[February 2, 1891. 
592 THE TROPICAL AQRfWJLTURlST- 
Propitious soil, has, in every respect, gained the bes^ 
ground, and there a plant gives 12 to 15 pounds of tea’ 
whilst the same plants in Obimi would give only about 
10 pounds, and this only stimulates the energy of the 
Sinhalese and in luces them to venture largely in the 
planting on their own account. 
It is not long ago that Oeylon began to plant 1& '. 
and already such enormous and splendid i esults have 
been gained, that capitalists have taken seriously the 
matter in hand. 
The teas which are planted and prepared in Oeylon 
can certainly, with very few exceptions, be advan- 
tageously compared with the tea produced iu the best 
Provinces of China, viz,, Kiu-Trchow and Quen-Fan. 
The tea from tho Provinces Fau-Bohea-Dan and Panau- 
(Asjara-Tan teas are not to be compared) are positively 
inferior to Oeylon and even Japan teas. 
Ceylon tea, however, cannot compete for flavor and 
aroma >yith the high grades of China “ Monings 
but certainly they are equal to the best Souchongs 
and Paklings to be seen and so much praised in China. 
All these kinds base their first and best grades, 
and find a large sale in Europe. 
England makes an enormous amount of money 
with her tea business, especialJy with Russia, where 
almost ell the best sorts — which are here rather 
scarce and difficult to be found — are imported. Such 
a second-hand purchasing method is of course very 
detrimental to us ; it only gives help to the foreign 
country who act as third hands in our tea trade and 
deprive Russia of a lot of benefit. In view of our 
unsatisfied requirements in high-class teas, which 
cannot be bought on the direct markets without the 
intervention of a third patty, the offer of our 
Ministers to come to our help for direct communi- 
cation between Russia and the Ceylon market is to 
be considered as most valuable and desirable. At any 
rate, the teas bought in Ceylon and shipped via 
Odessa, have the great advantage of a much shorter 
voyage. By its geographical position the island of 
Oeylon is certainly by half nearer Odessa than 
(Shanghai, and again also nearer than Ohankow, the 
only market rvhere Russians operate. Therefore the 
development of the tea purchases in Ceylon would 
not only be very desirable for Russis, but also a 
very easy possible “ factum ” to attain. The ques- 
tion is whether our oldest Russian firms, who lead 
the tea business in Russia, will be enterprising enough 
and have the energy to develop in the proper manner 
ihie, luithout doubt, profitabla business. 
As a proof of the advantages to be derived from 
this business, we may point out the rather — so to say — 
secret way the English houses are specu’ating upon the 
Ceylon Tea Market. They conduct this business in such 
a clean, “robber-like," better said, “ smuggling " style 
and fashion, and selling Indian and Ceylon teas for 
“Fooochow ’’ teas, which, for aroma, laste, flavour and 
appearance are much the same. Packing also is 
counterfeited ; and with tho aid of English agents, 
the Ceylon packages, cards, labels, etc,, are trane- 
fonned to give them the appearance of Chinese 
“ emballage." 
All these deceive the clients and lead them to great 
errors in accepting quietly Oeylon “ Souchongs ” for 
Chinese “ Monings.” 
Would it therefore not bo better that we Russians, 
instead of helping the unfair trade and without allow- 
ii g ourselvos to be cheated and robbed, find the 
best remedy for buying direct the genuine and desir- 
able merchandize, and thus save tho medium of 
European meroiiants to whom we pay so enormons 
profits for “ dark ’’ commissions and who are so 
fond of speculating upon our pockets ! 
(Sgd.) G. Kudimow. 
Kandy, 1st December 1890, 
To tl)o Secretary, tho Ci ylon Astociafion in Loudon 
4 , Mincing Ijar.e, Londen. 
Dear S r, — I lu g to ackuowleilge receipt of your letter 
of the Hist of October with cnolosure, and also yours 
letter of the 7th ultimo, wbioli shall he duly sub- 
paiUetJ to the Committee at next mealing. 
t ^ your demand draft 
for R728’27 has had due proteotion, the amount being 
paest-d to debit of the grant made towards Mr. Rogi- 
vne’s mission to Russia for the purpose of introduc- 
ing Ceylon tea. 
The cost of the remittance of the £150 on the I5th 
September was R1,786T7 at exchange of 1/8 13 ICtha 
per rupee plus cost of message E22, and I enolose a 
merno. showing the different samd advanced np to data 
leaving an available balance at date, of eay R2,485'56. 
—1 am, &o., A. Philip, Secretary to the Planters’ 
Association of Ceylon. 
CHINA TEA AND RUSSIA; 
The Morning Post thus concludes an article on 
Tea : Though China has been beaten back from 
commanding position it formerly occupied in the 
British tea markets, it must not be inferred that the 
total tea trade of the Empire has suffered in any- 
thing like the sameproportion.lt has declined, but the 
decline since 1886 has been only a liule over 12 per 
cent in. quantity, and about 7 per cent in value. 
It would be altogether premature, therefore to 
assume, as some rashly have, tbai China is on the 
point of losing her foreign tea trade. Russia, so 
eminently oonservative in its preference for certain 
grades of tea, is beginning to take kindly to the 
Indian leaf, but there are still many countries, such 
as the United States, where people evince a strong 
objection to any but the genuine growths of the 
Flowery Land. Still, when a comparatively small 
island like Ceylon can raise and export in a single 
year over forty million pounds of tea it is evident 
that the Chinese cultivators will have to bestir 
themselves pretty actively, if they are to hold their 
own in those markets they still contrive to mono- 
polise, — L. and C. Express. 
O' 
NOTES ON PRODUCE AND FINANCE. 
Tea Companies’ Share List. — We are now able to 
show' particulars of fifty of the limited joint stock fea 
cotiipauies with headquarters in England and with 
a sterling capital. The list (which, however, does not 
yet contain more than about three quartets of the en- 
tire number of companies which exist), shows an 
aggregate paid np capital of nearly £5,000,000, a de- 
benture capital of £500,000, and reserves of about 
£200,000 (or about 5 per cent on the capital). 
Tea Incebasing in Popularity.— The consumption 
of tea should be largely on the inorease. At a West- 
end club no less than eighty teas were served on a 
single Saturday afternoon, and the tea shops of the 
Aerated Bread and other compouias are usually full. 
Mr. Gladstone is a confirmed tea-drinker, and, unlike 
other people in this as well as in other things, finds a 
slroug cup before bed-time an excellent sedative. 
Mining AND Planting — A company with the tills 
of the Indian Gold Mints Company, Limited, has just 
been registered in Scotland. The capital is £50 OOC, 
divided into 5s shares. The object is to acquirer and 
work gold and silver mines, mineral and mining rights 
iu India and elsewhere, and to grow coffee, tea, or 
cinchona. The first subscribers who take one share each 
aro; — W. Anderson, Govan Factory, Glasgow; A. 
Brciugaii, Bank of Scotland, Helensburgh ; P. Hous- 
ton, c.e., 12, West Clyde Street, Helensburgh; W.A. 
Smith, mirohant, 6, Hanover Street, Glasgow ; W. H. 
Malcolm, writer, 119, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow; John 
Brown, Brandon Grove, Helensburgh ; J. Mitchell, 
Tho Maiu.“, Helensburgh.— S', and C. Mail. 
« 
Aloe Fibre. — The last advices from Europe, 
shows a rise on prices, and has had for effect to 
revive the pretention of the manufacturers and would 
not be possible today to obtain good qualities under 
11250 to R260 per ton. Second qualities reiQAin 
untouched. — Mauritius Gasitte, Deo. 11th. 
