March 1, 1902.] THE TKOPICAL AGEICULTUEIST. 
613 
Pairs and Melas. — A start has been made at tea 
demonstrations at Pairs and Melas, and Mr. Rad- 
hanath Dey, late Agent for General Pudma Jung 
of Nepaal and who had travelled extensively in 
different parts of India, has been engaged for this 
special work. He attended the Sonepore fair and 
is now at the Khagra Mela at Kissengunge. Mr. 
Dey is thoroughly conversant with tea, on which 
he has written a pamphlet and was awarded a 
certificate of Honourable Mention for an exhibit of 
tea in the late Paris Exhibition. 
Labour Districts. — Through the courtesy of Mr, 
Hugh Gordon, the travelling Superintendent of the 
Tea Districts Labour Supply Association and of 
ISIessrs. Begg, Dunlop and Co., the Seoreiaries, 
the Commissioners have been allowed to avail of 
the services of all Agents of the Association, who 
may care to undertdke the sale of tea. A number 
of these Agents have consented to assist the Com- 
mission in this way. 
Jute Districts. — Messrs. Sinclair, Murray and 
Co, of Calcutta, have kindly placed their Agencies 
at the disposal of the Commission, and their Agents 
are now being communicated with. 
Agencies. — The teas of the Commission, either 
in pice packets or other form.'!, are now available 
in 78 towns and villages of India, and fresh agen- 
cies are in course of arrangement. At Dacca, the 
Agent reports doing good work, by means of ad- 
vertisements, handbills, house-visiting, lectures 
and distribution of tea. The following is taken 
from his Reports :—" A smart Dacca born Indian 
assistant, well acquainted with the town, formally 
visits house by house, distributes samples on his 
first call, and books orders on his renewed visits. 
The same assistant holds lectures in popular parts 
of the town, the chank or market square being 
the chief one, on the benefits of tea drinking. He 
emphasises to Hindus that tea is a vegetarian's 
drink and to Indians in general, and that it is a pro- 
duce of their mother country. Once weekly the poor 
assemble, and under circumstances pleasing to 
themselves, receive brewed tea free. With the 
beggars come many of the poor but better class, who 
also receive a cup each free." 
SuPPSRT. — During the past five months there has 
been roughly an expenditure of RIO.OOO, and there 
is a substantial balance in hand. Good work has 
been put in for the outlay incurred, but the Com- 
mission has as yet only touched the fringe of the 
garment, and as the area of operations extends, 
the expenditure must be proportionately increased. The 
Commissioners feel that it would be a very great pity 
if the extension of such operations be retarded by lack 
of support, and for this reason they hope that the un- 
dertaking will receive greater support from the Tea 
Industry generally than has so far been accorded it. — 
Madras Mail, Dec. 12. 
PLANTING AND PRODUCE. 
The tea trade, while doubting that the Chancellor 
of the Exchequer will increase the tea duty, seem to 
think that they must be prepared for eventualities. 
Considerable quantities have lately been clearing from 
the bonded warehouses. This movement has been 
going on since the earlier part of December, and its 
dimensions have been steadily increasing. 
It is consoling to find that one of the largest holders 
of shares in tea-growing ecmpanies, and one of the 
most energetic and enterprising members of the tea 
distributing trade, not only has faith in the future of 
British-grown tea companies, where judiciously 
managed, but is also of opinion that there will be no 
increase of duty. Mr J Lane Densham, of the Mnza- 
watte. Tea Company, has wisely issued a circular 
cautioning grocers against any attempts made to scare 
buyers into a panic about an increase of duty. Mr 
Pensbam of course, has been active ia furthering the 
movement for placing all the facts about the tea duty 
before the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and as the 
managing-director of one of the largest tea distribut- 
ing farms, as well as a shareholder in ebont thi-ty tea- 
growing companies, has, we believe, been in "corres- 
pondence with Sir Michael Hicks-Beach with reference 
.0 the position of the industry. MrDensham recognises 
tally the blow the industry would receive were the duty 
increased, but he, like other leading men in the tea 
tra,de, cannot believe that the Chancellor of the Exche- 
quer will, in the face of the representations of the tea 
planting communities of India and Ceylon, take =iny 
steps calculated to bring ruin upon producers This 
opinion IS shared, as we have stated, by otHer in- 
Hitential men connected with the tea enterp -ise. but, 
all the same, every effort will be made to make it clear 
to the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the matter 
IS one of life or death to the industry. 
A correspondent of the "Grocer" contributes his 
mite towards the solution of the duty question, by 
giving the Chancellor of the Exchequer a hint to issue 
licenses to sell tea. These, he thinks, should be 
charged at the rate of two guineas a year. The 
Idea, as stated by the correspondent, is that " The tea 
trade then would go into its proper channels and the 
extra trade we should do would pay the license. As 
It 13 now, anyone and everyone is selling tea. 
■"^"''erers, dairymen, drapers, publicans, &c., are 
all selling tea, and they would be only too glad to 
drop it rather than pay a license. It would also 
stop men hawking from door to door— some of them 
supposed to represent a London house, but who 
buy tea done up in quarter-pound plain 
papers from the first grocer they come to 
at Is 2d per lb, and sell it for 23. These men 
do the trade a lot of harm." We suppose it ia 
but natural that the grocer should regard the sale 
of tea as coming within his sole right, and that 
he should think those who sell it and are not grocers 
are merely interlopers, But it must be a poor business 
to the fruiterers, drapers, and jthe rest engaged in 
selling tea if a two-guinea license would settle their 
business. 
If the information received from Cape Town be 
correct, Indian and Ceylon tea growers will have a 
good opportunity of pushing their tea in South Africa. 
The Press Association says :—" Information has just 
come to hand from Cape Town that ne^t year will 
see a British and Colonial exhibition there on a very 
large scale. It is felt that this would offer a special 
opportunity for firms in this country and in our 
colonies to meet in a measure the tremendous com- 
petition which must result from the great efforts which 
the Germans and Americans are already making in 
anticipation of the large volumes of trade which may 
be expected as soon ns the war is over. The exhibition 
will, of course, be] confined to British and colonial 
traders. The movement has the strong sympathy of 
very high officials in London and prominent com 
mercial men in different parts of the Empire, and at 
the right time an effort will be made to secure the 
support of the Colonial Office."— 5 and O Mail, Jan 31- 
THE INDIAN CRYPTOGAMIC 
BOTANIST. 
Dr. Butler, cryptopramic botanist, who 
came out from home last October, is about 
to hi transferred from the control of the 
Botanical Department, for work under Mr. 
Mollison, Director General of Agriculture. 
This step may he taken as an indication of 
the desire on the part of the Government 
that Dr. Butler's services shall be utilised 
exclusively on economic questions. — TwHes of 
India, Feb. 10. 
