86o 
tHE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [May 2, 1892. 
it is evident that fresh outlets, outside the United 
KiDgdom, mmt be songht for aud exports eneourBged. 
With this object iu view, airangementa are already 
l)eing made (o bring Britii-h-grown tea before the world 
at the Ohicago Exhibition next year. Steps have been 
taken to S'licit a graot from the Indian Government 
and to direct the attentioo of thofe iuterestod in the 
cultivation of tea there, to the importatice of being 
adequately represented. Ilitherto, the (xpenees at- 
tending Exhibitions have fallen principally on London 
agents and brokers, while comparatively very little 
has been raised for the purpose in India. It ia, there. 
/Ore, now proposed that a small sum pc-r acre phnll 
be oontriiiuted by each estate in furtherance of the 
:abovo project which appears a fair method of raii-iug 
■the funds absolutely necefsary, not only to enable 
India to maintain her position, won after many years' 
struggle, but to open out other channels for her 
increased output. We also learn that considerable 
sums have been promised by the Government aud 
planters of Ceyibti; it ia hoped that altogether about 
S200,000 will soon he forthcoming: to forward the 
indiistries of the island on that oceaeion. 
The interests of those two countries being to such 
a great extent identical, it seems of vital importance 
that they should if posi^ible adopt a common policy 
in opening up new markets fcr sheir produce. 
Increased shipments have been made loth from 
Calcutta and Colombo to other countries besides Great 
Britain, the figures for the past two years, from Ijt 
May to 5th February, being ; — 
Austra- Bombay Suudry America. Total, 
lasia. ( hieflyfor Ports. 
Persian Gulf. 
India. 
lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. 
1891-2.. .4,288,000 3 058,000 566.000 180.000 8,092,000 
1890-1...4,545,000 742,000 213,000 118,000 5,618,000 
Ceylon. 
lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. 
19 1-2. ..2,310.000 460,000 508,000 144,000 3,422,000 
190-1. ..2,010,000 107,000 182 000 142,000 2,441,COo 
The low prices current here during the past eight 
months have, i o doubt, been bent ficial in developing 
the export from London to the continent of Europe, 
as, for the first two months of this year, Intiia totalled 
737,060 lb., and Oey'on 414 000 against 423,000 lb. 
and 161,008 lb. respco ivt ly for the fame period in 1891. 
Manufactuhb. — It seems probable, however, notwith- 
standing the assiktance indfcaltd above, th&t supplies 
will tax our contuming powers, and, therefore, planters 
should tsim at a smaller outturn and better qualiiy. 
"We would draw attention to the following extract from 
our last annual oircalar, bearing on this subject 
which will also apply to the coming crop: — 
" Heavy shipments being expected from all the 
producing com tries, it behoves Briiirjh ^ihinters to 
use every endeavoar to prevent the market being 
flooded with mediocre teas (f poor liquor. Thi-y 
will, thercfcre, probably find that by plucking a 
little finer than utuil they will make much better 
tea, and in the long run show n more tatisfaototy 
result financially, as the enhanced prices obtained will 
mo!e than recoup them even should the total output 
I: e smaller." 
Tbere is lo doubt that during the past year 
owing to very heavy fluirhes, this in many cases was 
impractical le ami a largo proportion of coarse leaf 
was plucked, which rfalized insufiicient to co 'or cost 
of making, freight and warebouae ciiarges, the la;it 
two itemB falling proportioiiately heavier on low-priced 
tea. It would have been better if this bed either not 
been plucked, or tleo consumed locally. Perhaps it 
might be feasible to uno noma of the dust tiiid coarse leaf 
iu the raannfacture of Brick Tea, which is largely 
made in Obiuo for shipment Jto Mongolia. Mat y 
planters ei cou.agod by the high nitcs ruling It'st 
spring for Ptkoo HoucliongH, no doubt were induced 
to go iu for quantity with the ichult that, though 
their outturn was increased, the average price suffered, 
for it ia not the toa which costs least lo make, that 
as a rule will bo fouud to pay best. Oonstquontly 
moderately fine plucking with very careful supervisi in 
the process of fermentation and uutimfactnre. 
should under mcst circumstdnces prove the more 
remunerative. 
Size of Kbkaks, Style op Package. — The growth 
(f the trade in British gr^<wu tea renders it neces- 
sary to economise the limo of buyers as much 
aa possible' as, when SBles are heavy, the satnples 
to be tested are cfti n more than can he properly gone 
through. Although the minimum for ordinary breaki 
remains at 12 chests *, 18 half-chests *, and 30 boxes* 
mriiiy of tbe dealers do not look at parcels of this 
si2e, In fiict, so far buck as in 1887, some decided 
not (o taste anything Icps than 20 (hest lines. To 
eijpure full competition, therefore, for nil excepting 
choice quality, the i,r« aks phould be as large as 
posaible aud invoices should not represent too many 
descriptious. The following asBortment will generally 
he found to answer, viz. : a first clans Broken Pekoe ; 
a fine Pekoe; the bold leaf often i-ent with Pekoe to 
te left in the Pekoe Souchong ; rough Souchong and 
Farmings to be equalised and packed as Broken Tea, 
thus making four kinds. Parcels containing Dost »re 
unfa'eable, therefore this should he sifted out and 
shipped separately, 
Half-chests continue in favour, boih with exporters 
and for home use, espcci >lly for pekoes. Leafy kinds, 
suitable for drinking alot;e, often sell well in boxes 
but, these packages should he un 'er 28 lb. gross to 
avoid the 1 lb. draft a'lowed on those over this weight. 
Factorybu ked teas are still liked, many houses 
giving tbem the preff rence. Iu the majority of cases, 
the eflforls of planters to attain regularity of appear- 
ance have been successful, BU'i they have thus avoided 
tho expense of ^,ulkin^; in Londi n, which is of conse- 
quence 1 ow that the avera,ie price ht>s fallen so low. 
Ecoiiomy in all ch»i gee mu'it bo studied, and if tho 
packing IB regulsted iu accordance with the following 
scale, a cotisiderablo amount may be faved iu the 
oourseof a season. 
Analysis of Crop.— Tho 1891 crop from India 
has, on the whole been ('i.^appoinling, fine leas 
being Ecarce tbrouahout, as coarse plucking has 
been too general. Many of the Assams have been 
poor, and those gardens which have picked 
moiierately fine have done well. Lattr invoices 
from many estates hi.ve shewn better quality, 
and where autumn flavour has been combined with 
strength, some high averages have resulted. Cachars 
and Sylhets, wiih few exceptions, have been of an 
undesirable character, the weather evidently having 
Dot favoured manufacture, Darjeeiings hav<i shewn 
much irregularity, but, when fine as in the case of 
some recent shipms iita, very satii^factory prices have 
been secured. Turais and Doosrs varied coosirierably, 
but those pocsessed o: full flavour, have sold satis- 
factorily. The crop from the Kangra Valley has lacked 
the rich quality discernible in former years, and these, 
together with Koumaons, have generally been below 
the average. 
From Travancore and other parts of South 
India there has also beeu a marked falling off in 
the special characteristics which formerlv brought 
thete teas into favour, and whatever may have been 
the cauf-.o, ii is to be hoped it will be lexiuded in the 
coming feason. 
As is usual with an excessive crop, the quality of 
Ce- Ions has depreoiafpd, and a very low range has 
been reacheil for common and ordinary kinds. The 
bushes must have suffered from the continuous aud 
somewhat fevere plucking to which they have been 
subjected, eo that, in a'l probability, a different 
courts will be followed on mi si gardens during this 
joar. Th'ife estiie.i, wh ch were so circumstanced 
US to ho able to mfcke fine Tea, h.ive no doubt reaped 
tho full benefit, these grudes h:iviiig been scarce. 
As noticed above drcugh* hus much interfered with 
the .Tttva crop, and conapquently ihe shipments to 
D.is ccuutry have been eurtailo 1. The improvement 
noticeable in make and cup during the last few years 
ha-i been maintained, co that, while these Teas 
remain in favour with continental bujers, they are 
al•^c^-aQure largely used in this country, especially by 
Blenders. 
* Smaller lots than these are sold after the anct on, 
