664 
I^March 2 , 1891 . 
THE TROPICAL AOmCULTURIST 
men, ouUidcrs, and otl.ers whose eves are opened 
to the reauukahlu posi-i n 01 tea. The lieavy 
deficiency from Ubina — about twenty, five million 
pounds — and the short crop from India, have 
brought to pass what we have alwaj-s betu told is 
impossible, viz., a re&l deffieienoy in the total supply 
required for the world's consumption. From no source 
can the scarcity which is beginning to be felt be re- 
lieved until the closing m n'.hs of this year. Hitherto 
these speculative transactiens have been very limited 
in Indian tea, for the “bears” hesitated to sell; but 
it is on record that in December the type was quoted 
under 8 d, below its value oti the ha.=is of public sale 
rates, and tho.so who did so linva now tho option of 
covering at lOd, or of risking still heavier lo.ss. The 
situation, from whatever point of view regarded, is 
an interesting oue ; as, quite apart from the rcsuit.i of 
speculavioD, the eleineels exi.-.t for a rise in the va'ue 
of tea — i30s?ibly of ponuanent daratioii. — exo-iediug 
the hopes of the most .-anguine; rivalling, it may 
be, the extraordinary rise in the value of coffee 
which was brought about a few years ago by a some- 
what similar senes of events. When it is remembered 
that the price of sound Ohina Ooiigou is sti i only 
7^d per lb.; good Indian Ftkcc Sjuchong about 101 
per lb ; really good Fekoes at Is ; and fine lea at Is 6 d, 
it is clear that there is room for iroprovement, pro- 
vided there is sufficient reason for it, without foar of 
any materia! check to consumption. 
In the issue of the Grocer of the 2Ith “ Broker,” 
replying to letter, s depreciating tea writes: — 
“ A Wholesale Dealer,” into whose motives we 
need not enquire, has dore his best through your 
columns to depreciate the value of tes, and has 
warned your readers against the tactics of specula- 
tors, to whom he is pleased to attribute the upward 
movement of price. 
As a ropreaeutative of producers largely interested in 
the steadiness ol the market, I ask you to let me join 
issue with this ‘‘Wholesale Dealer,” notwiTistand- 
ing that I cannot claim to be specially anxious for 
the weltare of your readers. On behalf of those who 
hold strong views about the market, let me say that 
their liasis is this; — 
1. The asc rtaiMfueutthao supplies from all sources 
this seasou w'Ul be at least 15,000,000 lb. lees than 
our requirement’, and possibly 20 , 000.000 lb, less. 
2. Tire knowierigo, derived fr m the most in- 
fluential sonroe.s, that tho retailers throughout the 
country are lightly stocked, and cannot long hold 
out against ri-ing prices. 
3. The opiniou tha^-, wdth the exception of the 
commonest quaiitie'', teas <ro at very low prices in 
the wholesale market as c.impare.d with the prices 
in retail trade, leaving margin for a coiisiderab'e 
advance. 
4. The fact that home consumption is rapidly 
increasing, as shown by the duty payments on ue.aily 
two and a hdf million po inds more than last year,, 
between the dato^ ot Jan. 1st to 20:h, following on 
the very considerahlo increase during 1890- 
5. The imprtesi'. n, based cn carelul enquiry, that 
the public are largely buying a hitter kind of tea 
than before duty was lowered, taking their two-penoo 
out in “quality.'’ 
6 . Expir'tnce of tho commercial history of tho 
W-irld which teaches u.s that articles shipped from 
silver-using countries’, in the long run, rise ami fall 
wilh the mnvenionts, in tho siiv.;r maiket. With tLo 
rupie and tire doil ir at thoir prestiit price, it is 
C'.Hain th>t“c rnmon lea” ism.st . itlier rise on pace 
or cease to be produc. d. Tho efforts of ludian and 
Ceylon gro'.ver.j are biing turned towards making 
“finer tea at.d h-ss of it,” in ordi r to combat the highf r 
cost of tlioir crops caniod h;, tlio ri.“o in silver, 
7. 'Die kn !"■ ge that (' uti d ; tho Olcaring Hciu.se 
clique) tl;e- I ar ; i.o .specu'at i', 0 hol lers of tea at all 
— iq.c.akiiig, of coiir.T', in gmoial lenn:. If “ Wholo- 
Bulc De.aler” know:, where tea is Inddas.a Fj)! cu'atiou, 
pethap'* ho v i'l imic Ic il.; if tho ulocks held by 
(Ica'crH ■'.vho liv. (: lad t hr for' 0 i|;iit to .acquire them 
be rc-f ived 1 ”, (he/ i re in i-'ly ilio scl-olf against 
thOHo who have run short iii tin; hnpo of prices falling. 
lu tot clusi' n, l .t mo say why tbo ludiau ealos have 
been ao large; it is because Indi :n importers hive been 
udvistd for y-ars to rod fr,;;.ly whenever demand is 
strong and on tjoa'-r-il pri'icip e.s irreqi c ive of prices 
or statisiics; and ihiy have acted on this advice. 
Having sold 74.5,000 packages out of the 1,150,000 
packages which will bo recjivod, they will now be 
advised to sell the balance quietly bot.voeu now and 
July, and i..k;lhe averuga of the ruark.-t for sales 
spread over that period. — II. and 0. Mall. 
^ 
Thu Visit of Mr. Popoff, the PiOssian Tea 
Buyer. — We learn from Mr. Fcpolf, the Rursiau tea 
merchant who arrived hero on Friday evening from 
Marseilles in the “ 8 ahzic,” and concerning whom we 
had a paragraph in our last issue, that he purposes 
staying only a short time in Oeyion prior to proceeding 
to Ohina on his yearly busius.S 3 visit to the tea markets 
there. Ho is accompanie ; on his tour by Madame 
Popoff and Mr. Jaeger, aidwi.-hcs to see oue or more 
of the crack tea properties m the island. He brings 
letters of introduction to Messrs Ailken, Spence 
& Co. and they will, no doubt, help him to do this, and 
no doubt the system cf pruning adopted by our 
planters will be shewn him, as it seems he considers 
it a matier of special iuterest. When in China he 
hopes to visit the tea gardens, and to see for 
himself what chances there may be for amendment in 
manufacture of tea in that country. Ue is somewhat 
reticent us to his opinion on tho chances of Ceylon 
tea in the EussAn market.’. This is perhaps only 
natural under the ciioumstauces, but we may form our 
own opinions from the hiut he throws out — that it is 
quite possible that tho next time he visits Oeyion he 
miy remaiu a much longer time and not go on to 
China at all. He met Mr. Rogivue in Moscow and 
gives a good report of his health and spirits, and 
speaks highly ot his abilities, nefore very long we 
may hope to see iMr, Popoff or his agent resident in 
Colombo and buying our best teas for direct export to 
Russian markets.^ — Local “Times.” 
Gemming in Bakwank. — F eb. 16th, — A large and 
suooessiui sale cf gems took place at iJoriRtenne on 
the 11th instant, sevt-ral gem merchants from Colombo, 
Morotuws, Hatnapnra and other places being present 
at tho sale. Among tho lots sold, a very valuable sap- 
phire weighing 53 carats was briskly competed for 
and was eventually purchased by one Mr. Fernando 
of Morotuwa for U2,70il. Besnies this gem, two other 
lots of sapphires were sold for K2G3 and E204 res- 
pectively. Tamky Sinho, the famous gemmer of Rak- 
Wiine, was the happy finder of these gems, though for 
.some time past he has spent a lot ot mi. uey without 
finding a stone of any value. 'The gems in question 
were found on Botiatenne, bordering Golden Grove, 
ami there is not the scrablauce of a doubt but that 
equally good, and preb bly better, gems will be 
found in the groui ds of Golden Grove acquired 
by the Gemming Company. The vicinity has been 
long known as a spot nbouiiding in gems, and all 
those that know the place are. quite confident 
that, should operations be commenced there, they 
would be crowned with success. A few mocths back a 
rare sapphire weighing about 20 carats was found at 
a place close to Golden Grove and eventually fetched 
about E2,5C0. It will be very gratifying for all con- 
cerned to hear that after all the money spent by Mr. 
Siedle in the Botialenno pit he is in a fair way of 
meeting with success. Under the able management 
or his present superintendent, Mr. G’. H. Carey, a 
very large quantity of excellent ilium ot the right sort 
has been raised, all hands are now busily engaged in 
washing it, and there is every probability of Mr. 
Siedle meeting wi'li very successful results. The 
plumbago pit on Barra estate does not seem to yield 
such a large quantity of plumbago as was anticipated 
is first, but it is said that a very rich vein ot plumbago 
at in existence at the spoL I'ust on the vicinity of 
Rakwan?. Tho reports that are received about the 
liudiiig of gems on Rangwellctcmie estate are not very 
encouraging and most of the gems found are not very 
valuable . — itahoana Cor . — Local ‘I'i'imrs.” 
