ia6 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST 
[August  i,  1892. 
the  interests  of  sellers  here,  to  the  wider  question 
of  consumption — its  progress  in  the  past  and  probable 
expansion  in  the  future. 
The  total  increase  of  12J  millions  in  the  De- 
liveries tells  of  growth,  and  we  do  not  think  its 
limit  has  been  reached,  though  to  some  extent  the 
heavy  clearances  may  be  due,  as  they  have  been 
previously,  to  low  prices. 
Going  into  details,  we  see  that  7g  millions  more 
of  Indian,  18J  millions  more  of  Ceylon,  and  131? 
millions  less  of  China  have  been  taken.  The  con- 
tinuous increase  in  the  use  of  Ceylon  tea  is  the 
feature  of  the  year : that  it  has  occurred  without 
checking  the  use  of  Indian  is  most  satisfactory  to 
all  who  refuse  to  regard  their  respective  interests 
as  antagonistic. 
We  have  alluded  to  low  prices  as  a possible  cause 
of  the  large  Deliveries,  but  we  think  that  the  more 
general  use  of  Ceylon  and  Indian  combined  is  so 
raising  the  character  of  the  tea  supplied  to  the 
public  that  it  is  becoming  a more  popular  beverage. 
The  average  annual  consumption  per  head  of  the 
population  is  5§  lb.,  but  the  average  quantity  used 
by  an  adult  tea-drinker  is  about  12  lb.  per  annum, 
and  by  a household  which  includes  children  probably 
8 lb.  per  head — it  follows,  therefore,  that  a large 
portion  of  the  population  consume  very  little  at 
all,  so  there  is  still  a good  margin  for  increase  in 
the  aggregate  amount  consumed.  But  while  this 
may  be  so  with  regard  to  tea  as  a whole,  a re- 
ference to  statistics  shows  that  the  proportion  of 
British-grown  tea  used  in  the  U.  K.  is  still  insuffi- 
cient to  absorb  all  that  we  are  likely  to  receive. 
During  1891  the  proportion  rose  from  72  per  cent 
to  80  per  cent:  and  by  April  of  this  year  it  ad- 
vanced to  84  per  cent ; but  this  rate  only  represents 
176  million  lb.  out  of  the  total  of  210  millions  which 
may  be  used  at  home  during  the  coming  year, 
leaving  a considerable  surplus,  for  which  we  must 
hope  to  find  buyers  outside  the  United  Kingdom. 
The  need  of  fostering  trade  with  other  markets 
becomes,  therefore,  more  pressing  than  ever,  and  it 
is  encouraging  to  find  evidence  that  efforts  made 
in  the  past — whether  individual  or  associated — are 
now  bearing  fruit. 
The  export  of  Indian  from  London  has  risen  to 
4£  million  lb.,  and  of  Ceylon  to  3J  million  lb.  in 
the  season,  the  United  States,  Canada,  and  Constanti- 
nople being  the  principal  buyers,  with  a steadily 
growing  demand,  though  still  too  much  limited  by 
price.  In  most  parts  of  the  world  with  which  we 
trade  our  teas  are  gaining  repute,  and  although  the 
Australasian  buyers  have  not  taken  much  more  than 
in  1890-1,  a trade  is  being  developed  with  Western 
Asia  through  the  agency  of  Bombay  houses  which 
will  be  of  great  benefit,  as  it  absorbs  a class  of  tea 
with  which  our  market  is  often  over-supplied.  The 
importance  of  bringing  our  tea  into  notice  in  other 
centres  of  commerce  is  so  manifest,  that  no  opportunity 
— such  as  the  coming  Chicago  Exhibition — should 
be  lost;  and  it  would  be  well  if  India  and  Ceylon  could 
act  in  concert,  for  however  natural  it  is  for  individual 
action  to  be  inspired  by  individualiuterest,  the  facts  are 
that  the  two  Industries  have  practically  become  one  and 
that  those  who  buy  for  trade  purposes  are  unmoved  by 
sentiment,  and  take  whichever  growth  happens  to  be  the 
cheaper,  provided  it  be  suitable,  the  source  of  supply 
being  to  them  comparatively  speaking  a matter  of 
indifference.  The  United  States  offer  the  widest  field 
for  enterprise ; but  as  only  8 or  10  millions  out  of 
the  90  million  lb  annually  used  there  are  black  tea, 
and  as  the  preference  shown  for  unfermented  kinds 
ia  almost  certainly  due  to  soma  property  of  the  water, 
which  makes  them  the  more  palatable — progress  must 
needs  be  slow,  unless  Producers  lire  willing  to  take 
the  risk  of  making  tea  resembling  Oolong,  to  suit 
the  national  taste.  In  course  of  time,  a market  would 
probably  be  found  for  a large  quantity  ; the  risk  would 
be,  that  failing  buyers  in  the  States,  such  tea  would 
be  difficult  to  sail  elsewhere.  Many  Proprislore,  how- 
ever, may  be  willing  to  make  experiments  on  a small 
soale,  and  show  that,  if  called  upon,  they  can  meet 
the  demand  from  all  quarters  of  the  world. 
From  the  subject  of  consumption  we  pass  to  consider 
what  class  of  tea  will  prove  most  profitable  to  produce. 
The  course  of  the  market  seems  to  justify  the 
opinion  we  have  repeatedly  expressed  that  a gradual, 
if  slow,  re-action  from  tbe  craze  for  mere  • cheap- 
ness” is  taking  place.  It  is  true  that  very  low- 
pricel  teas  are  advertized,  bnt,  for  obvious  rea- 
sons, they  are  not  pushed  by  the  counterman 
er  by  tbe  agent, and  we  believe  are  not  extensively  said 
outside  London  and  a few  large  cities — and  there  is 
evidence  that  consumers  are  learning  that  the  best 
tra  is  the  most  economical  to  use.  To  those  who 
closely  watch  the  opera1  ions  of  tbe  principal  retail 
distributors — usually  oredited  with  succeeding  by  the 
attractive  power  of  a low  quotation — it  is  instructive 
to  Dote  that  they  are,  notwithstanding,  among  the 
Lrgest  buyers  of  good  tea,  making  liquor  the  criterion 
of  value. 
But  while  we  put  forward  this  view  with  some  con- 
fidence, we  do  not  suggest  that  it  will  repay  all 
growers  to  shorten  their  crops  in  the  endeavour  to 
miilresuch  teas  as  now  command  ldgb  prices.  A great 
vaiiety  in  the  character  and  value  of  supplies  is 
necessary  ; and  until  the  average  retail  price  is 
more  generally  raised  by  the  drift  of  pnblio  opinion 
in  favour  of  a good  article  instead  of  a •*  cheap” 
one,  it  would  be  opposed  to  experience  to  expeot 
that  present  prices  of  fine  tea  will  rule  with  any 
considerable  increase  in  their  supply.  Still,  the 
margin  between  the  value  of  a good  crop  and  a 
bad  one  is  now  so  wide  as  to  represent  tbe  difference 
between  a fair  profit  and  none  at  all— and  so  long  as 
there  is  no  actual  shortness  in  the  total  supply  (which 
would  at  once  alter  the  range  of  prices)  we  think 
market  rates  will  tend  ia  that  direction. 
We  do  not  advise  growers  to  set  themselves  the  task 
of  muking  any  particular  type  of  tea,  for  although  in 
recent  years  a preference  has  been  shown  for  fully- 
fermented,  deep  coloured  kinds,  of  late  there  has  been 
some  re-action  in  favour  of  high -flavoured,  pungent 
varieties,  of  Ceylon  as  well  as  of  Indian— and  we 
therefore  recommended  each  one  to  make  that  kind 
which  experience  has  taught  him  his  soil,  plant  and 
appliances  are  best  fitted  to  produce. 
One  point  is  c ear,  viz.:  that  every  one  who  has 
alrtady  made  a name  for  a speciality,  or  for  fine  tea, 
should  aim  at  keeping  it,  and  take  no  risk  by  change  : 
the  reputation  of  a mark  still  counts  hr  much,  and 
buyers  pay  most  attenion  to  those  one  which  they 
can  depend  for  regularity  of  quality  and  character 
from  season  to  season.  This  applies  with  special  force 
to  certain  estates  tu  Assam  and  Ceylon,  and  to  many 
in  Darjeeling,  of  which  it  maybe  said — wi  bent  any 
disparagement  cf  other  gardens  or  districts  which 
have  their  own  mirits — that  their  finest  te»s  hold  an 
unassailable  position. 
It  is  espec  ally  desirable  lhat  from  f eylon  should 
come  more  frequently  invoices  containing  fim  ly  sorted 
tea — not  of  fancy  character  as  specimens  of  the  tea- 
miker’s  art,  but  for  the  practical  purpose  of  lift- 
ing the  dead  level  of  market  quotations,  and  of 
giving  tbe  trade  something  to  talk  about  and  work 
upon.  Every  year  from  India  comes  a fair  supply  in 
bulk  of  “ Pekoe,”  selling  from  Is  Sd  to  2s,  and  of 
“ Broken  Pekoe,”  selling  from  2s  to  2a  6d  per  lb. : 
their  quotation  in  the  pubio  records  of  business  is 
of  great  advantage,  inasmuch  as  it  imparts  elasticity 
to  the  value  of  good  teas  of  a lower  grade. 
The  prcgiess  cf  the  Ceylon  trade  is  shown  by  the 
following  statistics,  covcriDg  four  seasons. 
Year  ending  31st  May,  1892 
ImDort  64  million  lb. 
Do. 
do. 
1891 
„ 
Do. 
do. 
1890 
j>  ,,  ,, 
Do, 
do. 
1889 
)>  26§  ,,  „ 
Total  in  Auction  790,000  pkgs. 
Average  sale  price 
(•xclueive  of 
9Jd  per  lb. 
reprints) 
- 
(approximate) 
It  J J 
605,000 
15 
Hd 
ft  5 J 
450,000 
91 
» Hd 
|5  55 
381,500 
It 
„ 104d  „ 
Wai,  I as.  & Hy,  Thompson,  Brokers. 
