Aug. i, 1894.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
93 
Progressive movement is the prominent feature 
in the retrospect and progress neither spasmodio 
nor exceptional, but systematic and regular, iu pro- 
duction ; in consumption at home and demand from 
abroad ; and in the application of skill and re- 
source in solution of difficulties which the planter 
has to face at all times, and the merchant in periods 
of general tr.ide depression. The outcome of the 
studious stteution given in past years to the develop- 
ment of the great tea interest of India and Ceylon 
is that ihe industry remains remunera'ive and 
prospering notwithstanding the decline in the market 
value of produce. 
As regards India — the season was one of exceptional 
difficulty owing to iucidents, climitie in origin and 
out of contro', in some plaoos lessening the productive- 
ness of the bush, or affecting the quality of the leaf ; 
in others interfering with the process of manufacture. 
Although some few parts seem to have been speoially 
favoured, others were at a disadvantage duriug the 
whole year; it is, therefore, not surprising that while 
there are instaooes of distinct improvement the entire 
crops from a cousiderable area hove failed to main- 
tain their full standard o£ excellence. 
That the deficiency, where shown, was mainly due 
to th^ ciuse indicated, and not to lack of care or to 
undue eagerness lor excessive yield, finds confirmation 
in the fact that the teas in question have b eu fairly 
good iu uppearanue, and in the colour of infused leaf 
(the surest index of quality), though wanting the 
fullness aud poiutin liquor characteristic of the typical 
lujiau tea — properties which experience) 6hows must 
be in the leaf when plucked, and are not to be acquired 
by subsequent treatment, though easily lost by want, 
ot skill aud care. In lespect of its composition aud 
character the crop closely resembled that of 1891, 
presenting a marked oontrast to the liner interme- 
diate crop of 1892, whioh accounts for the altered 
ranye of quotations, and very different movements iu 
tho market compared with last season. 
As one cannot toretell the variations of climate, 
which combiue to ljwer or raise the general oharaoter 
i t the crop, it wouid be impohtiu to foreoast the 
particular direction in which prices here may move 
Out recollection of other years warrants tbe conoiuhion 
that a re-adjustment in the rauge of value, with 
distinct benefit to the average price, would follow 
the reoeipt of a fiuer crop ; wheieas another large 
one, not plainly marked as good, may still further 
accentuate the elepresaien iu ihe lo«er sorts, bringing 
s;nous hazard 10 those who moke thtm, with 
compensation iu the lorua of high prices for the best. 
Tnere is a pjloy, however, that we think without 
question thost) should pursue whese estates can give 
tea of distinctive character and quality for whilst 
others may possibly flud it safer 10 rely on a heavy 
yitld at a low cost, they should aim at inakiug a 
speciality, aud nut be divert. d from doing so by 
temporaiay fluctuations in the market seemingly adverse 
to tine tea. This more especially applies to flomo 
parts of Darjeeling aud Assam, but we fail to under- 
stand why more persis'.ent eudcavours on these lines 
are not mads elsewhere, for hue tea will he appre- 
ciated here wher. ver it may come from, and in limes 
past some of the choiueat tea came from (Jachar, 
i'erai, and the Dooars. 
It is true that the reduced retail quotation current 
all over the couutry would seem to endanger the 
future of hue tea ; but against this we set the fact 
that the grower has only boiuo a fraction of the loss 
incidental to the choapouiug process ; the greater pare 
of it has beou taken out of the middlemen's pocket 
by those who, following the modern teudeucy of trade) 
deal as near as may bo directly with the producer, 
aud are thus able lomcet the deinai-d for good tea 
at a lower letail price than used to b> paid. The 
importance attaohed to 'quality " as distinct from 
" oneapness ' by those who are trading suceesstully 
ou these lines, is the si^u-punt for producero iu douut 
as to the direction they should take. 
To the evor-roourriug question , "What sort of toas 
should wo make?" the uutiner loutty must DO what 
it has been iu the past — viz., the type that e.xpeueuo 
shows to be the most suitable to your soil, plant, and 
appliances! A wide diversity of type is required in 
order to meet the varying demands of the Trade in 
different parts of the Kingdom, which do not ohange 
from year to year because the oause is constant — 
viz., the difference in the water used in the various 
localities. As the proportion of China tea uaed lessens, 
there is, it is true, more enquiry for soft and flavr.ry 
kinds from consumers who prefer them to those with 
strong and pungent liquor; but Ceylon, Sylhet, and 
the Dooara can supply this want, aud care must be 
taken eleewhere to provide the variety that has 
been suoh a valuable factor in the popularity of the 
Indian produot. 
This question of water mainly accounts, we bolieve 
for the slow progress made in trade with the United 
States and Canada, possibly also with Russia, which 
indeed is the most diappointing feature of tbe year ; 
whereas Ceylon Tea. many years behind Ind'a in point 
of time, is making headway mora rapidly. That the 
export will expand as years go on, seems patent — but 
so far, from one cause or another, neither the Continent 
not America have appreciated the inhere-nt good quality 
of our finest tea, and when trade is dono the margin 
of profit is sy nirrow that there is no special induce- 
ment for aoy who are not personally interested to 
engage in it. The 6uslained efforts of Plan*erj and 
others concerned should, however, take eff eot ; for 
the thin end of the wedge has been driven in by 
the London Dealers who for years past have worked 
quietly on a mercantile basis — so far perhaps with 
little profit — with a view to the future. By gra- 
dually accustoming consumers abroad to the taste 
of our teas — as was done here in the iofanoy of 
the Indian trade — the way should be prepared for 
a larger business in the future. That foreign markets 
should call for our low priced teas with clean sweet 
liquors in preference to thefiner qualities is not wholly 
a dis id vantage, for Ceylon can give the supply if 
India cannot; it is with such kiuds that the home market 
if often over-stocked, and the relief will ba the same 
whether Ceylon or Indian be taken. 
As regards Ceylon Tea, though from its mirked 
individuality it i-; sometimes treated as an interest 
separate from that of India, or even as antagonistic 
to it, that is not really the case as far as this market 
is concerned; for the trade in the two growths moves 
cn parallel lines, and whatever affects tbe value of 
the one eventually re-acts upon the other. Taken 
together they practioally ocoupy the attention of the 
Home Trade to the exclusion of other kinds, and they 
meet each other in competition very muoh as teas 
from the different parts of ludia do, being appraised 
by the buyers from the standpoint of relative 
quality and value, allowing, of course for the 
special enquiry for Ceylon, Dari'eeling, Aesam, &o., as 
sucb. Our Comments under the head of India, as 
regards the general tendency of trade and the outlook 
for the future will, therefore, be more or less appli- 
cable to Ceylon; but a summary of the past year 
would be incomplete without recognitiou of tho 
uniformly good tea produced in the Island, aud the 
small proportion showing faulty manufacture. 
The opinion often expressed that quality has greatly 
fallen off, arises from the memory of those few teas 
speciallv fine in grade as well as liquor, made years 
ago with a defiuite end in view, which oertainly 
made the reputation of Ceylon. The system now 
generally adopted, and prcumably the more profitable 
alters the grading of the ltaf, and gives flavour or 
puDgency in place of ti e deep rich liquor that at 
first constituted the special distinction of Ceylon tea; 
but the greator portion ot the teas that now come 
beforo us are of fairly good quality, though often 
of low grade, and, as a whole, are superior to some 
of the intermediate crops received during tbe past 
reven or eight years. While expressing this view, 
wo should like agaiu to impress upon Planters that 
a greater varioty in char«ctor is desirable, as tho 
uniformity which now marks so much of tho crop 
lossens the elasticity of prices, and, as a matte r of 
fact, prevents tho use of Ceylon by :>oiue W '>>J "'nly 
buy tea with thick liquor, and will uot take the light 
pungent variety now principally made. 
