kvo. 1, 189^.] 
THE TROPICAL AGfllCtJLTURlST. 
ii5 
TEA IJS WESTERN ASIA AND 
EUROPEAN TURKEY. 
Looking over the several replies received by Messrs- 
Oressweil, we find that in Turkish Arabia the bulk 
of the tea imported is Indian, and only about 5 per 
cent, fi'om China and Java. The people are not tea 
drinkers, coffee being their beverage, but the Consul- 
General thinks it possible a change may take place 
in the habits of the people. In symrna, the Consul 
says the demand for tea is increasing, and there is 
room for further development of the trade ; the tea 
used being a blend of India and China. In Salonica 
the use of tea is not general among the population, 
but appears to be extending rapidly. The Vice-Con- 
sul at Uscub (European Turkey) says tea is not 
largely consumed there ; what there is, comes from 
Asia Minor. From Van (Asiatic Turkey) comes the 
intimation that there would be a good demand for 
tea there. All the tea comes from Constantinople, 
where it is mixed, but the people are not at all 
satisfied with the stuff as sold there. At Beyrout (Tur- 
key) tea is not a national beverage, but about 15,000 
cheats pass through annually. There is little chance 
of developing the trade there. At Angora (also in 
Turkey) the tea-drinking population is increasing, 
tea being said to be taking the place of coffee. The 
British Consul at Damascus says the tea consumed 
there is Indian; that the habit of tea drinking is 
undoubtedly growing in the city, and the demand 
for tea wili certainly increase in the future, though 
coffee is the beverage of the country. In Jerusalem 
the consumption of tea is on the increaso, though 
the people are indifferent to the quality. The 
Europeans and the better class of inhabitants consume 
Ceylou tea. Her Majesty's Minister at Teheran (Sir 
M. Durand) eaya he is making enquiries as to the 
prospects of the tea trade in Persia, and will sand 
the information as soon as possible. At Mohammerah 
(Persia) the British Vice-ConsQl says the imports of 
tea are increasing, and are likely to increase. Indian, 
Ceylon, China and Japan supply the demand, the 
tea being shipped by British steamer at Bombay. 
The British Consul at Ispahan (Persia) does not 
think there is much chance of increasing the tea 
trade of the place ; but the tea imported is Indian, 
and the trade is entirely in the hands of Pii.rsee 
MerohantF. who have their agencies at Bombay. The 
Consul at Erzeroam says only Indian teas are im- 
ported, and that the people are great tea drinkers, 
while the habit is increasing from year to year. 
We notice that the tax or duty on teas in all of 
the cities referred to in the correspondence is low, 
ranging from 5 to 8 per cent, ad valorem. 
THE PLUMBAGO TRADE IN CEYLON. 
{From Capital.) 
Plumbago prospecting in Ceylon, about which so 
much had been heard of late, can scarcely be 
said to be a profitable undertaking — at any rate as 
far as the generality of those engaged in the industry 
are concerned. Aud it seems to be understood that 
hardly one out of every ten embarked in this 
business makes any appreciable profit. 
This statement might seem strange at first sight, 
for the plumbago trade has ewry appearance of 
prosperity. The prices prevailing are high, and 
during the last year or two they have 'stood higher 
than they ever have been. Moreover, the supply 
of plumbago is abundant, and plumbago mining 
is conducted in several parts of Ceylon, for the mineral 
haa been found in localities where only a few years 
ago its presence was not even suspacteJ. Abost two 
years ago the number of plumbago mines in the 
Colony was ofiicially stated to be 299, and the aggre- 
gate annual yield of these mines was declared to be 
over 23,000 tons, while the value of this produce was 
estimated at slightly over 3J millions of rupees. 
There are various causes, however, which contribute 
towards rendering plumbago prospecting in Ceylon a 
15 
non^profitable concern— at any rate not a generally 
profitable one. First and foremost, it would appear 
that there are considerable difficulties onnected" with 
the transport of plumbago from the raiues to centres 
where markets can be found for it. The plumbago 
obtained from mines in the interior of tho island is, 
with no little trouble, carried by means of rivers or 
canals to the closest Railway station, and is then 
trained to Colombo whence it is exported. As rail- 
ways are not abundant in the interior of the island, 
the inconvenience and expense of such transport can 
easily be imagined. 
Moreover, there are difficulties about the particular 
sort of timber which is required for the casks in 
•which plumbago is exported. It appears that liora 
wood IS the only kind of timber which answers this 
purpose, and it is stated that casks made of any other 
sort of timber are ill-adapted for exportation of this 
mineral. Unfortunately this 7/oro timber is becoming 
scarce in Ceylon, and high prices are bein- accord- 
ingly demanded for it, and thus the cost of trans- 
porting plumbago to a place of exportation is enhanced 
by the expenses due to the purchase of Jiora timber. 
Koughly speaking, the supply of hora is practically 
exhausted in the Western parts of the island of Cey- 
lon, and It IS now procured in the Southern regions. 
Xhe price of 1,000 feet hora is at present about R70 
whereas scarcely ten years ago the same quantity 
could have been purchased for B30. The/;o; », which 
IS obtained in the Southern Province of the Colony 
is conveyed at much cost to the railway line along 
the Southern Co:<,st, and is then transported 'by rail- 
way) to Colombo, the port of shipment. The cost 
ot transport to Colombo amounts to about R15 or 20 • 
and this Item helps considerably towards maintain' 
ing the high prices of hora. If the railway authorities 
couw be prevailed upon to reduce their rates, the 
trade in hora timber would probably increase a great 
deal, and if the freight could only be reducefj to 
something like R5 per 1,000 feet, the plumbago irade 
might bo run at a profit. Moreover, the local timber 
trade could receive a great impetus ; and the crown 
lands in tne south of the colony would doubtless 
tiien be taken up for the purpose of exploiting hora 
timber ; but, as matters stand at present, these Crown 
lands are taken up merely for purposes of cultivation, 
for the timber trade is not sufficiently paying under 
the circumstances now prevailing. 
While plumbago prbspectiug haa not proved 
remunerative to the majority of those eno-aged in 
It, a happy minority contrive to make it profitable • 
and among these fortunate people should be mentioned 
certain persons who are known as District Mudaliyars 
and who are the lawful guardians of Crown lands.' 
A thorough knowledge of local conditions is necessary 
to understand how profit is made in these cases ; 
but It 18 believed that the Government of Ceylon would 
be well advised to thoroughly investigate the matter 
Plumbago in UvA.-We learn that the 
plumbago work on Dambatenne, althouo-h so 
very remunerative, is encouraging. 
Others think of trymg their luck, and " Capt 
Boyd —so says a correspondent-has a com- 
mission from the Poonagalla Valley Com- 
pany to report and advise. Let us hope that 
the experts visit will result in finding a rich 
paying vein. 
Oil ENGiNE.-We heard the other day of 
two of 'Campbell's Oil Engines" doing most 
satisfactory work on a Kelani Valley estate 
and that, although fuel was abundant thev 
were preferred to steam, the cost 'of oil 
not exceeding half cent per lb. of tea. This 
should be encouraging news where fuel is 
Mo< abundant, as in the central portion of 
Dimbula, for mstance. 
