106 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
[Aug. 1, 1903. 
able for the British Isles, that is, less than should be 
required assuming a normal rate of iuorease in L'on- 
snniption. Supplies, other thaa those from China, 
do uot endanger the situation : Aiinam wiih its Frencli 
connection, the Ciucains, owned and used by 
Rasnans, need not nowba reckoned with ; 
TRAVANCOUK WILL IXCREA.SE INf QUANTITY 
and popularity but this should not materially weaken 
tiie position ; S.America and Natal are aa yet only 
useful as indicating the possibilities of other areas 
of production and do not at present call for special 
recognition — while daring the past year we have 
witnessed the pacification of 8. Africa and the addition 
of two largo countries to tho Imperial domains — who 
can say what the result of this may be ? With the 
African Continent in }<reat part in British hands, 
with a back boas of communication in the Cape to 
0,iiro railvi"vy under British control — why should not 
this Continent for commercial purposes become a 
second America, a second Australia and the consumer 
of tea in Lirge quantities ? For where Englishmen 
are English hal^its follow, among which miy be 
reckoned the use of tea as a bcVerage. Unless Africa 
can supply itself, it should become an import- 
ant addition to the consuming power of the world 
There are several practical points on which wa 
would lay emphasis, one of the most important being 
the question of plucking — wa tru^t the lessons of the 
last few years may uot be thrown away ; the position 
is ameliorated but not rendered so secure that it 
cannot be again jeopardised by a return to a system 
of coarse plucking and consequent over-supply, and it 
is to be hoped, however, tempting it may appear to some 
that all interested will stay their hands in this direction 
and that Proprietors will now realise they are masters 
of the situation. 
Again, while recognising to the full the necessity 
of fostering Foreign markets we would caution 
Growers against too much use being mJide of the 
" Starvation of the London market." It seems to be 
forgotten that transference of the Buying Power 
from one centre to another docs not necessarily 
imply increased consumption and although it may 
raise the price in our market for a time owing to 
shortened supplies, it tends to m.ika London less 
attractive to Exporters, thus narrowing competition 
and leaving the Trade rnoro and more in the hands 
of the Home Buyers. Raasix may, by its Siberian 
Railway, divert or at all events retain, a portion 
of its trade in Eastern lands — although laud carriage 
is always more costly than sea — but as in the history 
of the world the trend of population has always 
been Westward, so in its wake and on parallel 
lines Commerce mainly flows in a Westward direction 
— England is halfway house on the route to the 
West, and the centre of distribution for the consump- 
tion of half th3 tea produced in the world and there ia 
NO DEMAND OF MAGNITUDE, 
other than that for Australia, which is not represented 
in the London market. The problem alluded to above 
namely, how to raise the geueral average of Tea, re- 
mains. In recent years a rise in common grades has 
generally been followed by depressed rates for the 
medium and better sorts and the benefits obtained by 
those whose g irdens produce tea for price are wrested 
from those who are the owners of property giving 
TeJ.sof better quality— how this can be obviated is at 
present the most important factor in the position. lo 
what extent will the ultimata remission of part of the 
Duty on Tea benefit Producers ? Not to the amount 
it should, we fear, unless Ounsumers clearly see chat 
the only tea which can now be purchased for the low- 
priced canister is by no raerins the best value to be 
had for money. If it couid only be brought home to 
the Public that a tea slightly more costly but in reality 
more economical, provided them with a more palatable 
aad wholesome beverage we cannot but think they 
would change their habit in this respeot — it is a 
question of the greatest importance to the Trade, 
lessening as it does the danger of heavy exports of 
common tea from China. 
GREEN TE S. 
Those attributes which have in the past characterised 
pre-eminently Ceylon Piantecs - enterprise and acti- 
vity — again compel grateful recognition from all those 
who have the welfare of the Island at heart. During 
the past year appreciating the changed condition of 
affairs occasioned by over-supply of Black Tea, they 
have with rapidity turned their attention to the mana- 
facture of, to them an entirely new product with such 
success that this season will witness the manufacture of 
10 to 12 millions of Green and Uncoloured tea, to which 
must also be added probably 3 to 5 millions from 
India, whoso attention is also turned in the same 
direction. Owing to a less favourable yield in Japan 
with a consequently higher price, a ready market has 
been found mainly in the American Continent for both 
descriptions, Green and Uncoloured, and prices, plus 
the Cess, have been in advance of those obtainable 
for Blacks of similar descriptions. As usually hap- 
pens supply has proved for the moment more 
than sutiicient and arrivals in Canada and the 
States are becoming difficult to dispose of except at a 
reduction in rates — this will, we hope, although dis- 
appointing for the moment, ultimately prove of great 
advantage, for it will tend to repeitthat which has 
already happened in the case of Black Tea, namely to 
make British grown Teas such good value compared 
with other ttinds that it will force them into consump- 
tion and give them a permanent hold on the Consum- 
ing Public. Although a period of depression in this 
branch may have Co be faced, ultimate saccess seems 
certain, especially when 
THE P.ELATIVE CHEAPNESS OF INDIAN AND 
CEYLON TEAS 
comes to be more generally known — for those at home 
experienced in this Trade realise how wide a discre- 
pancy exists today in the prices paid for China growths 
as compared with British, at any rate in regard to 
cup character. As diversity of opinion seems to exist 
as to what is required it may be well to go more fully 
into detail. To lake Green Teas proper, or faced Teas 
— first — the grading should be Young Hyson, a fi.ne- 
leaved Orange Pekoe j Hyson, a leaf similar to a good 
Pekoe ; Gunpowder, round and tightly rolled almost 
like shot ; and Imperial, more like around Congou—all 
these Teas should posse-is evon leaf of greenish-grey 
slightly tinged with bluecolour, with face but not glaze, 
and absolutely free from yellow leaves and dust, v»ith 
pale green even infused leaf — in liquor the colour for 
America and Canada should bo pale-green-yellow 
— free from brown or red tints with point and flavour ; 
for Europe and Asia the colour of liquor is not of so 
much importance, strength being more the desidera- 
tum. Demand naturally varies from time to time 
and it may be that to supplant China, strength of 
liquor should receive more attention— for 
THE DISCREPANCY IN PRICE III FAVOUR OF CHINA 
can only as far as the tea itself is concerned be dae to 
the appearance of the leaf ani strength of liquor, not 
to quality and flavour where the advantage rests with 
Ceylon. For Oolongs the leaf may be bolder with 
olive-green-brown colour — uot too much twist — free 
from broken tea and dust and with a slight glaze 
without any attempt at face — the infused leaf the 
same as Green Tea, but in cup deeper in colour with 
more fulness and grip — flavour of course is also desir- 
able. Japan Greens may for practical purposes bo 
divided into the same two divisions, Green and Un- 
coloured. The Greens may he subdivided into two 
classes — those similar to China which are neither in 
large supply nor wide demand, and those kinds pecu- 
liar to .Japan, which form the basis of supply for the 
American Continent ; of these the Pan-tired Green 
Teas are of a bluish-green tint and of peculiar 
straight leaf, free from twist and with- 
out the roundness and finish of other kinds ; 
in liquor very similar to China Greens; the 
