840 THE TROPIOIiL A'QRIOULTURIST, 
nation (a sliding bracket being provided at one end 
whereby the inclination can be easily adjusted), so 
that the coffee fed in at the higher end gradually 
travels down to the opposite or lovper end, where it 
is retained by the wire mesh disc above mentioned. 
When the cylinder has been thus fully charged it 
is set down level and kept continually revolving 
until the charge is dried, the slides covering the 
ports in the shell of the cylinder are then drawn out 
and the coffee rapidly discharged, by again placing 
the cylinder upon an incline. 
It should have been mentioned that the interior of 
the cylinder is fitted with shelves or lifters, by which 
the coffee is distributed in a constant shower over 
the whole area of the cylinder, through which the 
heated air-currents are passing. 
The machine effects an enormous saving in labour, 
burns very little fuel, is easily erected and worked, 
and the whole mechanism being extremely simple 
there is no liability to get out of order, and it is 
only reasonable to expect that a Dryer possessing 
such advantages will prove exceedingly popular. 
« 
NOTES ON PKODUCE AND FINANCE, 
The Outlook for Tea Planters. — In our corres- 
pondence columns will be found an important letter 
upon the position of the tea industry in India and 
Ceylon. It is viritten with the authority of one who 
knows his subject, and on this point we can assure 
our readers. The letter may give rise to some con- 
troversy, but whether this be so or not it claims at- 
tention, and should help to stir up members of 
the tea industry to the necessity for continuous 
action in the search for new markets. It is clear 
that Ceylon planters have taken the lead so far as 
new markets are concerned, and they have been 
altogether more on the alert than their Indian 
confreres. The energy and vigilance of the Ceylon 
Elanters have been incessant, and no opportunity has 
een lost for advertising Ceylon teas whenever a chance 
offered, as witness the protest of another correspondent, 
who calls attention to the exaggerated statements made 
in a recent book on Ceylon. There has been much said 
hitherto as to the friendly rivalry between India and 
Ceylon, but this friendly rivalry has a serious difficulty 
to face. The common enemy, China, has been van- 
quished, and now the cry is that tea production has 
overtaken the consumption, and unless unity of pur- 
pose be resolved on, it will be a case of the " devil 
take the hindmost." It is imperative that new markets 
should be found. Our correspondent " Scrutator ' 
believes the position serious, and one requiring im- 
mediate attention. He advocates more cohesion and 
the display of some collective wisdom in facing a situa- 
tion of such gravity. 
Travancore Planters' Association in London. — 
An association, under the above title, has been 
formed in connection with the Travancore Planters' 
Association, and has, among other things, for its 
objects:— To watch and protect in London the 
interests of tea, coffee, and cinchona planters, and 
to advise the parent association of all matters affect- 
ing these industries. All residents in the United 
Kingdom interested in Travancore are invited to 
t become members of the association. The parent 
association subscription is £10 10s. yearly, and the 
annual subscription for members in this country has 
been fixed at £1 Is. — Arrangements have been made 
with the Ceylon Association in London for the use 
of their rooms at 4, Mincing Lane, where members 
can meet and peruse papers bearing on the objects 
of the association. The president of the association 
is Mr. Patrick Grant. Subscriptions may be for- 
warded to the hon. secretary, Mr. Ewen Cattanach, 
Great St. Helens, B.C. 
A Talk About Tea. — Ihe managing director of the 
National Wholesale Tea Supply Association (Mr. 
Slancy) gave the young grocers' assistants of Man- 
chester Home advice about tea a few nights since. 
There was, we are told, an exhibition of a collec- 
tion of spocimenH, curiosities, Ac, which Mr. Slaney 
had boon able to obtain through the kindness of 
mnoy o£ the loading tea brokers in London. One 
[Mat 2, 1892 
specimen of tea, valued at from £50 to £60 per lb., 
the produce of an Indian estate, gained special at- 
tention. Mr. Slaney gave his audience some very 
good advice, as well as a description of the teas 
supplying the English market, first dealing with the 
products of our colonies India and Ceylon, and then | 
with those of China and other countries. In giving ' 
some hints on obtaining a knowledge of tea, Mr. 
Slaney said : " In no branch of business does the | 
axiom that ' knowledge is power ' apply with more 
force than in a knowledge of tea. The opportuni- ! 
ties of the grocers' assistants of today, speaking 1 
generally, are somewhat meagre, and it is difficult in | 
many cases to get to know anything about this article. 1 
The only course is to make best use of the oppor- I 
tunities you have, not to remain satisfied with tnem, I 
but to endeavour to extend them wherever prac- ' 
ticable. Those who are favourably placed with an i 
intelligent employer who studies tea and keeps a variety ] 
of stock, and can obtain access to the testing and I 
blending rooms, have opportunity of picking up know- ! 
ledge." 
The Taste op the Consumers. — Referring to the 
consumers' taste in tea, and the efforts the grocer 
should make to meet it, Mr. Slaney said: — "Amongst 
the working-class population, generally speak- 
ing, tea with strength is preferred to fine tea | 
of high quality and less strength. A cup of i 
tea made from a rasping, pungent Indian pekoe ] 
souchong and thick, strong broken pekoe would 
be appreciated, where a cup made from a choice Dar- 
jeeling tea, costing four times the money, would not 
please. Many dealers pay great regard to the weight . 
or bulk of a tea, preferring heavy close leaf, because, I : 
suppose, users get more weight into their teaspoons 
when measuring into the teapot ; hence tea-mills are 
used to reduce the size of some of the excellent liquor- ■ 
ing teas, whose only fault is their possessing a large 
or ugly leaf. The steel roller operates and licks it ' 
into shape, enabling the users to blend these descrip- . 
tions to advantage along with other teas at a higher 
cost, because, after all, the appearance has something l| 
to do with regulating the price or value." , 
Sound Advice. — " Never deal in tea," Mr. Slaney ^ 
added, " that is objectionable in flavour, or that you | 
would hesitate to drink yourself. Avoid earthy, = 
minty, sour, or coarse teas, or teas which, owing I 
to the scarcity of wood in the districts in which 
they are grown, are packed in wood from Japan 
having a cedar or drug-like c dour, which is soon 
conveyed from the chest to the tea. Avoid by all 
means keeping or storing tea in proximity to any 
strong- smelling articles, such as soap, cheese, j 
oranges, apples, &c. Keep tea in a dry, warm room, 1 
where it will improve. Let your blended tea be 
prepared a time before sale. A fresh blend, made [ 
up from identically the same teas and in the same i 
proportions as one blended a fortnight before, will \ 
not taste near so well as the older one, whose J 
flavours have assimilated by the teas lying together. 
Let your customers see that in pushing the sale of 
tea your aim is to please them, not to effect just 
one sale and no more, and if you are assured that 
the goods you handle are equal to the best of any of 
your competitors, whoever they be, success will be 
likely to attend your efforts. I might take up more 
time by going into the subject, 'How to match blends.' 
This is a higher branch, and, like analysis in chemistry, 
requires deep study, One hint here may be useful. 
Adopt the narrowing down process, and come to an 
accurate conclusion of the kinds or varieties that 
you suppose are not present ; then, having fewer 
kinds to deal with, you more readily judge the con- 
stituents of the sample under notice. In a case of 
this kind observe the appearance in dry leaf and 
infused leaf — the leaf infusion under treatment of 
varying time, say five, seven, or ten minutes, spread- 
ing out the leaf on white paper and judging by com- 
plexion of leaves. Testing the liquor against both 
originals of the teas you suppose to predominate, I 
and blends you consider similar, will, vsith constant I 
practice, enable you to perform both the analytical : 
and synthetical processes required when you wish to 
match or follow any particular blend. 
A New Idea.— A description recently appeare 1 
