Oct,  i,  1892.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
255 
land  entirely  because  it  docs  not  pay,  there  is  just  a 
ray  of  hope  for  us  in  the  future,  that,  with  a possible 
improvement  in  the  price  of  barb,  and  with  the  pro- 
bable development  of  a tea  estate,  we  may,  in  the 
course  of  a few  years,  be  in  a very  different  position 
to  that  in  which  we  now  are. 
Tfce  Chairman  stated  that  the  bark  was  of  verv 
high  quality,  the  analyses  of  the  Ledgeriana  bark 
averaging  6 per  cent,  of  sulphate  of  quinine. 
Mr,  Tolputt  said  it  would  perhaps  interest  the 
shareholders  to  know  that  an  invention  was  being 
brought  out  which  was  likely  to  revolutionise  the 
cost  of  tea-producing.  It  was  the  invention  of  a 
gentleman  he  knew  very  well,  and  it  would  save  an 
enormeus  amcuut  of  labour  in  plucking. — M.  Times. 
TEA  AND  SOIL  IN  CEYLON. 
^Observer,  Aug.  30th.) 
“ India  and  Ceylon  Teas  and  Prices.”  “ Why 
is  it  that  Ceylon  now  shows  nothing  like  such 
figures  ?” 
Because  Ceylon  soil  is  not  in  it  compared  to 
India  and  the  1 i • tie  that  is  in  it  is  being  pumped 
out  of  it  bv  fine  plucking. 
AN  OLD  COFFEE  STUMP. 
[People  would  pay  more  respect  to  the  ex 
cathedra  utterances  of  this  correspondent,  but  for 
the  fact  that  he  accused  Ceylon  planters  of  taking 
too  much  from  the  soil  and  too  little  from  the 
atmosphere,  and  then  failed  to  respond  to  all 
demands  for  explanaton. — Ed.  T.A  ] 
NOTES  ON  PRODUCE  AND  FINANCE. 
The  Customs  Revenue  on  Tea. — The  report  of  the 
Commissioners  of  Her  Majesty’s  Customs  for  the 
financial  year  ending  in  March  last,  will  be  pleasant 
reading  for  Ceylon  planters,  as  it  shows  the  remark- 
able advance  in  the  popularity  of  Ceylon  tea.  The 
revenue  from  tea  in  1891-92  exceed  that  of  1890-91,  by 
£6,238,  the  gross  amount  being  £3,424,830,  against 
£3,418,592.  But  it  is  pointed  out  that  the  real  in- 
crease in  consumption  is  not  truly  marked  by  the 
small  advance  in  the  revenue.  In  1890-91  the  revenue 
derived  from  tea  was  unduly  swollen  by  about  six 
million  pounds  in  weight  having  been  held 
back  from  clearance  in  the  early  part  of  1890, 
in  anticipation  of  a reduction  of  duty.  Mak- 
ing due  allowance  for  this  circumstance  the 
real  increase  in  the  consumption  of  tea  during 
the  past  year  appears  as  about  equal  to  S, 813.000 
pounds.  The  chief  feature  of  the  year  just  expired 
is  that  Indian  tea  has  decreased  somewhat  in  popular 
use,  while  the  demand  for  Ceylon  tea  has  enor- 
mously increased.  While  Indian  tea  has  fallen  in 
public  use  by  about  three  million  pounds  in  1891, 
the  consumption  of  Ceylon  tea  has  increased  by  no 
less  than  16,700,000  lb,  or  over  48  x>er  cent.  This 
is  properly  described  in  the  report  as  “ a most 
astonishing  advance  for  a single  year.”  Yet  it  was 
surpassed  in  1888,  when  the  consumption  of  Ceylon 
tea  rose  to  18J  million  pounds  from  less  than  10 
millions  in  the  previous  year,  the  rise  being  almo- 1 
100  per  cent.  In  1891,  for  the  first  time,  the  use 
of  Ceylon  tea  has  exceeded  that  of  China  tea,  which 
ha3  now  sunk  to  less  than  one  quarter  of  our  total 
consumption. 
Coffee  and  Cocoa.— The  consumption  of  coffee 
is  still  declining,  the  gross  revenue  from  it 
having  fallen  from  £1S1,900  in  the  year  1890  91 
to  £181.287  in  the  last  financial  year.  But  if, 
coffee  is  1 ising  ground  in  the  public  estimation,  cocoa 
is  rapidly  gaining  in  popular  favour.  There  was  an 
increase  of  nearly  £u,00C  in  the  revenue  from  it  during 
the  year  under  review.  Its  consumption  has  increased 
34  per  cent  within  the  last  five  years.  The  quantity 
of  foreign  chicory  consumed,  given  as  92,813  cwt. 
shows  a decrease  of  3T  per  cent. 
Japan  Tea. — Official  reports  show  that  the  quantity 
of  tea  exported  last  year  from  Tokio  (Japan)  was 
30,644,396  lb.,  or  3,182,174  lb.  in  excess  of  that  in  the 
previous  year.  According  to  an  analysis  of  the  export, 
the  distribution  of  the  tea  was  as  follows : — Canada 
10,846,075  lb.,  Chicago  7,606,474  lb.,  New  York 
6,807,832  lb.,  California  4,647,629  lb.,  Europe  451,017  lb., 
and  the  balance  for  the  most  part  to  China. 
The  report  says  : — At  one  period  enquiry  at 
Tokio  ran  largely  on  lower-priced  grades,  the 
notion  being  that  such  would  prove  the  more 
lucrative  investment.  The  consequence  was  that  a 
great  quantity  of  hurriedly  prexrared  low-grade  leaf 
was  brought  forward  from  the  country,  and  bought 
uxJ  at  excessive  x3rices-  This  led  to  the  belief, 
on  the  part  of  the  dealers,  that  quantity  was  more 
an  object  than  quality.  The  careful  manipulation 
of  the  leaf,  which,,  was  noticeable  at  first,  dis- 
appeared, and  the  character  of  arrivals  continued 
to  be  unusually  poor.  What  had  at  first  promised  to 
be  a satisfactory  season  thus  proved  to  be  dis- 
appointing. The  prospect  of  large  supplies  induced 
a dexrressed  market  at  the  consuming  centres, 
where  importers  have  found  it  difficult  to  realise 
cost  for  any  teas  deficient  in  quality.  The  demand 
for  better  grades,  on  the  other  hand,  has  been  well 
sustained. 
An  Old  Story  Re-told. — In  an  official  report  on 
the  China  tea  trade  the  following  remarks  occur : — - 
“ The  real  mischief  which  is  driving  China  teas  out  of 
the  market  is  the  heavy  local  taxation,  which  makes 
it  impossible  to  compete  with  the  untaxed  produce  of 
India  and  Ceylon.  Duty  and  likin  together  come  to 
about  5 taels  per  picul,  which,  considering  that  the 
average  x>rice  of  Shanghai- bought  teas  is  13  taels  to  14 
taels  per  picul,  represents  a taxation  of  some  36  per 
cent.  On  the  commonest  sorts  it  is  as  much  as  50  per 
cent  of  the  cost.  These  facts  have  been  urged  on  the 
attention  of  the  Chinese  Government  again  and  again, 
but  they  seem  indifferent  to  the  threatened  ruin  of  the 
once  great  national  industry.  At  the  present  moment 
Russia  is  the  best  customer  for  China,  and  if  the 
Russian  taste  were  changing  to  India — which  is 
always  possible — the  China  tea  trade  would  soon 
he  a thing  of  the  past.  It  is  a delusion  to  suppose 
>hat  China  tea  has  deteriorated  ; the  apparent  deterio- 
ration of  late  years  iu  teas  sent  to  England  hasbien 
due  to  the  low  prices  paid  by  English  buyers,  at 
which  they  could  naturally  only  get  inferior  teas. 
Russian  buyers  who  pay  good  prices  get  teas  ol  the 
former  excellence.  If  the  crushing  burden  of  tax- 
ation brought  were  down  to  something  like  what  it 
was  originally  meant  to  be,  viz . 5 per  cent  ad- 
valorem,  instead  of  20  per  cent  to  50  per  cent  as 
it  now  is,  there  would  be  a good  ebanoe  for  China 
teas  yet.  For  the  time  being,  In  lia  and  Ceylon 
teas  are  the  most  popular,  no  doubt,  but  there  is  a 
large  consensus  of  medical  and  expert  opinion  in 
favour  of  the  view  that  China  tea  is  more  wholesome, 
and  iu  its  method  of  preparation  freer  of  tannin  and 
other  deleteriius  elements,” 
The  Tea  Trade  uf  Canton. — According  to  the 
report  of  the  British  Consul  at  Canton  the  tea  mer- 
chants have  represented  the  year  as  unsatisfactory 
alike  to  foreigners  and  natives.  One  of  them,  to 
whom  the  Consul  is  indebted  for  information 
on  the  subject,  sta’es  that  “congous  were  in 
small  supply,  but  6old  in  London  at  lower  rates 
than  nave  ever  been  ki  own  previously.”  He 
adds:  “ Scented  capers  have  been  in  over-supply,  and 
the  exports  by  the  tnd  ot  the  season  reached  a figure 
much  in  excess  of  the  most  lit  eral  estimates  previously 
formrd.  This  was  brought  about  partly  by  a large  in- 
cr  are  of  the  supplies  of  the  lower  grades,  cau-ed  in  a 
great  measure  by  the  addi'ioa  to  them  of  leaf  from 
iuferior  districts,  partly  by  the  natives  shipping  on 
their  own  acoouut  to  an  unusually  large  extent,  and 
partly  by  a reduction  in  the  duty  on  tea  passed  tbrongh 
the  native  customs.  The  consequence  has  been  a most 
depreseed  market  in  Lmdon,  where  teas  ore  now  selling 
at  2|  1 to  3d  under  rates  ruling  at  this  time  last  year  ” As 
the  demand  for  Canton  tea  d miu'shes  with  foreigners 
it  inoreases  with  Chinese.  Among  tliu  latter,  S.uchong 
