832 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
;JiNE 1, 189?. 
Bogus Tea.. — Wo referred in a recent issue to tlio 
destruction by the Customs authorities of some bo£;us 
tea. According to the ■' Grocer," one of the " hiteat 
discoveries of tlie public analysts ii that the Cus- 
toms authorities are growing carelesn in the matter 
of the tea imported into our ports. Tiiere have 
been two prosecutions within the p ist few mouth* 
for an alleged excess of foreign matter in sam- 
ples of tea, ij'it both of these were dismissed, and 
now there is another prosecution proceeding ia 
which a small country grocer is hiding mj,de to 
bear the expense of a scienlitio discussion a*! to 
how far the Customs authorities are doing their 
duty in examining lea" As the "Grocer" points 
ouf, it is a gri?at hardship that nHail grocers sliou! J 
have to bear the brunt of this battle. 
ENXfiiiPRisj..— Ceylon tea proprietors and their rri- 
presentatives do not weary in the task of advertising 
the merits of Ceylon tea. Tli^ idea of sending ^-imples 
appropriately packed to the Austiian and Cierinan 
Emperors is one cap;ible of fui tlicr development. All 
the remaining crowned heads of Europe might be 
trentsd in the same generous way, and donlitless the 
industry would ultimately benolit. Tiie plan adopted 
in Ceylon of bringing the produce of the i.'ilaiid to 
the front on every possible occasion must Il-U in 
the long run. It hxs boon Huccessiul bitheito, and 
will, if persisted in, work wonderjs. — //. atd ('. Mai>, 
April 7. 
CAKRITr & CO.'S IXDIAN TEA .M.IKKKT 
REVIEW SEASON, 1898-99. 
April, 181)9. 
The season closed on the .'!l''t ultimo, with an ex- 
port to the U. K. of 13oi millions compared with 
l;s:iij millions the previous year. 
Tne quality of the crop taken as a whole has been 
of average stundard. It has been largely composed 
of ordinary medium grades, and tlie proportion of high 
class tea has been small. 
Early in the season Cachav and Sylhot suflf.jred 
severely from prolonged drought ; outturns at one time 
were seriously bahind last year, and the indifferent 
quality of the early teas resulted from the same 
cause. A favorable spell of weather, however, set in 
with the raiuy season, and prospects were improved 
both in respect of quality and yield, but geusrally 
speaking outturns had fallen so far behind that 
Mana"e'rs found it impossible to overcome the defici- 
ency much of the lost ground was eventually re- 
covered, but the crop fell far short of estim itcs. 
Assam has experienced fairly favorable weather 
throut'liout the season ; the character of the crop has 
been of a useful description with a very limited pro- 
portion above the ordinary average standard of 
quality. , 
Similar conditions have prevailed in the Dooara; 
at one period of tha season the outturn was appreciably 
ahead of last year, but an early setting in of the cold 
weather curtailed yield, and manufacture concluded 
somewhat sooner than usual. Some good teas were 
seen at the beginning and close of the season, but 
durinr' the intermediate period, with some few ex- 
oeptio°ns, arrivals somewhat largely consisted of thin 
liquoring kinds. , , . 
Weather has not been altogether favorable m 
Darjeeling. The second flush produced some ex- 
cellent teas, but continued and heavy downpours during 
the rainy season made it impossible to turn out a'ly- 
thing but different quality from the leaf available. 
With improved weather, better quality followed, and 
some attractive flavory teas were mide towards the 
Other districts call for no special remark, their 
quality being of the usual description. The Terai, 
with the exception of a few of the best gardens, has 
practically passed into the hands of natives. 
The markets have remained fairly steady throuuhout 
the year ; beyond the usual irregularities consistent 
with a large trade, no violent fluctuation in prices 
has occurred, but the establish Tient of scale a lower 
of value for all but finest descriptious, and lht> diffi. 
cutty in moving tea ou'iiide this sphere i^i apitc of 
au exceptiouallv strong stiilistical poniliou, bavu beea 
the disappjiuting {e&lureti of the eeu.buii. 
The result of the last year'd workiuj; hft* M^^B 
been muatiafHctory to t^rowcra. The chief caiue* ara 
to be found in the tameuebs of (quality of a very Urge 
proportion of the crop, the un-qual didUributiuu of 
Bupply, the conceutratiou of buying power iu Via 
Loudon market and high exchange. 
Climatic conditions have not been altogether ftvorv 
ble, and existing circumalauctrii have m^e it ditli:nl( 
to raise the standard of quality, wliicb, as a ru.i>', cfva 
only be done at the expense of outturn. The con- 
biiitently low level of value, increased deliveries 
at hoini', together with the certainty of scrap practi- 
cally the same weight as l.^st year, aui the uaccrtainty 
of a proportioustely hotter price being oblainabh', 
opposed the idoi. of curtailing ont:.uru witli a viijw 
to imtjroving quality. The character of the crop, 
which has largely coueistsd of ordinary uiediuiu 
quality, has not tended to bring about any appreciable 
uuvancti in sterling values, though, apart from other 
features of tlie trade, it rbuuld h4.ve ueen sufficiently 
good to uiaimaiu last year's level. 
Owing to improved facilities of transport, and also 
to accelerated services, the crop lias reached ih» 
market quiekir than usual ; no adverse ioflneuce* 
have temporality impeded transit or have tended to 
check the rapid forwarding of supplies. Climatic 
causes, liowover, have had some beaiiog on the adjust- 
ment of supplies; and although regarded at the time 
in the most serions light, have really proved to be 
of some help to the industry — whilst fAVonible to 
yield in some districts tliey hive at the same 
time occasioned a serve check to outturn in others, 
and cxci'ss on the one hand has bd<-u coutiter- 
balanced by deficiency on the other — no relief however 
has been afforded the London intrket, which for 
t^everdl months during tho season receives ft supply 
I'.ltogether out of proportion to demand. 
'J'ho effect of a congested supply, and the want 
ot a more equable distribution of the crop on the 
home marlo^t, has been more than ever emphasized this 
year. Improved means of carriage have been largely 
availed of (mainly on account of economy in finance), 
and tes. has been rushed forw.\rd at headlong rats 
regardless of the inevitable fate awaiting it iu London. 
A more convincing proof of the need of a better 
regulation of supply cannot be wanted than this 
year's working aSords ; even the law of supply and 
demand has been suspended by the persistent pouring 
in of shipments, and any tendency to improved prices 
has been immediately stilled. 
Tue altered condition of the trade, and the con- 
centration of buying power in the hands of the 
comparatively few large London houses, make it all 
the more necessary to feed the markets judiciously, 
and the abseuce of this precautioH ha? never been 
brought homo to the seller so acutely as in the past 
year. The continually depressed market at home, 
and the difficulty in moving up sterling value, ia 
spite of au exceptional position, are in a great 
measure directly attribntahle to this drawback, and 
so long as the annual llooding process supervenes 
no healthy recovery in values appears probable ; 
they may slightly improve during the months 
fif diminished supply, bat only to be forced down 
again when the weight of tea comes forward. 
That some effective tsheme for ensuring a mora 
uniform supply throughout the year than now exists 
would prove of enorraoas benefit to the industry is un- 
doubted, but the diificulties to be overcome appear 
insurmountable ; it would neces.=itate a strong com- 
bination of producing interests, and restricted dealings 
would probably bs unacceptable to many. But prices 
have been forced down to such a low level, and the 
margin of profit to the growsr, where it has not dis- 
appeared altogether, is so small and uncertain, that 
any active measures with this object in view should 
receive every consideration. Reference to the ap- 
pended " Movements of Tea" will be interesting io 
this connection, 
