254 1:he tropical agriculturist. [Oct. 1, mi. 
of the schemes for reducing the output, the 
Kutherford-l-tosliiifj;, has fallen through. It would 
have done good if it could liave been carried out; 
but it was iiii practicable. '1 he other, Mr James 
Sinclair s would be a fsuie way of reducing 
the output, but it will probably come to nothing 
from the isaine course (want of unanimity) as tlie 
Kulherford-Knfjliiigsclie e, produced to some ex- 
tent by the difficulty of (indinfi worli for the coolies 
during the mouth, the tea bushes aie to be left 
uuplucked and from a considerable minority of 
producers not being willing to adopt it because 
they thin kit unnecetsary. 
1 venture to put forward a scheme, which, if 
brought into operation will reduce the output and 
can afterwards be made to regulate it, I propose 
that Governmenc be asked to raise the Tea Cess 
to 2 or 24 cents per lb. and to advance, if re- 
quired, any reasonable amount on the security of 
the Tea Cess, The excess of the increased Tea 
Cess over the present Cess to form a Fund to be 
used by a Sub-Committee of the " Thirty Com- 
raittee" to buy estates which may be in the market 
or offered at a low rate per acre, to the extent 
of 5U,U(jO acres of tea in cultivation. 1 hese estates 
to be abandoned with the exception of a small 
part of esch sufficient to give employment to a 
small gang of coolies to be kept to guard the 
buildings, machinery, furniture, &c. A large 
staff consisting of an expeiienced Inspector and 
Valuator, a number of itineiating superintend- 
ents and a native overseer (Conductor or Kanak- 
kapulle) on each estate will be required. if 
50,Ut 0 acres of tea could be bought at once and 
45,000 be leit un plucked, there can be no doubt 
whatever that the price of tea would go up. It 
would not be desirable that the price should be 
forced up too much, that could be prevented by 
taking a larger part of some of the better of 
the pui chased estates into plucking again and if 
deemed desirable some of the poorer estates could 
be totally abandoned and the moveables sold. 
The Cess would be levied from the producers, but 
consumers would actually pay it, by being obliged 
to pay higher prices for the teas put on the market. 
This, Sir, is my scheme. It is a -arge, daring 
and elaborate one. 'I'here are, I am awaie, many 
difficulties to be overcome, but I feel confident 
■that if it can be brought into operation it will effect 
all that 1 claim fc.r it. B. C. C. 
[There can be no harm in sufh a scheme 
as this being put on record and advanced for 
consideration but we fear it will be labelled 
" not feiisible " for the present time at least. 
—Ed. T.A.] 
TEA IN THE UNITED STATES AND 
CANADA, 
To the Editor of " The Home and Colonial 
Mail") 
Sir,— We have been much interested in the 
coriespondence that has apjieared in y> ur journal 
on the subject of the development in the United 
estates anu Canada of a maiket for Iixlian teas, 
and more particularly with reference to the intro- 
duction ol Indian green teas in this country, with 
u view to the displacement of Japan and China 
green teas, which foim such a large part of the 
teas consumed in JNorth America. 
We, as brokers, handling chiefly Indian and 
Ceylon teas, have a personal interest in the deve- 
lopment o£ this business, and it occurs to us that 
we might add a few remarks to what has been 
already said, without presumption. 
We believe that it is a possibility to capture 
the tea-drinking population of the United Stales 
for Indian and Ceylon tea. 
We believe it is also possible to increase the 
per capital consumption of tea in the United 
States by, in some measure, increasing the 
relative consumption of tea as against coffee, which 
is now the great beverage of the people of the 
United States. These are objects which, we un- 
derstand, are ardently desired to be obtained by 
the tea growers of India and Ceylon. 
There is, therefore, the only question of how, 
and how best, to obtain these ends. 
We doubt not that, if the planters give tiie 
matter serious consideration, and, we are informed, 
they have been seriously considering it, tiiac they 
will be able to collect such information as will 
enable them to enter on a campaign along the 
right lines. 
We believe that all will be agreed that the plan 
of operation must be advertising in some form or 
other, and we think that the most effective form 
can be arrived at by conferring with those who 
have had most experience, as we can quite con- 
ceive of a very large amount of mc ney being ex- 
pended judiciously in advei tising without realising 
in any adequate or compensating degree the end 
desired. 
Happily the Indian planters can have the 
benefit of the experience of those who may be 
said to have gone before them in the struggle. 
The Ceylon Association has done some excellent 
work, and we would suppose that community of 
interests between Indian and Ceylon producers is 
such that the knowledge and experience gained 
by Mr. Mickenzie, the Ceylon Coniniissioner, 
would be gladly placed at the disposal of the 
Indian As-ociation. Certainly we do not look on 
India and Ceylon so much as coujpetitive, as of 
co-operative foices in the camp.iign. 
We think the growth of Ini!ian and Ceylon tea 
business in Canada, and the means that brought 
this about give an experience that the planters 
might well consider as a proper guide in their 
eflbrts to capture the United States, and to further 
extend their business in Canada by the develop- 
ment here of a market for gi een tea, for in Can- 
ada we consider the work practically done as 
regards black tea, the importation of China black 
being now comparatively trifling. 
There can be no doubt whatever that the 
advertising persistently, extensively, and continu- 
ously of some private ptrties here of packet teas, 
and the sale resulting therefrom which compelled 
all dealers to follow (some less willingly than 
others, but all of necessity), and to stock and 
offer for sale Indian and Ceylon tea accounts for 
the very general use in Canada today of Indian 
and Ceylon, and the relatively small use of China, 
and we look for the displacement of Japan tea 
in this country in exactly the same way by tbe 
advertising of Ceylon and Indian green teas. 
We mis'ht mention this fact (w hich is not ques- 
tioned by any well inforiLed person here) for the 
encouragement of your planters, that no consumer 
of Japan tea, who has once got accustomed to the 
use of Indian and Ceylon tea, ever goes back to 
drinking Japan, so ail progress made and every 
advantage gained becomes permanent. 
We think the present season presents an excep- 
tional opportunity for the activities of your planters, 
as Japanteasareevenhigherin price than la^t yeari 
