June ], 1901. J THE TROPICAL AGEICULTURIST. 
823 
COFFEE UNDER SHADE. 
In support of what our correspondent in 
Nyasaland says of the success of colfee under 
shade, it is cheering to have the following 
report from a well-known Fassara planter : 
— "If only men had planted coffee under 
judicious shade, we should not have been 
bothered in Uva very much by Tea Over- 
production. I have coffee growing here as 
vigorously under shade as it was a quarter of 
a century ago." This is probably on or near 
to Mr. C. B Smith s estate of ■ Mousagalla, 
the first clearing on which we saw burned off 
by old Thomas Wood in 1865! The soil and 
lay of land were all that could be desired. 
Pity there are no suitable reserves on which 
to try coffee under judicious shade now. 
REVIEW OF THE INDIAN TEA TRADE 
FOR 1900-1901. 
FROM MOKAN CO.'S MAEKET REPORT. 
Calcuttn, April 18. — The main feature of tlie crop, 
especially toward -i the end of tlie season, has beea 
the undue prupoition of poor tea made from rough 
coarsely plucked leaf ; this style of plucking had 
the effect tiaturally of largely increasing the out- 
tuin ; and the very poor tea thus made not being 
in demand, has sold at very low rales. Much of 
this class was no better than common China tea 
in cup and vastly inferior in appearance. The 
extra weight forced on the trade tended,,to lower 
prices generally. 
The average prices realised for the crop for the 
last season and the previous, in-dudiugall tea sold 
in Calcutta and London from 1st June to end of 
March by public auction, are as follows :— 
TEA OF SEASON. 
1900. 1899. 
Pkgs. Av. Pkgs. Av. 
As. P. As. P. 
Assam 709,500 7 0 644,500 7 7 
Cacharand Sylhet .. 564,000 4 7 585,000 5 6 
Daiieeliae •. 122,000 8 2 113,000 8 9 
Dooars •• 304,1 '00 4 9 278,000 5 11 
Tevai •. 56,000 4 5 52,000 5 5 
Chittagong .. 15,000 5 0 14,000 5 10 
OhotaNngpore .. 4 500 3 11 5,000 4 10 
Kangra Vtillecy &.. 13,500 4 7 17,000 5 6 
Packages 1,779,500 5 10 1,703,500 6 7 
The estimate of the crop, based on the quantity 
made to 16th August, was published by the Indian 
Tea Association early in September, and it ap- 
peared from returns then available lhat the 
out-turn would be about one hundred and 
eighty-two miilions pounds. The actual amount 
proved to be one hundred and eighty-seven 
and a half millions. Of this increase, Assam con- 
tributed about one and a half millions, the 
Dooars about two millions, and the Terai about 
one million, the other districts being nuich 
as estimated. Ihe distribution has been as 
follows : — 
1900. 1899. 
Great Britain ..160,440,589 149,374,164 
Foreign Europe .. 1,779,904 1,435,146 
America .. 4,529,604 5,923,404 
Asia .. 7,332,289 5,492,815 
Australia .. 10,102,292 8,250.430 
184,184,678 170,475,965 
Great Britain.— The heavy increase in the 
quantity shipped proved to be far in excess of 
104 
requirement.s, and in consequence the market 
there gave way, and the lowest prices ever known 
have been recorded. This, however, has not been 
altogether caused by the incieased imports, but to 
a great extent by the upsetting of the. market, 
caused by ihe uncertainty about the duty, and the 
expectation that it would be raised 2d a pound in 
the coming budget. latterly this difficulty appears 
to have been overcome, and it seems now prob- 
able that the tax will remain as before ; in conse- 
quence, the Home market is higher for all good 
quality teas, in fact, for all but undesirable com- 
mon kinds. 
Foreign Europe. — The shipments from here 
have not increased to the extent that we hoped to 
see, but ic is not that demand for our teas has 
declined, but buyers have been able of late to 
fill their orders more cheaply in London than in 
Calcutta, even after taking into account the 
heavy London Dock charges and the extra freight 
from London. 
America. — Direct shipments have fallen ofl, 
probably for the same reason as above ; in fact, it 
seems certain that it is so, as exports from London 
both to America and the Continent have very 
largely iucreaseil during the last few months. 
Asia. — The enlargement of the trade is very 
satisfactory, and there seems a certainty of a still 
larger demand this coming season. New orders 
are constantly coming into the market, and there 
are many enquiries from new places for samples 
and prices. 
Australia. — Also shows a large increase, and 
it is satisfactory to learn that many shipments 
are giving remunerative returns. The low prices 
at which Indian tea was selling liave certainly 
been of some advantage here, and will evidently 
bear fruit in increasing the consumption. 
Russia. — ^ We are glad to report that exports to 
this country are increasing, notwithstanding the 
great advantages enjoyed by Ceylon in the 
facilities afforded to those who ship by the 
Volunteer fleet. 
From the above analysis of the Exports, it is, 
we venture to think, undeniable that London is 
oversupplied, and the other markets stinted. Our 
prices for kinds suitable for " outside " places have, 
owing to shortness of supplies, been run up to as 
much as l^d per pound over London rates ; in fact 
our market has paid as many annas as pence have 
been realised in London, with actual loss to gardens 
of the amount paid for freight and dock charges, 
besides interest. The heavy competition here for 
these classes, and their consequent high price, 
renders it difficult to fill orders : if there were 
sufficient supplies, and prices a little lower, the 
export to all these outlets would enormously 
increase. 
Local ConsuxMption.— The difference between 
the crop and the shipments is about 83 millions. 
This, we take it, must be held to represent the 
quantity consumed in this country, and it seems 
absolutely ridiculous that among such an enormous 
population so little should be used. There is no 
doubt in our opinion that there is a very large 
opening in this country for the disposal of a con- 
siderable proportion of the crop, and with the 
facilities now about to be afforded to the inhab- 
itants of India to procure good sound tea, by 
the Indian Tea Association, there should be a far 
larger quantity consumed in the country next year^ 
