December i, iSgt.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
379 
NOTES ON PEODUCE AND FINANCE. 
Then and Now. — A few years apio it was quite a 
difiSoalt matter to procure pure luiliau tea from the 
retailer. In issues of tbis paper, published in 1881 
and 1883, we frequentlty called attention (o the 
prejudice shown by grocers to tea of Indinu growth, 
and the difficulty experienced in purchasing it 
without an a'lmixture of China tea. All tbis 
ia now altered. The grocer now fakes a very dif- 
ferent view of the matter ai^d their trade organs no 
longer give a " friendly load " (o the Chiuese leaf. 
In an article on tei, which appeared in tiie Northern 
Oounties Orocer's lieview, we find the following : — 
" The ictroduction of Indian tea into England 
was gradual, but retailers, having once commenced 
to use it in their blends, very eoon begun to in- 
crease the proportion, it giving a superior flivour 
to the China product. No stronger proof can be 
adduced of the hold which Indian tea has obtained 
in Great Britain than the iucreaaing percentage of 
the total amount of tea consumed. Ita progress 
may have been slow, but it has been sure ; no taint 
of adulteration haa erer sullied the reputation of 
British-grown tea; its purity has been above sus- 
picion, and ita character unimpeachable. The substitu- 
tion of machinery for the performance of many of 
those functions which in China are carried on by 
the hands of the natives greatly reduces the prob- 
ability of contamination, ani tends to preserve the 
aromatic properties natural to the leaf." Of Ceylon 
tea the same article says:-" The development ci'the 
tea industry in Geylon is of such comparatively 
recent date that the history of the enterprise is of 
very great interest, showing, as it does, that the 
pluck and endurauee of the colonists, after having 
passed throu^'h soma most disastrous financial 
difficulties, ia likely to lead to one of the greatest 
industries of our Eastern possessions. The bulk in 
fact nearly the whole of the exports of Ceylon te.i, 
have been consigned to England, but the annual 
statistical returns show that the Continent and America, 
and nearly every tea-drinkiug country have found 
out the value of Ceyluu tea, anl p-ppreciato the 
same, including Russia, which has during the past 
seaaon taken a considerable qu .nblty of the finest 
favoured teas." 
Last Week's Tea Market. — Discussing last week's 
tea market, the Grocer says : — Home trade is most 
depressing, and export is worse. The famine in 
Russia is so bad, that there is no likelihood 
of their being able to take Monings in any 
quantity from here, and the fate of all the fine 
Ningchows left looks sad. Our market does not want 
them over Is. per lb., and that only in limited 
quantity, but we believe at 7d. to lOd. (the price at 
which medium to fine Ningchows are now selling, 
the trade must find they are of use to them. Teas 
now offer splendid value, but dealers are most un- 
willing buyers. The feeling is "panic," but we 
cannot believe it will go on, as present rates must 
have the effect of stopping very considerably the 
export from China; this idea is reflected iu the 
clearing-house by hardening quotations for the 
spring months. 'The heavy supply and low quoto- 
tiorjs of common Indians is also very bad for the 
market — they are so poor that they are not wanted 
by trade — low-priced Chinas offer them better 
value, and are more useful in blending. What 
the trade want (iu quantity) is good Indian tea 
about 8d. to lOd. per lb., not sixpenny bathy 
hot water. The quantity of Ceylon is falling off, 
and quality is improving, so that prices and the position 
get stronger each week. Finest grades Ceylon tea 
have been in strong demand, and mark an advance 
of Id to 2d. Estittes euch as Portswood, (loatfell, 
Invery, and Chapeltou maintain a standard of high 
quality, and realise proportionate rates. Nearly 
15,000 piickages were offered. Commonest kinds still 
move at low rates. The market closes with a hpalthy 
tone. The statistics of this article for September, ]wtt 
compl' t Ml, ehow that the imports into London were 
4,713,20()lb., against 3,2 1 t.HOOlb. in 1800 ; and notwith- 
Btandiug that tho deliveries for the month were 
heavy, viz., 5,277,4001b., inatead of only 3,960,4501b 
in the previous year, the stock of lG,582,3001b. oa 
the 1st inst. exhibited a cousiderabie excess — viz. 
one of not less than 6,701,9001h. Tho total landing, 
of tea of all kinds at thia port during Septembes 
have reached 28,452,1501b. as compared with 22,.342,390 
lb. in 1890; so that as the joint deliveries have not 
exceeded 20,437,200ib. against 21,514,6501b. in the same 
month last year, the general stock has been largely 
augmented, end now present a, relative surplus of 
8,8G0 7001b. 
The Recent Speculation in Coffee.— The recent 
disturbmce in the coffee markets of Havre, Hamburg, 
and Antwerp is due, says the Financial 3i eios, to the 
operations of a clique who have tried to corner " 
coffee. In July last the brilliant idea was conceived of 
cornering coffed in Europe, in face of the largest coffee 
crop ever marketed in Brazil, The rig was palpable, 
and had a certain amount of success because of the 
discinliuation of merchants to sell "September " owing 
to the small stocks in Europe and the generally strong 
statistical position at the time of the article. Then the 
October position was taken in hand, and prices of this 
delivery were also advanced by leaps and bounds, until 
at last merchants felt that the clique had over-stepped 
the mark, and offered freely coffee for shipinent from 
Brazil at lower and lower prices, until the rig utterly 
collapsed aud left the clique with a large stock of high- 
priced coffee. 
The Board of Thadb Rbtuens and PboddCe.— 
The Board of Trade Returns for the past month are 
again nnsatisfactory, especially as regards the exports; 
but it must be remembered that in September. 1890, 
the exports wore swollen by extra shipments to the 
United States. The imports ara valued at £34,189,000, 
a decrease of £l,362,000,or about 3| per cent.; and 
the exports at £20,793,000, a decrease of £1,971,000, 
or abou^ per cent. Tho import of tea for the month 
is 27,078,753 lb,, representing in value by £1,201,409 
as against 22,496 729 in Sept. last year, rep»esent- 
ing in value 1,021,064. Cofloe 48,533 cwt., against 
32,788 in the corresponding period last year. The m 
creased receipts of tea are mainly caused by the Chines- 
shipments being much heavier. At the same time there 
is a decreased consumption of China tea, Ceylon sorts 
being in demand. The cane-producing countries have 
contributed to swell the total of raw sugar ; for in* 
stance, the receipts from Java, which in September, 
1890, were nil, last month were 189,481 cwt., and from 
the Philippine Islands and the Britinh East Indies the 
lar^diogs were 153 403 cwt. and 138,520 cwt. respec- 
fiyely, against 38,700 cwt. aud 78'903 cwt. The sources 
of our supply of wheat have changed considerably 
ainoe last year. For example, Russia, which sent us 
1,893.287 cwt. in September, 1890, has only shipped 
020,503 cwt. ; the Roumanian supply has dropped from 
1,6-27,183 owt. to 110,652 cwt., and the Australasian from 
391,476 owt. to 278,197 owl. On the other hand, the 
United States sent us nearly twice as much as last 
year, the quantity beiug 2,791,602 cwt. compared with 
1,416,927 cwt., and iu addition 1,014,007 cwt. of wheat 
flour were received thence, compared with 887,587 owt. 
Chili, the British East Indies, aud Canada also appear 
to have surpluses of wheat, as the shipments in each 
caso were larger. — H. and G. Mail, Oct. 9th. 
^ 
THE RETAIL PROFIT ON TEA. 
The iutoreat of the tea planter in the product he 
cultivates is not confined to the price it realises ia 
Mincing Lane, but extends to the retailing of tea as 
well as the retailer and his profits. 'Two trade 
iournals, whose province it is to gnsrd and protect 
the grocer from the harm that besets him in this 
sinful world had something to say last week on the 
subject of tea aud the profit made on it by the retailer. 
Tka Pukfbbs and the Qrocebs. 
Taking the above for its theme, the Produce Markets' 
Review says : — In not very remote times there was a 
certain respect ibility attached to the tea trade, but 
it has now evidently fallen op eyil days. Even a 
