Aug. i, 1894.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
107 
PEODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF 
BRITISH-GROWN TEAS. 
Mes3rs. Gow, Wilson & Stanton's Diagram- 
Circular arrives at. a most opportune moment, 
when the whole oommunity is being ap- 
pealed to in the interests of a Campaign 
to win a new market for Ceylon teas on the 
North Amerioan Continent. For, in this cbou- 
ment we have put together the v.ry information 
requisite to convince the most sceptical of the 
serious position of the industry unless a further 
advanoe is made in ousting China and Japan teas. 
At the very outset we may notice the encourage- 
ment offered to suoh a campaign in the figures 
which are found at the very end of the oiroular 
before ua. It is there shown that, in 1892, the total 
consumption of tea, outside of Asia, amounted to very 
nearly 443 million lb, and of this, only 198 million 
lb. were British-grown, leaving 250 million of 
China, Japan and Java kinds as still in use in 
Europe, Amerioa, Australasia and Cape Colony. 
Now surely, there is encouragement here to fight a 
campaign on behalf of Indo-Ceylon teas and 
against the China-Japan artiole. But aB the Rood 
Lane Firm shows, the dosing of the Indian Mint 
has imposed a differential duty equal to a penny 
a lb. against British-grown teas, as oompared 
with China end Japan teas, and this tells in 
attempting to drive the latter out of North Amerioa, 
the Continent of Europe and Australasia. Never- 
theless, the dear duty of producers is 
to make the attempt and we are told that 
money would be spent more wisely in this direc- 
tion than in extending cultivation and eo increasing 
production. 
In their Diagram, Messrs. Gow, Wilson & Stanton 
take Indian and Ceylon teas together and they 
show how the price has fallen from Is 6d in 
1881 when 48 million of (Indian) tea were con- 
sumed to 9£d in 1893 with a consumption of 172 
million lb. This for the United Kingdom ; but 
in contrasting this with the falling-off in China 
kinds from 112 to 36 million, the fact is omitted 
of the neoessity for giving greater weight to the 
figures representing British-grown teas in view of 
the superior quality and strength ot the latter. 
We are fairly well-pleased with the increase in 
the total consumption of the world, outside Asia, 
in the past ten years or from 3591 million lb. 
in 1880-84 to 443 million in 1892. But if only 
we could get the Anglo-Saxon-Celtio people in 
North America to drink tea at the rate it is 
consumed in the United Kingdom, or, still more, 
by their brethren throughout Australasia, our 
difficulties would be at an end. The Canadians 
do fairly well at 4 lb. a head per annum, against 
5 lb. say in Great Britain and less than 1* lb. in the 
United States ; while the Australians drink at the 
rate of over 7^ lb,! It North Amerioa did as well, the 
whole of the present production of tea would not 
suffice to oover the demand I But with " perseve- 
rance, pluok and promptitude," we do not at all 
see why the Caylon planters (fighting shoulder to 
shoulder with their Indian brethren) should not 
cause a great riBe in the total tea consumption 
of the United States and, still more, a notable 
supercesbion of China and Japan kinds, in favour 
of tho purer, superior teas of Oeylon and India. 
INDIAN TEA SALES AT CALCUTTA. 
(From William Moron <£■ Co's Market Report,) 
Calcutta, July 3rd, 1894. 
TEA.— Dining the past fortnight 22,500 chests 
have boon sold at tho usual Thursday auctions. 
The chief feature has boon tho strong demand 
14 
for the very fine quality teas arrived frem Dar- 
jeeling, Assam, and the Dooraa. Following are given 
particulars of the highest average obtained, with 
their equivalents in sterling at current exchange 
and freight. Several fine invoices from Cachar 
also met with keen competition and realised very 
satisfactory prices. There is no doubt that in 
almost every instance, these high prices have been 
justified, as the quality has been finer than for 
several years past. 
Pkgs. Average s. d. 
Ting Ling Tea Co., Ld. Darj. 60 R2 4 8 = 2 10J 
Ghyabaree do do do 55 ,,2 3 0 ,, 2 8£ 
Nagri Firm Estate do 53 ,, 1 10 6 „2 0| 
Sam Sing Estate Dooars 145 ,, 1 9 8 ,, 2 0 
Teesta Valley Tea 
Co., Ld. Darj. 98 „ 1 9 1 „ 1 1U 
BalasunTea Co.,Ld. do 50 „ 1 9 0 „ 1 llf 
Hattibaree Estate Assam 70 „ 1 9 0 „ 1 ll| 
National Tea Co., Ld. do 159 „ 1 8 10 „ 1 11 
Singbulli & Murmah 
Tea Co., Ld, (Sing- 
bulli) Darj. Ill „ 1 7 10 „ 1 10* 
Tumsong Estate do 27 „ 1 7 0 „ 1 9§ 
Gielle Tea Co.,Ld. do 63 „ 1 6 6 „ 1 9£ 
Ring TongTeaOo., Ld. do 77 „ 1 6 1„1 8J 
Tarajullie Estate Assam 105 „ 1 4 5 „ 1 7| 
Other teas were firm on the 21st ultimo, bat on 
the 28th, there was a decided fall, especially on 
neat leaf pekoes without much liquor and on ordi- 
nary pekoe souchongs. 
Judging from musters now arriving, Assam and 
Darjeeling are still making fine quality but not so 
excellent as that of invoices arrived. Dooars and 
Terai samples generally show a marked falling 
off, and in many instances must be characterised 
as " rainy." 
On Thursday next about 15,000 chests will bo 
offered, including some fine invoices for which high 
rates may again be expected. 
Total Quantity of Tea passed thkough Calcutta 
froji 1st April to 1st Julv. 
1894. 
10,826,135 
782,107 
4,625 
131,956 
73,020 
Great Britain 
Australia and New Zealand 
America 
Bombay and Persian Gulf 
Sundry Ports 
11,817,843 
1893; 
9,055,005 
149,850 
18,368 
196,683 
61,395 
9,481,301 
THE LAGALLA LOWCOUNTRY PRODUCT 
EXPERIMENT. 
Mr. Ross-Wright has taken oharge of Pallegama, 
on the Laggala side, the property (now of a Company) 
that Capt. Gordon Reeves obtained from Govern- 
ment to experiment on, in growing lowcountry 
products, The soil is very fine, and with a Manager 
who thoroughly understands Sinhalese labour, we 
hope soon to hear that this experiment is a great 
success. 
CEYLON TEA IN AMERICA. 
Dr. Trimen is good enough to write in answer 
to our inquiry: — "The best method of orying our 
wares to catoh American buyers is a subject on 
whioh I find it quite impossible to take any in- 
terest; though no doubt it is very important oom- 
meroially. Something in the way of a gratuitous 
distribution of samples to the right people is the 
kind of action that seems to be most dignified 
and proper. The expenditure on this could be 
easily reokoned and regulated acoording to oiroum- 
etances. Our tea should find its way by its real 
merits." 
