320 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Nov. 1,1899. 
liquid from below, by openiug the tap, until the 
liquor is seen to contain particles of rubber. Then 
stop and fill up again with clean water by pouring 
it into the aperture which carries it below the rub- 
ber at the baRe of the vessel. Perfoim this opera- 
tipn three or four times, or uutil the rubber rises 
white and clean. No loss of rubber occurs if the 
operator is careful to let the rubber all rise to the 
surface before drawing off the water. 
E. — "When the water is let off for the last time, 
some of the rubber will pass before the upper sur- 
face is sufficiently drained. This should be caught 
and returned to one of the vessels wheie washing 
is going on for the first time. The thickened cream 
or latex must now be poured into gauze sieves and 
set to strain over vessels holding water, so that no 
rubber may pass through and be lost, and this drain- 
ing may also be returned to the washer. 
6. — Allow the latex to stand in the sieves, occasion- 
ally filling up with washed latex until full. When 
fully drained the latex will coagulate of its own 
accord, and may be turned out in cakes or sheets. 
The drying of these sheets may be assisted by 
passing them through wooden rollers, and the 
sheets should be completely dried by passing through 
each a loop of twine, and suspending them in an 
airy place. 
7. If it is required to hasten the process, a 
coagulator may be used, but better rubber is pro- 
duced by simple evaporation. 
8. — The parts of the machine miTst always be well 
cleaned immediately after use, as this operati' n be- 
comes difficult if the rubber is left to harden on 
the sieve or the sides of the vessels. 
9. — By keeping plenty of water with-the latex dur- 
ing washing, any partial coagulation is prevented and 
a better class of product results. Latex mixed with 
water will stand without coagulating for 48 hours, 
without affecting the quality of the rubber produced. 
10. — Rubber 9 produced by this process will keep 
longer, and, is of far better quality than by any 
other process, as all the matters likely to deteriorate 
the quality are removed by the frequent washing. 
T. Christy & Co., 25, Lime Street, 
London, England. 
PLANTERS' ASSOCIAION OF CEYLOM. 
CEYLON TEA IN GERMANY: 
MR. J. H. RENTON'S REPORT. 
Kandy Sept. 20. 
Sir, — I enclose for favor of publication copy 
of Report by Mr. J. H. Ronton on the subjects 
of Ceylon Tea on the Continent of Europe and 
the Paris Exhibition, — Yours faithfully, 
W. D. GIBBON. 
Bukeburg, 15th Aug. 1899. 
My DliAK Lane,— I shall be in Ceylon, I dare- 
say, as soon as thi" reaches you ; but it is as well 
you and tlie " Thirty Committee " should have 
a report on. Ceylon Tea in Gerinany, as I have 
made exhaustive enquiries during my stay in 
Bremen, Hamburg and Berlin. 
CONSUMPTION OF TEA IN GERMANY. 
I was quite under the impression that the con- 
sumption of tea was increasing. It seemed to ?)!C 
to be more drunk. I have seen many more ad- 
vertisements of tea than formerly, and that in the 
largest towjis there are shops that sell only tea 
and cofi'ee, seemed to me indicate a greater con- 
sumption of tlie article. The importers in Ham- 
burg and Bremen, as well .as the largest retail 
dealer in ]>erlin, assure me this is not (be case. 
The importation of tea has increased, but this is 
entirely due to the increase in the population, 
and in fact that though the inciease in imports 
has been an average one of from 10 to 15 per 
cent per annum for the past five years, the con- 
sumption per head, is not what it was 20 years 
ago. Though in Southern Germany the consump- 
tion may have grown a little, it has fallen off in 
some parts of Northern Germany, being displaced 
by beer and cofi'ee. The reasons for the non in- 
crease in the consumption of tea are various—first 
during the past two years is the great cheap- 
ness of coffee. You can get good coffee 
ready roasted for Is per lb. : this is after paying 
duty. The large turnover in coffee and competi- 
tion con;pel the retailer to sell it fairly cheap. 
But in tea, there is a small sale and the retailer 
will not trouble himself with sale of the same unless 
he irakes a good profit. In tea, the retailer 
must have his 33 per cert, the dealer his 15 per 
cent; and the importer his three per cent. ; they won't 
work for less : there is a duty of 6d per lb. on 
tea. If tea is to reach the masses it must be 
retailed at lowest at 2s per lb., but with a 6d 
duty, and charges varying from 60 to 65 per cent. 
There is, you will see, not much chance of a good 
tea being sold at this jirice, how then can the 
frugal housewife get a good tea for Is 6d ? Second, 
the non-staying power of tea : the average Ger- 
man takes only coffee, rolls and butter, to break- 
fy.st. At 1 o'clock he is ravenous on tea, but if he 
has bad coliee he goes on much longer. Third, 
the difficulties in the way ot the preparation : 
fresh boiling water, and a 2d tea pot. Tea is 
in 99 cases cut of 100 not properly made, and 
the man who has tried it, once and liked it, when 
on the second and third occasions he gets a bad cup, 
gets disgusted and goes back to coffee. Fouith, the 
large increase in the production and consumption 
of beer. My lady friends in Han)burg tell me 
that in the days of their mothers and grand- 
mothers it w-^s considered very bad form for a 
lady to drink beer in the evening ; now although 
teM. is always prepared and there 70 per cent, ot the 
ladies drink beer and wine. As regards the 
CONSUMPTION OF CEYLON TEA, 
it is used and used entirely for blending. Both 
the importer and retailer are of opinion that it 
will never be drunk by itself. Our medium and 
common teas are not in it, they say with other 
kinds ; they are flat and dull. Our good teas 
are liked, but are much too bitter and har.sh to 
be drunk by themselves. The German Customs, 
in their returns, make no distinction in the country 
of origin. The largest importer in Bremen, gave me 
it as his opinion that about two-thirds of the total 
tea imported, was from China, and the other one- 
third Indian, Java and Ceylon ; and he considered 
that Ceylon had fallen off duiing the past two year.«, 
owing principally to the fact that Indians and 
Javas were relatively of much better value. Java 
teas had improved immensely. Their leaf was 
always good, but the liquor instead of as for- 
merly being mere diity water, now contained both 
strength and flavour. I myself was much sur- 
prised to see what very good teas indeed were 
Ijeing 
SENT FEOM JAVA. 
This impoiter wp.s emphatically of the opinion 
that Javas and Indians lent themselves much 
more easily for blending purposes than Ceylons, 
He dilated, and so did every one, I met on 
the non-keeping quality of Ceylon tea. This is 
an old and general complaint and I think it 
would be really worth, our while to try, it Mr, 
Bainbev can give us any help on this point, 
