April 1, 1§99.] THE TROPICAL AGEICULTURLST. 
THE INDIAN TEA CROP. 
It will have been seen from figures quoted 
yesterday that Messrs Baines& Co., of Cal- 
cutta, give the actual total of the Indian 
crop for 1898-9 at 152,900,2.33 lb., against the 
estimate of 158,681,312 U). But we take it 
there may be some slight further correction 
of the figures. Still, it is evident that the 
deficiency is over 5 millions on the estimate 
or much the same as in the case of the 
original Ceylon estimate. 
Since writing the above, a later repoit 
has come to hand from Messrs. Baines & Co., 
dated 9th March, of so interesting a nature 
that we give prominence to nearly all its 
contents 
TEA. 
The close of anothei- season, gives us an onportuuitv 
of reviewing us pnucipal features, the gener Ll re ta 
at Home and in New Markets, and of lu-veyin' the 
prospects for the coming vear. ° 
When the crop estimate was published in Mav last 
year, the total outturn was put down at loSf miliionr 
of which 140t mil . ons was allotted to the V. K and 
l&i millions for other markets. The estimate wal care- 
fmly compiled by the Tea Association, fronTJeturna 
furnished by the Grower., and although it was gener 
ally pointed out at the time of issue; that, owing to 
long continued drought in Cachar and Sylhet the 
figures were somewhat over sanguine for these districts 
no one could at that time, foresee that the actual 
r.,ult would be 4 njillions short of estimate from these 
two districts as well as millions short from Issam 
.^^Pr'T^fu °^ '-^^^ Association reco^nizi^a 
the difficulty that growers have to face in est^mat ng 
their crop so far ahead, with the uncertainty o^f 
climate to contend against, have wisely decided for the 
future to issnethe actual outturn at s ated pedods and 
^ avoid as far .a. possible, unduly inHuenci^ tl e Home 
Market with threatensd over-supplies -o-ome 
Last May when the season opened the outlook was 
indeed a gloomy one, stocks of Indian Tea in London 
were abou 6 n>,ll,ons in excess of previous years and 
with an estimated increase of 7 millions fot- the home 
market, prices could hardly be expected to show 
any rise from the alrsady lew basis they had reached 
owing, however, to increased consumption at hom«' 
dae. without doubt, to the cheapness of the artic e' 
and to the expansion of the American and Por^^iga' 
J?rade prospects for the coming May are far brigh er 
and the position more encouraging. At the en, nf 
F.bruary. stocks in London ail h nti 1 ons below 
last year, yiz.: 59^ millions against e;4 millions 
while deliveries show an increase of nearly 12 mill ons 
over the correBponding nine months of tlia previ-oa ' 
year. Looking ahead to next July, if deSl 
continue on the basis of last season, th^ stock may be 
expected to be consuierably below that of last vea^ m- 
barely 2 months' consumption, whilo it would .ot be 
over sanguine to expect a larger quantity to bo taken 
by the already expanding trade to outside markets! 
Calcutta actual figures of crop. 1898 iscit 
Export to U.Kr(o8ti- 
mated) .. .. l:«,000,000* 13;! 782 ')B9» 
6,.W,000 G80O579 
V ■ •' •• 7,0i")0()0 3,G01532 
ioreigu Europe .. l,2t)0,000 797:3^3 
697 
sotSdtkp?oTntV;fg'^shS,^''^ 'fT''-' 
on last year, Jule Ceylon In f.-t' ' "° "'^''^as* 
against 13,2.53,4.-0lb !n 1897^^;'^'^ 15 126,801 lb. 
freight facilities wh -h cZi ^ ■ superior 
to do with th s. the e beiu74 or'"^r-'' ^^^,"°™e'^h'■"^^ 
at Colombo, while we c^xr "?afv bot 'rnn'"'"^ '^''^^ 
month ! Besides the frei-^ht nnp hL °® ^'«=.^uier a 
notably Darjeeli.g, hav"i';fl"^,:^'To s'^'ll'? ^r"^'''^."^' 
ip.spite of the growing enouirr f-v «a '",-Lo«do!j 
this market, iSnrinc. the I f '^'"'^^ i» 
could not be executed for wanfof ml.'"'"^' 
when DarjeeliiiP Pekoe Sn3,.^ ''"1'?''^^' at a t me 
London at 5Jd and 6d ^""'''^--^ ^'^^^ obtainable in 
Tet:'rn"d" n'oYtSZgLfSis?^?'^'^''^ °f 
don is pushing the Tradf tl pT. J, ft'* 1^°"- 
the grower should ava l hlm e f J th.^'?' '""TS 
tj|"r2y is. ^llSthicf r if — p 
fully welcome to those Cachar an^ ^^n ^-'ate- 
^0 have^sold^iu CalcuU. S^^^-; 
stocked, and wh o^h "v'ere BlpnHAf''''\^' 
Hch to 6rf. there, against 5 6^tn « obtainable at 
The class of Pekoe in f™ fn ^brV-"^ 
13 a well twisted, black, even leaf wtf^"^/'*" ^^^<^«' 
fioni broken and small and a 1 n.Ti!^ ^^'^"P' 
Gardens should carefully note this w i ^ '"''^ ^^'^et 
chests, not i chest,, are requ fed » ?P ""^^^ ^'^'OnS 
long transport on camel, winch nnf "j.^ ^^^^ ^^^e 
boxes uiU bear. ' '^on^ but strongest 
Foreign Europe Oi<lov 
steadily from Gennany ConTtanT' , *° '""''"^'^ 
European markets, and therp 1 ' °P'^ ^""^ other 
in those centres to obtain their sunn) fpT'°^ ,preferenc9 
market, a fact not to 1 Aigt ^^l^.j^^^.l^j^ 
July and August p;^ :^dlK:n^ 
on this district's Ws musr,,° a7^, '"^ 
D.UMEELING.-The fir, " ^l^^'^i'y up to average, 
but some very fi,, t^as" were Zl' f^T^P°^"i''^S 
the second one, and th^. ^•'-."ufactured frorS 
a poor one, a fact furthe, has be en 
consider thnt Pakoe Souchong' ? "''^^'^ 
were selling in London df.-inf^f^ '^''^^ ^^'^ct 
November-December down ta ki^ months of 
pound below their val„rif leallt ^d. p,, 
DooARs.-In the early p.rt^th 
wanting in cup, but improved as hf"'"" "'"'^ ^■'»'h«' 
when some really useful trV.. . ^^.hsou advar.ced 
quality towards fhe end ortbe'^i:/° The 
good, and was somewhat ea4rlv fol" '^'^ ''''stiuctly 
general absence of flavourv F , f. Z"''^" to the 
On the wh.lc-, the crop V^n, his d!T- "'^^^ ^^^'"-^^ 
to average. ' "'Strict was fully up 
C.\CH.\It AND SVLHET Tl,„ 
Start, severe droi.."u eomnI° f?'°" ""^^^^ ^ very poor 
and the bushes i;;' . "^?,',' !'''^'''''^'--^*' * th K.umh 
Total 
l;V2,'.)T(l.()no 147,070.75; 
Re-exported to other countries to 
end January 18'.)i) 
Do do do 1S93 
5,315,000 
3,3tJ4,e00 
