92 THE TEOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Aug. 1, 1902. 
the indefensible supineness of our own Govern- 
ment, which had not the courage or the statesman- 
ship to maintain the " open door " foi our com- 
merce. Reasoning from the above two examples, 
showing how we ousted China black teas 
from the home market and China greens from the 
transfrontier markets, one is forcibly obliged to 
come to the conclusion that our present campaign 
in North America would have been greatly facili- 
tated had we imitated and improved upon the 
Japan teas now supplied there, instead of 
placing an entirely new product before the 
Americans, to which they have not in any 
way been previously acccustomed. It will 
NOW BE NECESSARY FIRST TO EDUCATE THE 
YANKEE 
palate and inclinations : a slow process . ^which 
must produce stronger competition on the other 
side, and conseqLuently greater loss of time and 
money to India. Whereas had we given America, 
quality for quality, name for name, a genuine green 
tea but one superior to that now supplied by Japan, 
it is hard to believe .that our cute commercial 
ceusins across the Atlantic would not by this 
time have deserted the old love for the new. The 
decadence of England's world-trade of late years, 
it is well known, has been caused principally by 
the Englishman's perverse and thick-headed policy 
ot always trying to force his unsuitable manufac- 
tures down the throats of people who have been 
accustomed to, and wane, something totally 
different. While on the contrary our foreign 
rivals, with their keener insight into human 
nature, take the more practical course of first 
consulting their customers, and then supplying just 
what is most suitable to each particular case, 
regardless of whether or not the article comes up 
to their own personal ideas of perfection and 
convenience. Iq my humble opiiaion 
A SIMILAR MISTAKE IS AGAIN BEING 
PERPETRATED 
both in America and Afghanistan with the new 
so-called green teas. These teas may eradualiy 
become popular on their own merits, but that is 
another story. As they stand, however, they are 
undoubtedly retarding instead of facilitating the 
introduction of our green teas in the above 
markers. I cannot help thinking that we would 
win over our customers more rapidly by "panning" 
these teas if possible, till they assumed a natural 
green colour : after which the same names should 
be used as for Japan greens in America, and China 
greens across the frontier, with the addition of 
India or Ceylon as the case may be. We have 
succeeded before on these lines, and there is every 
reason for believing we would succeed again. 
if we are to make a serious attempt to revive 
the former green tea trade across the frontier, we 
must first bear in mind that there are many 
political issues involved, which can only be 
satisfactorily settled by the intervention of the 
Home and Indian Governments. It is there- 
fore necessary that the Indian Tea Associa- 
tion, working in conjunction with the plan- 
ters of the North- West, should lose no time in 
approaching our Government about the matter. 
Both Russia and Afghanistan might be persuaded 
to remove the difficulties in the way by a little 
■judicious pressure on their own trade with this 
country. In 1888 I suggested to the Punjab Govern- 
ment, that it Russia would not agree to let our tea 
in to her territories in Central Asia on reasonable 
terms, the Indian Government as a set-off should 
put similar prohibitive duties on the import of 
kerosine oil from Batoum. At the time, my sugges- 
tion was reeeived with horrified amazement by the 
official worshippers of the free-trade fetish ; bub 
some years later a duty was actually imposed on 
imported kerosine. though not sufficient to make 
Russia relax her restrictions on our Indian tea. 
There is, however, yet time to put the screw on in 
this direction to India's great advantage. 
WITH THE PRESENT AMIR THERE SHOULD BE NO 
VERY GREAT DIFFICULTY 
in arriving at some mutually satisfactory arrange- 
ment. But in both cases the initiatory steps must 
be more political than commercial, and the Asso- 
ciation's business should be to persuade the Govern- 
ment to make an early move in this matter. 
The North-West men, rightly or wrongly, think 
that the I.T.A. does not take a sufficiently broad 
view of the whole position. There is ample room 
in the world's tea markets for all sections of the 
Indian tea industry : but it is urged that each 
market should be dealt with on its own merits 
separately, and the most experienced men, aad 
the most suitable tea should be told off for each 
particular situation. No one with any glimmerings 
of intelligence can be expected to believe that 
Calcutta tea and Calcutta men are the only 
possible means of opening every new market 
that appear? on the horizon. Yet some such idea 
seems to prevail down Bengal way, as witness 
the manner things have been done regarding the 
trade in India, and in P.ersia, and now towards 
Afghanistan. Specialisation and decentralisation, 
that is, special men and special means, and de- 
legation of authority, are the mainsprings of all 
modern progress. If the Association would only 
bear this in mind, there would be less irritation 
and dissatisfaction, and more combined and har- 
monious work done for it by the varied planting 
communities of this country. 
J. B. Leslie Rogers. 
Umballa, Punjab. 
— Indian Gardening and Planting, June 12. 
WHERE GREEN LEAF IS PREFERRED. 
The following particulars may interest the 
Indian Tea Association and others concerned 
to revive the green tea trade with Afghanistan 
and Central Asia. Tea grown in China and 
Ceylon is most in demand in those countries. 
It finds its way by rail from Bombay to Peshawar, 
whence the bulk of the export trade goes by the 
Khyber or Mohmand country to the Districts 
beyond. The tea is most carefully packed by the 
Pesh iwar dealers in packages varying from two 
to four maunds, according to the transpoit 
animals to be used. The outside wrapper is 
of undressed leather, and thus the loads are 
fully protected against rain and snow. On reaching 
the Afghan frontier the Amir's officials levy 1 anna 
(Kabuli) per Kabul seer, which is equal to 8 seers 
Indian. This payment entitles him to an import 
certificate, which he has to produce at the place 
where he ultimately disposes of his tea. Upto and 
including Kabul this terminal charge is R5-1-6 
(Kabuli) per Kabul seer. The total dues thus levied 
before the consumer is reached amount to about 
2^ annas per pound, English. If the tea is carried 
through Kabul to the Oxus, for the Central Asian 
markets, the further charges are about the same, 
while the Russian fiscal duties in their Asiatic 
territory are practically prohibitive. The Indian 
planter, therefore, can scarcely hope for more than 
a re entry into Afghanistan : he must consider the 
Central Asiaq khanates closer to Uim, We may 
