Sept. 1, 1S9S.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
153 
THE QUALITY OF CEYLON TEA. 
A very interesting discussion has taken place 
tlirougli Mr. C. H. Bagot'.s condemnation of 
our contemporary for alleging that the quality 
of Ceylon tea has deteriorated. Mr. I5agot 
holds ' to the contrary and he is s\ipported by 
Mr. Metcalfe of Dunsinane, Fundaluoya, and 
by Mr. H. B. Koberts of Boga\van':ala- 
wa (all three letters reproduced below,) 
both of whom maintain that tiie teas from 
old tea in tlieir districts have improved, and 
that the fault for lower prices is with the 
market, not with the quality of the produce 
sent forward. Tins is a most important question ; 
and its practical bearing on the mission just 
entrusted to Mr. Kelway-Bamber will at once 
be seen. Our contemporary attempts to turn 
the tables by pointing to the fall in tlip Ceylon, 
as compared with tlie Assam, averages during 
the past three years. But tliis is obviously 
unfair ; for Ceylon includes a far Inrger pro- 
portion of lowcountry coarse common leaf than 
is the case in Assam. Tiiere is no division in 
Assam to be exactly compared witb our lo^v- 
country districts of the Western and Sabara- 
gamuwa Provinces. It must be remembered 
that while the average for all Ceylon in 1897 
was as low as 7§d., the average for our 
highest group of districts was as high as 
9|d. A great deal of information bearing 
on "this subject is embodied in tlie many 
letters we received in answer to our cir- 
cular on the "Planting, Pruning and I'repar- 
ationofTea." For instance, " B," writing from 
a high district, told us very tersely that (as 
reganls good q'lality tea and good prices),— 
Preparation in the Factory is most important and 
I scarcely know of a building which has always 
sufficieut withering space and machinery, 
and he gave his own case with its splendid 
results :— , . , , ,, 
Factory has accommoaation for J million lb. 
1895 318,0U0 lb. sold for Is Ogd 
1896 340,000 „ „ „ Is Ijd 
No change in system of plucking. 
" B " also said that so far as lie knew manur- 
in" and pruning had not much to do with 
quality ; but he signilicantly added as a special 
cause for poor quality :— 
Starvation wages paid to Superintendents and the 
mistaken idea that any one can make tea. _ 
We may be pardoned for taking the lollowing 
■valuable "testimony from the letter of Mr. Bagot— 
who we know, iias made " tea manutacture " a 
special study durii:g the past twenty years or so. 
He writes :— 
" I see samples of teas from many estates in 
difl'erent districts, and as far as lean judge this 
year's quality shows much improvement; this is 
due to hner plucking, drier season, and smaller 
cro]) to deal with." 
The hist question then to be asked of a grumbling 
proprietor who says the quality of his tea is 
declining, is, Have you provided withering space 
and machinery in proportion to your increased 
(;,.ops?— and (2) have you a good Manager with 
qualified Factory Assistant, both adequately 
remunerated? This is, perhaps, enough for the 
present. 
TWO REASONS WHY OUR TEAS HAVE 
LOST tiUALITY. 
Sir,— Now that Mr. Kelway Bamber is in Ceylon, 
perhaps it might be aa well to enquire from a persou 
of his scientific knowledge if there is any reason to 
suppose that ihc quality of Ceylon Tea is in any way 
effected by the increased age of the plant. I have 
for some years past watched with interest what might 
be regarded as the phenomenal rise and fall of prices 
of teas sold by certain estates, and except where fine 
plucking has been resorted to, I have remarked that 
up to a certain point these places got considerably 
over the market price, and then after a time, they 
tottered on the edge of the weekly average of sales, 
and finally got a shade below it or on a level with it. 
My theory is this, in explanation cf the above, that 
up to a certain point the tea plant is nourished by the 
superior " top-soil," after which, as the plant is a 
deep feeder, the roots get into a poorer and poorer 
stratum of soil as it gets older, and so is unable to 
draw from a richer combination of elements — if I may 
use this phrase. Not only is this so, but it may in a 
way be borne out by what we may call district averages,- 
when we know certain districts have not got the same 
soil as those of higher altitude, and less denudation. 
My theory is also supported by the results of sales 
from estates in which the prevailing soil is sandy, or 
say, made up of quartz. 
Those estates not only always get a low price, but 
from the first never bad a good one, for the simple 
reason that they started in sand and so mast continue. 
It is undoubtedly true that a great deal can be done 
by careful manufacture ; but if the plant has not got 
the "flavor'' to start with, no amount of manufacture 
will put it there. 
I am also inclined to believe from certain observa- 
tions that I have followed, that we ace by no means 
at an end of our knowledge of what Planters call 
"fermentation." If that part of the process was strictly 
mechanical, it might be contended that it had its 
limits ; but such is not the case. The "fermentation' 
begins, where the "mechanical'' leaves off, and it ia 
from its chemical standpoiut that this process should 
be examined. Indeed I would go further in venturing 
to suggest not only a chemical standpoint, but a 
bacteriological standpoint. 
If it was in our power to control the action going on 
within the bruised cells of the leaf, we might, to some 
extent say we could make all our samples of tea alike ; 
but this the Planter has never been able to do, and it 
is held probable that he may find the greatest scope for 
change in the art of manufacture. 
I trust I may be excused for taking up so much 
of yotrr space, Sir, but as we have a learned authority 
in the country, perhaps he may be pleased to express 
his views on the two points that I have ventured to 
put forward. 
4th August 1898. F. L. S. 
♦ 
CEYLON TEA HAS NOT DETERIORATED 
EVIDENCE FKOII NUWARA ELIYA, 
Sir, — It is not only Ceylon tea which is suffering 
from low price, but teas from every other country 
are affected in the same way, and yet neither you 
nor anyone else can seriously affirm that the quality 
of teas evcri/irherc has deteriorated. 
For our own teas, I maintain that to-daij we are 
making universally far better quality than we ever 
have done previously, notwithstanding what Colombo 
exports and tea tasters tell us to the contrary, not 
one of whom, 1 believe, would back his opinion as 
to the value he puts on samples, unless he knows 
the mark. 
When coffee dropped from 120s. per cwt. to 60s, 
was fault found with the cultivation of the berry, 
or manipulation of the bean '.' Take cinchona, cocoa, 
cinnamon, or any other product. 
That some estates once got better prices than they 
are at present getting is easily explained. 
Formerly there was competition for these marks, 
whereas now buyers have a larger selection of tea of 
the 6o//(c qualiiif to choose frou), thus entirely doing 
invay witb competitiou. 
