Feb. r, 1895.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
54i 
CEYLON TEAS. 
' The Couuse of the Market. — The falling off in 
the quality business opened slowly at lower prices, 
but soon changed to a better demand at firm values. 
This positiou was fairly maintained throughout 
February and March, except when heavy auctions 
caused irregularity, but common teas on the whole 
were dearer. In the middle of April large totals 
again caused unevenness in values, especially for fine 
kiuds. May commenced with a better enquiry, but 
the heavy supplies and unattractive quality checked 
the demand. Late in June an improvement took 
place in the selection, and a hotter feeling sprung 
up, leading to a slight advance at the end of July. 
Throughout August and September business con- 
tinued good at tirm prices. In October values fur- 
ther strengthened, supplies being short. A slight 
reaction took place at the end of the month, but 
November opened well, except for broken pekoes. 
The continued short supplies caused an advancing 
tone, but afterwards the quality was not attractive 
and prices gave way ; however, the year closed with 
a slight rise in common and medium descriptions, 
but broken pekoes showed no recovery. 
Small Breaks. — The limit remains unaltered, being 
12 chests or 18 half-chests and 20 boxes. 
Quality. — The weather seems to have been some- 
what unfavourable to good manufacture, consequently 
imports ou the whole have not been peruana quite 
so good as in 1894. It is evident, however, that 
there has been no falling off in the endeavour to 
produce teas suited to the requirements of buyers. 
Shipments hence to other markets have again 
increased by 1,058,153 lb. or 2j per cent, over 1893, 
showing that a further displacement of other growths, 
chiefly China tea, has taken place. 
Averaoe Price. 
:ages, average 8j|d perlb. 
m » 
,i 9^d » 
» 9£d „ 
! „ 10id „ 
Hd „ 
„ Hid „ 
„ Is ojd „ 
1804 
B39;573 
18SJ3 
846,762 
1892 
789,231 
1891 
755,562 
1890 
535,611 
1889 
131;043 
1888 
303,284 
1887 
182,955 
Public Sales. 
1891. 
1893. 
1892. 
1891. 
Pkgs. 
Pkgs. 
Pkgs. 
Pkgs. 
January 
93,687 
78,929 
69,681 
50,053 
February 
83,927 
52,351 
65,149 
55,205 
March 
44,628 
77.5S9 
78,750 
53,292 
April 
79,374 
47,147 
51,000 
78,350 
May 
s;,,659 
81,269 
99,728 
57,934 
June 
81,278 
87,005 
63,402 
87,379 
July 
110,191 
79,068 
74,314 
65,180 
August 
September 
75,335 
96,900 
93,764 
69,199 
7.">. 676 
56,781 ^ 
73,268 
74.252 
October 
6 1,252 
67,476 
48,648 
61.417 
November 
53,419 
52,856 
49,555 
55,763 
December 
42.1 17 
59.38S 
41,972 
47,538 
Total 
889,573 
816,762 
789,231 
755,562 
—bUninmi, Inskipp <u Co.'d lieport. 
PLANTING AND I'K'JLH CE. 
THE EXTENSION" Of TEA CULTIVATION. 
Ouo of our correspondents last week sounded a note 
ot warning about tlio folly of reckless extension in 
tea cultivation. Sound as the advice is, wefe.U'that 
it is as futile to give it us to preach to thu wind. In 
these stern days of competition the general welfare 
of an industry is not considered. Possioly tho con- 
ditions of life render it imperative that a policy of 
"the devil take the hindmost '' should prevail. Fight- 
ing men may be at peace, but in commerce it is 
war to the kuile. not only amongst foreign nations, 
but with people speaking the same tongue. " All's 
fair iu love aud trade " is the new rnotto. Although, 
tu our correspondent, "A Sharsh older," very pro- 
lis 
perly points out, care should be taken where ex- 
tensions are entered upon that the most advantageous 
conditions as to soil, management, capital, etc., 
exist, none of these considerations.we imagine, will 
weigh a feather if individual or joint stock owners 
of tea plantations think that money can be made 
by increasing their future production. This form 
of regulating supplies does not commend itself 
to tea proprietors, although the majority of 
them are likely enough to consider that their 
neighbours might with advantage act on 
the advice. Not that these tea planters are more 
selfish than other people, but with Ceylon in the 
field as a friendly competitor, and with Ceylon 
planters keenly alive to any chance of increasing 
cultivation if a ghost of a chance offers that it would 
pay, it is but natural that ill-advised extensions will 
ba made elsewhere as a matter of course, and that 
the over sanguine— for the over sanguine are always 
with us— will rush in without much regard 
to whether supplies are likely to outrun the demand, 
or whether the extension can be made to pay. In 
every branch of commerce a sermon on the folly of sen^ 
seless competition might be preached with advantage, if 
there were any chance of a lesson being learnt.or advice 
taken, but we have now arrived at that pitch of 
of heedlessness in the frenzied struggle for existence 
or the means of living that every one follows the 
dictates of his own sweet will, aud competes with his 
neighbour on the very best terms he can, possibly 
because he thinks it the highest form of duty to 
himself. If the tea planter is able to rise 
superior to the generality of mankind, and show 
wisdom and judgment in restraining his competitive 
zeal in order to contribute to the prosperity of 
the tea industry generally, some new order of 
merit for self-abnegation should be instituted. 
A judicious and restraining influence in the 
matter of extended cultivation would be a real boon 
to'the tea industry, but how is it to be brought about, 
and who is to decide when it shall be exercised ? 
Left to the individual judgment it is simpiy a ques' 
tion of will it pay, and as the individual judgment in 
its folly is frequently too hopeful on that point, we 
must iu the ordinary course of things expect an 
extension of cultivation and a few ups and downs in 
consequence. Fortunately new markets, or an in- 
creased demand from those markets which have just 
been opened up may occur and afford some relief 
but for all that our correspondent's warning is worth 
heeding. — II. and C. Mail. 
DEATH IN THE CUP, 
" The social duty of paying calls, refreshed, as it 
necessarily is, by frequent cups of tepid tea, is appa- 
rently a little better than a process of slow poisoning." 
— Daily Graphic. 
Oh, here's a pretty state of things ! Whenever you so 
calling 
Anil take this deadly liquor and imbibe it without stint, 
J on re certainly preparing a catastrophe appalling : . 
Your mirth is as the little lamb's unmindful of the mint. 
And when your entertainer, who seems so sweetly 
placid 
And quite unlike a criminal, suggests "Another Cup"? 
She might as well ba blFeiTOg'it dose of prusYic 1 iicid. 
And tin Public Prosecutor iHiylll to take the linUei'up! 
" The cup that cheers "—that hackneved phrase is fri-ht- 
lully in error 
It seldom it " inebriates " (it (/.«•■>•, the doc torn. plead) 
there lurks within its fatal draught a more efUcient 
terror, 
" Twill shortly make a funeral your one and only need '. 
So since a daily cup or two the thin end Qf the wedge isj 
Ami since this revelation of our danger has been mule 
We all will wear red ribbons ami will sign the strictest 
pledges. 
Ami speedily inaugurate an " Anti-Tea " crusade. 
A word to you, Amanda mine, unless your cruel 
kindness 
Your efforts to consign me to an early gravei shall 
cease, 
And if yon dare, presuming on uiv lonji-eontinuvd 
blindness, 
Xo offer me a cup of tea— I'll eiah. for the police ; 
—i'unch. < 
