426 
THP TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [December r, 1890 
To the dealers I said: — “Give me for my money a 
pound of pure Oeylonsky Tsohai” ; the reply was of 
course “Sorry none” everywhere. I then handed them 
samples asking them to get the same article for the 
next time I would call, and sent afterwards some 
friends to ask them the same thing. 
In the Restaurants, Traclires and public bars I 
asked for a glass of tea which, on being served and 
after having tasted it, I rejected indignantly com- 
plaining of its bad taste and asking for the only good 
and genuine “Pure Oe 3 don Tea” of which a sample 
packet was most graciously presented to the owner 
of the establishment. A well-patronized and largely 
frequented “Tractire’’ has served, for more than a 
week, to its clients the pure Oeylon tea without 
anyone knowing it and anyone complaining about 
the quality ! 
Hotels, friends and new acquaintances weie also 
presented with a | or J lb. packet, and very numerous 
are those who told me, the next time we met, “ Your 
tea is very good, excellent, economical and cheap, 
where can I buy it, give me another small packet 
for my friend so-and-so.” I did this for about a 
month in St. Petersburg, which place I left for 
Moscow on the 24th of August, well convinced that 
Ceylon tea will, before long, be drunk pjjrc and largely 
by many people there, and leaving samples to some 
friends with the task to continue, in the above manner, 
the work commenced by me; more was for me im- 
possible to de, the wholesale trade refusing peremptorily 
to bite at business. 
With about 200 lb. samples of tea, I arrived on 
the 25th August in Moscow which is no doubt the 
large central place in Russia tor tea business, but 
there I met with the same objections from the part 
of the wholesale trade, viz, that Ceylon tea do not 
suit the taste of Russians and can only be used for 
mixing with inferior Chinese teas — about 3,000 chests 
of Ceylon tea are now used yearly in Moscow 
for this purpose, and this in the best qualities 
of pekoe and pekoe souchong, such marks as 
Labukelle, Ohapelton, Rahatungoda, Bogawantalawa, 
etc. — My best eloquence was useless and could not 
convince them, and when I suggested to some of 
them that they would certainly find it a paying 
business to introduce Ceylon Tea by way of retail, in 
order to give the Russian public tlie opportunity to 
buy it and drink it pure, their unanimous reply and 
argument was : “ The taste is against it and moreover 
why should we now help the introduction of this Tea 
to prejudice the sale of other marks and qualities we 
have taken the trouble to introduce and which are 
now selling well and readily on this market ; it would 
be against our own interest, we would simply spoil 
our business and stand the risk to keep in stock 
perhaps for some long time and at a loss for us an 
unsaleable article.” One firm, however, well-known 
in London, who has, quite recently, started in Moscow 
a semi-retail Oninese Tea business, on hearing that 
it was my intention to open such a business for Oeylon 
Teas, mentioned to me their willingness to take 
up the matter in hand and to order through me, 
direct Jrom Ceylon, a yearly unlimited (luantity of tea, 
provided they were alone to import these teas, have 
a sort of monopoly for the article, and that I would 
bind myself towards them, not to do any busine-s with 
any other firm iu Moscow and not to open myself 
any store or shop of any kind for tbo sale in retail 
or otkerioise of these teas. Such a thing, I was of 
course umiblo to guarantee, as it is quite impossible 
to prevent ether Firms to import Ceylon teas and 
being myself unwilling to be cut of some 
scheme which I am contemplating to arr.iiige. 
Seeing all this, 1 began in Moscow tire same cam- 
paign that I had done in St. Petersburg, distributing 
simples and circulars to almost all hotels, tractires, res- 
taurants and public bars of the town, also to the 
numerous friends and acquaintances I made there. 
Tbo result were the same as above, and alter a 
four days visit in Nijni Novgorod where I was at 
about the end of the fair and my samples were also 
tasted by many people — Russians, Tartars, ydrerians, 
Armenians, etc., I feel now sinceroly convinced that 
Ceylon toa c"n he and uM be drunk pure in Moscow 
as well as in St. Petersburg, or any other place in 
Russia, as soon as it is placed within direct reach 
of the public— the consumers. A few months time 
and some “reclame” are only wanted to establish 
there a good and profitable business, and here I 
will take reference to Mr. Wm. Barnes Stevani’s — 
St. Petersburg correspondent for iheDaili/ Chronicle — 
letter, published in the Overland Ceylon Observer of 
the 21st August last when he writes; — “And that 
Russians will drink Ceylon tea I am convinced,” etc., 
and further of his advocsting the opening of a 
shop or shops, as being the best plan to be adopted 
for its introduction iu Russia; this would soon 
compel the wholesale merchants to come to the 
front with their orders. The idea has long been 
mine, and having, for the present, no need to re- 
main any longer in Russia— leaving the remainder 
of my samples to the care of a trustworthy and 
competent man who, during my absence, will con- 
tinue my work of “reclame” and advertising, I left 
Moscow on the 29th Sept., via St. Petersbarg on 
my way to Loudon where, upon the suggestion of 
some friends, I intend trying to interest some capita- 
lists in a scheme of this kind. 
'When passing St. Petersburg, the other day, I 
was agreeably surprised to be asked by many: 
MLen and where Ceylon tea would be sold in retail ; 
and I am sure that there and in Moscow had I had 
a stock at my disposal, I would have been able to 
sell more than a thousand pounds without any trouble 
at all to friends and acquaintances only. 
In Moscow, I had the pleasure of the visit of Mr. 
Geo. Selou, an Assam tea planter, who, introduced 
to me by Mr. Martin Leake, was visiting Russia on 
behalf of Indian teas; we visited together most of 
the largest wholesale tea liouses and after having 
beard all that they they bad to say pro and con 
Ceylon and Indian teas, we both agree to the same con. 
elusion, viz,: — That their introduction into the country 
was only feasible by way of depots and retail shops 
aided at the beginning with some well-conducted and 
judicious leclame by pamphlets, circulars and advertise- 
ments or articles in the press. Mr. Seton went so far in 
suggesting the opening of Ceylon Tea-drinking places 
on the tractires style, and a friend of mine suggested 
the “automatic ” machines. An exhibition for French 
products i.s to be held in Moscow about June next, and 
although other nations’ products will not be allowed to 
be exhibited I have ascertained that a space, outside 
tlie exhibition, could be obtained for the building of a 
Kiosk and the sale in cups and in packets of Ceylon tea. 
I may mention that Indian teas have very little chance 
of success in Russia, they are found too strong with an 
indifferent fl^avour and aroma reminding the smell of 
fermented hay and so different to Ceylon and China teas. 
Chinese teas are sold in Russ'a from Rouble one to 
Roubles 3 o0 per Russian pound, as to quality, those 
below Roubles 1'50 being very bad — samples herewith — 
and with better qualities and cheaper prices Ceylon 
teas are bound to have preference. The qualities I 
would recommend as being most likely to suit the 
markets and sell well, are the following ; — Finest, even 
made, leafy Orange and Brok n Pekoe, 'without tips, of 
superior rich but smooth liquor, fine Moning flavour, 
mild taste, uot too strong, not pungent or bitter, dark- 
red infusion, to sell, duty paid at about Roubles 3 per 
Russian lb. 
of above 
[ description 
Roubles 2 50 per Russian lb. 
do 2 do. 
do 1'75 do. 
1 ” 
Finest Pekee ] 
Fine Do ' 
Good Do 
Good ordinary'! 
ordinary 
and common 
to sell about, 
duty paid. 
Roubles 1'50, 
1 35, and 1'20 
per lb. 
respectively ^ 
Also common Pekoe Souchony of a dark colour iufusion, 
rather strong but not pungent, to sell duty paid at about 
Roubles 1, 1-5, ITO and 1T5 per lb. or lower if possible. 
I have eeoniu St. Petersburg whole leaf China tea cost- 
ing in London 4d a pound (Euglisb) f. o. b., and sold iu 
Pekoes and/ur Pekoe Souchongs, leafy, 
smooth flavour and good liquor, rather 
)-.strtug but not pungent, Moning taste, 
dark liquor. 
