632 
f tROJ*^CAL AGRICULTURIST. [March i, 1892. 
our acreage must have reached its full bearing 
capacity. Nevertheless, aooordiDg to the Directory 
figures, no less than 22,000 acres of additional 
land were planted with tea between 1888-89, and 
this should undoubtedly add to the crop of the 
present year. The most important reference to 
tea in the London dailies of late has been the 
following from the Daily Telegraph of 6th Jan ;— 
INDIAN AND CHINA TEAS. 
WHAT MINOING-LANB THINKS. 
[by a city man.] 
Everybody who has any knowledge of the fads ad- 
mits that the present position of the tea trade is pe- 
culiarly interesting, not merely to capitalists, specu- 
lators, planters, brokers, and merchants, but to the 
public at large. The consumer, however, appears 
to be still ignorant of points which are freely dis- 
oussed in Mincing-lane, in the public sale rooms of 
which the anotions have recommenced. In order to 
place the views of the different sections of the trade 
upon an authoritative basis, I have consulted experts 
in each of the three branches, for in that way only has 
it been possible to ascertain the relative prospects of 
India, China, and Ceylon. One of the firms to whom 
I applied for information was Messrs. Gow, Wihon, 
and Stanton, whose tabular statements, issued from 
time to time, are regarded as perfectly trustworthy, 
based as their statistics are upon official returns. In 
answer to questions, members of the firm named said : 
" Our own posaessionB now contribute about 75 per 
cent of the tea we consume, and only 25 per cent is 
supplied by China. The home consumption in I&91 
exceeded any previous record, and amounted to 
202,000,000 lb. Look at this table." 
The table showed that less China tea was used lu 
1887 than in 1866, when, practisally, Chipa supplied 
the whole market ; but, on the other hand, in 1887, an 
almost equal weight of Indian and Ceylon tea was 
drunk in addition to the China tea. Since 1887 l;he 
importations from China have continued to decline 
and those from India [and Cay Ion to increase. I may 
add to this information from figures derived f rem the 
Board of Trade returns. It appears that in 1891 the 
consumption of Indian and Ceylon amounted to 
150,000 0001b, and thatof China, &c., to 52,000,0001b, or, 
according to'the accepted standard, the equivalent of 
39,000,000 barrels in fluid tea, and it is iuieresting to 
note that it is computed that the consumption ot liquid 
tea lumped up 2,500,000 barrels in 1891, and that of 
1890, in its turn, had been 2,000,000 above the total of 
the -preceding year. t j 
Amooest the features of the past year, I under- 
stand have been the continued decline of the arrivals 
of Chioa teas, the standstill in the oonsnmption ot 
Indian, and the remarkable growth of the importations 
from Ceylon ?" I suggested. 
So iong as the weaker teas of Uhina were being 
rapidly displaced by the stronger teas of India and 
Ceylon," was the answer, " the increase in the 
consumption of dry leaf was hardly appreciable, 
althouffh a larger quantity of liquid tea was being 
used The displacement or China teas during the last 
two years has not been very marked ; hence the greater 
weight of tea required to supply the gradually e?,- 
panding liquid consumption. ^ This fac , with the 
reduction of duty last year to 4d, is doubtless answer- 
able for the heavy increase in the use of dry tea. 
There is this remarkable feature m the Home con- 
eumption of the past year. For the first tin e, Cej Ion 
tea has been more largely drunk tban China tea. In 
1887 10 000,000 1b only of the former were used to 
90 000 0001b of China tea. In 1891 the use of Ceylon 
tea ncreaLd to about 50,000,000 ^7"'' ,^ 
of China tea wfs reduced by about 40,OU ).0(0 b 
Indian tea supplying the bulk, about hulf ol ho 
home cooHumption. About 50 per cent more i^^\oa 
tea wa. v.M=d in Great Britaiu in 1891 than in tha 
year previous. Kxtr.ordinary low prices wero current 
during tlie last few months for the lower g.ades of 
Indian and Ceylou tea, these conBlituting the main 
portion of the tea drunk in this country. They were 
obtainable at a lower price than was ever previously 
known." 
« Well, what of the future?" 
" During the early part of December the very 
low prices then current for Indian and Ceylon 
tea CBUsed increased competition, and resulted in a 
rise amongst the lower grades, which supply the bulk 
ot the consumption, of ubout a halfpenny to one penny 
per pound. This rise has since been maintained, and 
at the first sale of the year, which took place for 
Indian teas on the 4tb, and for Ceylon teas on the 
5th inst., the prices at which the year closed have not 
dropped. But it is idle to say whether we are likely 
to have tea dearer. People's ideas differ, Ceylon tea 
may go dearer because it appears to be most in 
demand. Its consumption increased 50 per cent, last 
year, whereas, although Indian tea fell in prire, the 
consumption has been 3.000,000 less than in 1890. 
There are many things which one cannot calculate 
upon in forecasting the markets." 
" What was the cause of the late depression ?" 
"In Indian teas tho year opened with very high 
prices for low grade teas, short supplies beina 
anticipated both from India and China, but prices 
gradually fell off until the close of the year. Fine 
flavoured teas and teas of exceptional quality 
have been scarce, and commanded full rates. The 
general quality of the crop has not been equal to 
that of last year. With respect to Ceylon, the 
early months of 1891 were marked by high prices 
foi- the low grades. The abnormally wet weather 
which prevailed in Ceylon during the first quarter 
of the year occasioned fo rapid a growth of the leaf 
that production fairly outran the most sanguine 
estimate, and in consequence London became some- 
what floodi d with unexpected supplies, and a gradual 
shrinkage in values was the result." 
" Can you tell me why China, which in 1849 mono- 
polised the supply, now occupies in this country its 
third-rate place V" 
"Well, China tea of the first quality is of a 
very delicate flavour and very fine drinking ; but 
the proportion of that class of tea is eo small that 
it is priictically unobtainable by the general public, 
except at certain seasons of the year and at very 
high ptice6s. The best of the crop goes direct to 
Russia, but the greater part of the growth is of 
very poor quality, and cc ■ uns a very small por- 
tion which is soluble in v.tkter. It was owing to 
this deterioration of China tea which caused, years 
ago, a demand for Indian tea, and, more recently, 
for Ceylon tea. Had China continued to be able 
to send tea of really good quality, and comprising the 
whole of its crop, we should probably never have 
heard of Indian and Ceylon teas. Then, too, 
the latter sell better, they go further, and, in a word, 
they are more economical. According to the Customs 
testing 1 lb. of China leaf will produce five gallons 
of liquid lei; but lib. of Indian tea will give 7\ 
gallons, or 50 per cent, more." 
" What have you to say of Sir Andrew Clark's 
condemnation of Indian tea, which he alleges dis- 
orders the nervous system, and produces a state ot 
tea intoxication ?" 
" Ah '. he did not say Ceylon tea ! But the general 
mistake made by the public is to infuse Indian tea 
too long. It contains a much stronger body in the 
'extract' — that is in the amount soluble in water — 
than China tea e*oes. You obtain in fi\e minutes' in- 
fusion of Indian tea perhaps as strong a cup as with 
ten miiiUteii' infusion of Cbina tea. Consequently, it 
is unnecessary to draw cut tlie total strength possessed 
by the tea. Ladies should never allow Indian tea to 
stand more than five to seven minutes, and certainly 
not as long ss ten to fit'teen minutes. By the first 
method the y would get the flavour of the tea without 
the tannin, because tanaiu is not so soluble in water 
as these constituents which give the quality and deli- 
cate taste." 
" Does that advice apply also to Ceylon tea?" 
" Speaking generally, Ceylon tea contains far more 
stiengtli than Indian, and the same observations apply 
