Jan. 1> 1901.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
491 
as it can be converted into a valuable product; 
known widely as cassareep. The juice is simply 
boiled down until it becomes of the consistence 
and appearance of molasse?. In tins condition it 
is a powerful antiseptic, and it is capable of 
preserving ail kinds of meat in a fresh condition 
for considerable periods. It is the basis of many 
celebrated sauces, and of the well-kuown^je/^/^ej'- 
pot of the West Indies. Thus by reason of the 
boilint; process, "this highly poisoTious juice is 
converted into a wholesome food product, for which 
there is usually a ready sale in England and 
elsewhere." 
We then have a reference to the carelessness by 
which deaths are caused through bitter-cassava 
poison, and the following valuable hint is given : 
" The Indians of Guiana use re,l peppers (cliillies) 
steeped in rum as an antidote to the poison." — 
Youis faithfully, U, D, 
"INDIAN TEA FOR INDIA" (AND CEYLON 
TEA FOR CEYLONFSE?) 
Dkar Sir, — With over two hundred millions 
inhabitants, fully seventy-five per cent of whom 
are capable of being converted into habitual tea 
drinkers, it seems absurd that India should still 
go on flooding the London Mai keb wiili her Deas 
without 111 living any effort to capture the local 
niarlcet. No doubt a few futile attempts have 
been made by the Indian planters at odd times, 
l)ut they have always failed for the simple 
reason that the tea was not presented to the 
natives in a way to suit their habits and require- 
ments. The common idea seems to be that the 
natives will only buy the very cheapest low grade 
teas and these have been presented either in large 
packages or not jmcked at all, and then people 
wonder that so little Indian tea is consumed in 
the country. What is wanted is to study the 
native character and then to supply the market 
in the way best suited to their habits. 
I remember writing on this subject more than 
20 years ago, giving my own personal experience 
in selling teas amongst the natives in tiie rural 
districts, but little or no notice was taken of my 
letters. At that time, however, India was not 
turning oat much more than half lier present crop, 
and Ceylon had only just commenced to produce 
tea and the idea of over-production was scoffed 
at by most, if not all those engaged in the in- 
dustry; but, now that we are actually face to face 
with over-production, my words may have greater 
effect. 
If you will allow nie the use of your columns' 
I would like once more to give an account of my 
own attempt to introduce tea into the jiative 
baz-iavs which extended over two seasons and which 
thou^ii productive of very little good at that time, 
sufficed to convince me that an enormous trade 
might by done be supplying the article in the 
way best suited to the wants of the native com- 
nuinity ; and had 1 remained in India, and been 
given the opportunity, I felt sure of success. But 
let megivenie a brief account of my experience and 
1 will then endeavour to show what is needed, 
My first attempt was made somewhere in the 
seventies entirely with black tea^^; and as cheap 
travelling was absolutely necessary, my arrange- 
ments were of the simplest. After loading several 
large bnllock carls with about 10,' 00 lb. tea of all 
grades in one and two lb. packets, 5 and 10 lb. 
l.oxcs and large quantities (if Bohca, simply packed 
in _bamboo baskets with paper lining, "l hired a 
small single bullock hackery for myself and .set 
off to traverse the rural districts and purely 
native towns, merely passing through the larger 
cities and perhaps halting for a day or two to 
rest myself and cUtle. 1 generally took ad- 
vantage of this halt to send a few hundred lb. of 
tea to an auctioneer (one or more of whom are to 
be found in every large city in India) and 
attending the sale myself (unknown even to 
the auctioneer) I would bid for the tea till it 
reached a reasonable figure and then step out. 
This was perhaps a bit of sharp practice and 
scarcely honourable; but I always stopped bidding 
as soon as a fair price was reached, and did not 
often buy in any quantity. Of course, some of the 
tea sold at these auctions was bought by residents 
for their own use, but most of it went to the native 
shop-keeper to letail to their customers. And now 
for^my experience in the purely native districts. 
Firstly, Isuon found that the idea that natives 
would only buy the lower grades, was a gieat mis- 
take. Nearly all the well-to-do native gentlemen 
would look at nothing but the very best tea, 
paying R2 per lb for O P rather than buy good sou 
at eight annas or jBo/iea at four annas. 2nd,— One 
lb. packets were easily disposed of, but 21b packets 
w: re sold with difHculty and at a reduced price, 
while five and 101b boxes could only be got rid of 
by bartering for goods to sell again upcountry. 
3rd, — Most of the Muhammadans preferred green to 
black tea. They say that green tea is less' heating 
than black, and therefore better suited for hut 
weather; how they got this idea I cannot say. 
Probably from the Afghans and Persians who all 
drink green tea. Acting on the above information, 
I took care to have a proportion of green tea the 
second time, and this sold readily, and I might 
have sold double the quantity of greens if I had 
taken it. 
To capture this valuable market which might 
result in more than half the tea produced in 
India being consumed in the country, all the I P 
A have to do is to start a Company to make up 
small paper packets of tea to be retailed at one 
anna and half annas the best grades at one and 
the lower grades at half, the quantity of lea in 
each jiacket beino made to suit the above prices. 
For instance the best O P could be put up in one- 
ounce packets to be sold for one anna, and the 
Bohea in two ounces to be retailed for half an 
anna— the other grades in proportion to their 
market value. These little packets should be en- 
closed in lead packets containing one dozen each 
or in air-tight tins. Then one or more travelling 
agents should be sent to scour the country and 
place these packets on commission sale with every 
respectable native shopkeeper all over the country. 
The Company should not rest till their packets are 
on sale in at least 50,000 shops. This would not be a 
<lifiicult task. In every case where I tried them, 
I found the Buaniahs always wiliine' to take 
tea on commission sale and render monthly 
accounts and write for more tea when they 
wanted it. They are generally honest enough in 
these matters and I don't think 1-lie Company would 
sufl'er much loss through them nor would the 
business be expensive in other ways, as little or 
no money need be spent in advertising and as soon 
as a demand sprang up, no doubt many of the 
shoplceepers would buy their requirements from 
the Company rather tlian take it on commission; 
but they would not do so at first. 
In almost every large city in India, China lea 
is sold in small paper packets, for a few pice .•.ul 
this constitutes the chief supply, so far as the 
