 
the same as the Tea-plant, but cultivated diifereotly. 
If tbe species are distinct, they are very closely allied. 
(Journeys in the interior of China, by G. James 
Morrison, C. B. Proceed, R. G. S. Vol. ii. 1880 p. 158.) 
THE COMING CHINA TEA SEASON. 
We are constantly being told that in the greater 
strength of Ceylon and Indian teas in comparison 
with those of ChinB growth, which means, in most 
oase», a greater preponderance of tannin, lies one of 
the chief reasons leading to the increased consump- 
tion of the former qualities, and the steady down- 
ward march of the China import to this country. No 
doubt it is a considerable element with the poorer 
classe!, whose digestions are not of a delicate order. 
But the reason whatsoever, the fact is, that, BCCord> 
ing to an estimate of Messrs. Geo. White & Co., 
the total requirements of all sarts for the approacb- 
ina season are put at 245 million of lb., of which 
China is to furnish only some 41 millions of lb., 
including the export demand for the Continent, 
which, however, takes more and more of its China 
Tea direct each year, and without the intermediary 
of London. It is qiiite evident, therefore, but China 
must fight bard if she wants to retain a fair place 
in the competition in this country, and it must be 
China and the Chinese who should do the most in the 
matter. The foreign Cha-sze and the merchant may 
be trusted to aid in his way, but he cannot meet the 
competition unless he is aided — or, rather, unless 
the handicap now placed on the export of tea by the 
Chinese Government ia lightened. China has now as 
excellent a chance of regaining some of her lost 
ground as she is likely to ever get, for, with a 
monopoly valued rupoa in India and Ceylon, she has 
a bonus over her rivalK, that she should be thankful 
bai been handed to her. Taking frijiht and ch.irgos 
from the various porta as being equal, Uhiua has 
a bonus in exchange equal to about 30 per otnt.; 
or, in other words, with silver at its present pricM, 
uho can «hip tetrly 23 lb. of tea to a little ever 17 lb. 
of her rivals, taking the cost of tea iu each on us 
being the 9«me at pott ot Bbipmeut. But she muit 
be prepared to reduce eonie ot the onerous inland 
faxes and duty which on the average, amount to 
fully 30 per cent of the value of the tea parchaaed. 
Whilst these exaciima are maintained the profit on 
growing tea must continue so small aa to leave no 
margin for improvement in culture or curing. It 
UEod to be pointed out that all the China tea we 
rejected was taken by Russia, the net result 
being that the total export from Chins to all 
foreign countries was maintained, but most Rus- 
sian buyers have since lelt Foochow, owing to 
a deterioration in manufacture, and the sa me 
may occur at Hankow, whilst the efforts be gt 
made by Ccsylon to create a trade with Eussia mu 
not be despised. With some easement of the heavy 
duties, China should have a splendid chance of prov- 
ing siie can still give us those "well-flavoured and 
wholeeome teas " she was noted for. In common 
with all silver-standard countries which grow in 
competition with those on a gold-standard, she is 
boaused in her exports, and has an opportunity if 
she will only recognise and profit by it. As we stated 
in our commercial article last week, there is a good 
opening for the China article if the native teamen 
can be prevailed to once more send to market im- 
proved quality.— X. «M<Z C. Express. 
CEYLON TEA IN THE TKANSVAAL- 
We published yesterday a letter from a residen 
in this division of South Africa and today's pos 
brings us another letter this time from Mr. 0. Mao 
Lure, whose Firm ia established in Johannesburg, 
for the saleof Ceylon tea. We have added theirname 
to the list of sellers of "pure Ceylon Tea" all 
over the world, and we quote from the letter as 
follows : — 
" About two years ago I called at your office 
when I was in Colombo, and mentioned that I 
purposed starting a Ceylon tea business in this part 
of the world YoU will see from above heading that 
the business is iu full swing, and, I am pleased to say 
showing signs of vary considerable development. Pure 
Ceylon tea has only recently, comparatively speaking, 
got into tbe market here, but it has, as at home, 
rapidly established itself in public favour. I may 
say that my firm baa materially assisted in creating 
the taste for Ceylon tea by opening rooms called the 
' CeyU n Tea Rooms,' a photo of which I herewith send 
to you. This photo is taken from a drawing of mine, 
and gives a fair idea of the design of the rooms. 
They are well patron sed by the Johannesburg 
public, and as we have a very liberal supply of the 
London il ustiated papers, etc. it has become quite 
a resort for the reading portion of the community. 
"Business, generally speaking, has been un- 
doubtedly bad for some time back, owing principally 
to the depression in the share market, and this, 
too, in spite of the steadily increasing output of 
gold, which will probably this month be considerably 
over 150,000 oz. What is wanted in this country is 
industrial development otherwise than in gold mining. 
The agricultural resources of the country are un- 
deniably great, although the periodical scarcity of 
water, and the ve.\ed labour question, would probably 
operate seriously agaiiist any farming or planting 
enterprise. The mineral wealth of this country must 
be enormous and there is undoubtedly a great future 
before it." 
COOKG COFFEE PROSPECIS. 
The Honorary Secretary of the Coorg Planters' 
Association writes to us :— " With regard to crop 
prospects in Coorg, though I have boen away for 
soma little time, and therefore cannot speak from 
personal ciroricuco. I am given to umlcratind that 
tlie blossom h»s set well and that the crop, gsueraUy 
speaking is likely to bo a good one. Colltfo is, 
liciu- also, lookina very he.ilthy, and making plenty 
I uf good cow wood."— SukM of India Obs^ rxtr, 
