JulV i, 1899.j 
TffE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
15 
A mule road from Nasri (Ahuaz) to Ispahan is now 
being constructed and will probably lead to further 
trade with the interior by the Karun route.— I have the 
honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant (bd.) 
W. McDoNALL, H. B. M. Vice-Consul, 3Ioliammerah. 
British Consulate, Ispahan, Persia, 26th Feb- 
ruary 1899. 
Deae Sib,— Your letter of 2ad December to Her 
Majesty's Representative, Yezd, has been forwarded 
to me here, the Yezd district being in my charge, I, 
however, have no agent at Yezd, and am not m 
correspondence with anyone there to whom I can 
apply for the necessary information. 
I do not believe that there is much chance of in- 
creasing the tea trade of the place, it is entirely in 
the hands Parsi merchants, who have there agencies 
in Bombay, who work it, you may be sure, for all 
that it is worth. 1 see by referring to my report 
of 1896 No. 1662, Circular report, that during the 
year 1895-96 the importation was 2,800,0001b. whereas 
in 1891-92 6,000,000 (six millions) was the figure. 
The closing of the Russian markets in the north 
was the cause of this great decrease. 
With regard to this market in 
1892-93 4,844 Bo^es were imported. 
1894-95 4,479 do 
1896- 97 3,117 do 
1897- 98 6,314 do 
The major portion of this tea is Indian, about 
1-10 may be taken as China, that is, the tea which 
finds most favour with the Ulima. Small consign- 
mant also come from Java from time to time. The 
supplies which come here are for the local market 
and the sourrounding districts. I cannot find that 
any goes north. There is not very much tea drunk 
the people are poor and cannot afford to expend 
much on what to them is luxury. 
Indian tea costs from Krans 32 to 40 per manshah, 
China tea do do 70 to 110 do 
Krans 3-50=one rupee, 52 krans=£l and 12-60 
lb. = manshah. 
China tea is packed in big boxes, each containing 
4 small boxes weiging about 28 lb. 
Indian tea is packed in boxes lead foil, each con- 
taining about 1001b. I have seen it^ also in 1 lb. 
packages. This came frojj} Sangra Valley. Also 1 
have seen it in wood boxes, each box containing four 
tins of 20 lb, of tea. These have come from Calcutta 
There is an import tax of 5 per cent, on all tea 
brought in by Europeans. 
I do not think that there is room for any develop- 
ment of the trade. European merchants here, who 
have connection with India, have tried the market 
and have not found it responsive. 
If I can give you any further information I shall be 
glad to do what is in my power. 
I am, dear Sir, Yours faithfully, (Sd.) J. R. Veeecb. 
Her Majesty Consulate Eezeroum, Turkey, 4th 
March 1899. 
Dear Sirs,— Tea can be sold here for about £5,000 
to 6,000 stag, per yard in Erzeroum only. But as 
there is ground to sell also tea for the north of 
Persia, for this year tea will be consnmed for £10,000. 
Either for our city or for Persia Indian teas are 
used; but a little quantity of China white tea. 
The people of our province drinh niuch tea, and from 
year to year the consumption is growing. 
Per this mail I send you ten samples of tea in fine 
packages to show you the qualities which are sold in 
our country. No cheap teas are wanted, especially for 
Russian buyers, for Tabrig, too. Only small quantity 
of better qualities is wanted for Erzeroum and for 
Tabrig, this at 10-lO^d. per lb. in Calcutta. Per the 
next mail I will send you samples of those nice 
teas, too. 
Note that all the teas for this country must be 
flowery (fair appearance.) Black teas ara never 
wanted here. 
Tea is coming us per chest of 1001- lOlb., but the 
qualities up to 6d. per half-chest of about 501b., net. 
Uheslis must be strong-, and wrapped by strong 
Hessian cloth, and all round chest iron rings. 
Boxes of 101b., 201b., 301b. net flowery are selling 
also in large quantity. 
By experience I know that there is room for further 
development in this particular trade. 
As for all goods the tax cn t a is 8 per cent., 
which I pay at Trebiyonde. But if transit for Persia 
no tax to pay in Turkey. 
All the teas shipped from Calcutta to Trebizonde 
are 90 per cent, for Erzeroum trade. But the Persian 
FUTH ship also for Trebizonde about 10,000 to 12,000 
chests, half-chests Cfrom Calcutta) all for Tabriz ("Per- 
sia, this year. Except FTJTH the remainder are for our 
citv. Trebizonde is not but a simple port for tea. 
I tested always that the weights of London are 
exceeding in lbs. For instance a chest of tea sent 
us from London for 1001b. was weighing here 101102 
lb. net. But Calcutta weights besides are not exceed- 
ing in their weights have represented a deficit of 
l-21b. per each chest. 
Sugar bags— 28 « 48=2Jlb. red or blue border — 
are selling in large quantity in this country. 
As Indian teas are of British growth, I will try to 
sell teas hereafter on a large, scfile, having already 
developed business in the north of Persia because 
Persians like very much Indian teas with long but 
nice leaves and flowery. — I remain, dear Sir, Yours 
faithfully, (Sd.; P. H. H. Massay, Lieutenant-Colonel, 
P. S. — Herewith list showing the prices of samples. 
I will point out to you that sometimes it happens 
that we receive from Calcutta a nice sample of 204 
chests shipped for us. When the goods arrive I find 
that 10-12 half-chests are the same as the sample 
but the remaining eight half-chests are of ordinary 
quality and not the same. 
Erzekoum le, 4tk T<ehruanj. 
Calcutta price, Erzeroum 
selling prices. 
d. P. 
Chs. per lb. per ocg. 
F.P. No. 162-174 3i 4| 22J— 13| 
c 
„ ,. 199-205 7 4 9J 
„ „ 187-196 10 4i 
„ „ 252-2.53 2 3i 9 
„ „ 11-57 47i 6J 13i-15 
„ „ 78-101 24 4| 12i 
„ „ 317-340 4J 8j 18 
„ „ 851-880 30| tipy 8* ISf 
„ „ 831-900 20 „ 7 15 
E. P. C. Ceylon tea 7^ 35 Cts. 121-13^ 
An Ocg is equal to 2jlb. 
Trebizonde expedite has to receive one shilling of 
commission for each chest. 
Tax 8 per cent, on the price fixed in Trebizonde 
Custom House. 
Carriage from Trebizonde to Erzeroum about 2d. 
per ocg. per the back of horses or per oxen-carts. 18s. 
2d. make 100 gold Piastres. 
From Trebizonde to Tabriz tea is going per cara- 
vans of camels. They pay for carriage about 2| 
piastres (about S^d.) from Trebizonde to Tabriz for 
each ocg. 
In Persia the tax on tea is about 5 per cent. 
THE EUCALYPTUS IN BRITAIN. 
It seems to me pertinent to enquire — is there any 
future for Eucalypti in England at all, and will 
they do good there ? I have known persons who 
would emulate the credulity of the monks in tha 
virtues which they attribute to these strange Aus- 
tralian trees. A broken Eucalyptus-bough or a few 
leaves were in their opinion sure to be a defenco 
against influenza and other things — but all this ia 
for the most part beside the mark. In England, aa 
elsewhere, they might be very serviceable for drain- 
age purposes if only they would live, but that seems 
problematical in the highest degree, and for nothing 
else is it worth while to take much trouble about 
them. In your impression of December 3, 1 rewexa. 
