5^4 
[Feb.  I,  i8g6. 
THE  TROPICAL 
TEA  TM.AXTTNC  IN  RUS:=i[A. 
A report  on  tea  "lowing  in  the  district  of 
Batoum,  Russia,  has  been  prepared  bj-  Mr.  Consul 
Stevens,  from  which  it  appears  lliat  great  hopes 
are  entertained  by  the  Russian  authorities  that 
tea  cultivation  on  a large  scale  can  be  success- 
fully carried  on  in  the  district.  The  report 
says  that  e.xperiments  made  in  the  growing  of 
this  article  during  the  past  few  years,  though 
hitherto  on  a somewhat  limited  scale,  have 
brought  to  light  certain  conditions  which  promise  a 
great  future  for  the  cultivation  of  tea  in  the  Batoum 
district,  and  it  is  foreshadowed  that  before  many 
years  have  elapsed  such  culture  will  become  one  of 
the  most  important  industries  of  that  part  of  Russia. 
The  results  obtained  clearly  demonstrate  that  the 
soil  found  in  the  hilly  country  arjund  Batoum  is 
specially  adapted  for  raising  the  tea  plant,  since  it 
contains  silicious  earth,  ochreous  clay,  lime,  mag- 
nesia, humidity,  organic  matter,  chalk,  oxidised  iron, 
and  phosphoric  acid  in  the  required  quantities,  be- 
sides which  the  average  annual  rain  and  snow  falls, 
the  moisture  of  the  atmosphere,  and  the  prevailing 
winds  render  the  climate  specially  suitable  for  suc- 
cessful tea  growing. 
In  addition  to  Messrs.  Solovtzoff  and  Popoff,  the 
Imperial  Domains  Department,  Mr.  Sibiriakoff,  Mr. 
Viasemsky,  and  one  or  two  other  proprietors,  have 
acquired  land  in  and  about  Chakva  and  iMahindjauri, 
both  of  which  places  are  within  a distance  of  eight 
miles  from  Batoum,  for  the  purpose  of  laying  o\it  tea 
plantations;  and  the  Imperial  Domains  Department, 
which  has  sent  a special  expedition  to  India,  Ceylon, 
China,  and  other  tea-growing  countries  to  make  a 
study  of  tea  cultivation,  has  recently  arrived  at  an 
agreement  with  Mr.  Solovtzoff,  the  pioneer  tea 
planter  of  Transcaucasia,  to  plant  out  fifty- 
four  acres  for  the  department.  It  may  be  presume 
that  other  capitalists  will  shortly  follow  their  example 
and  profit  by  the  experience  already  gained  b}^  their 
predecessors,  although  for  the  present  one  or  two 
of  the  latter  are  jealous  of  their  respective  under- 
takings, and  insist  upon  the  greatest  secrecy  being 
maintained  as  to  their  methods  of  cultivation.  It 
is,  nevertheless,  a foregone  conclusion  that  if  tea 
is  ever  cultivated  in  Transcaucasia  in  quantities 
which  would  enable  that  country  to  profitably  com- 
pete with  China  and  other  nations  for  the  supply 
of  her  home  markets,  the  bulk  of  such  tea  would 
have  to  be  grown  in  the  district  of  Batoum. 
Hitherto  Mr.  Popoff  is  the  only  person  who 
has  undertaken  to  carry  out  the  experimental  trials 
in  the  cultivation  of  tea  on  a somewhat  large  scale, 
and  his  three  plantations  at  Chakva,  Salibauri, 
and  Kaprishun  are  perfect  models  as  far  as  the 
laying  out  of  the  grounds,  roads  on  the  estates, 
buildings  for  the  employe's  and  labourers,  and 
other  such-like  arrangements  are  concerned,  but 
only  the  few  persons  who  are  immediately  con- 
nected with  his  plantations  kuow  anything  about 
his  methods  of  cultivating  the  tea,  for  his  estate, 
are  practically  a sealed  book  to  all  outsiders. 
According  to  reports  only  a small  proportion  of  the 
seedlings  which  lie  planted  out  this  season  have  taken, 
whereas  on  Mr.  Solovtzoff's  plantations  ail  the  young 
plants  are  doing  well. 
The  expedition  sent  out  by  the  Department  of 
Imperial  Domains  has  by  now  completed  its  tom- 
through  India,  China,  and  Japan.  It  spent  a whole 
month  in  a Chinese  village  near-  Shangti  ii.  at  which 
place  the, preparation  of  tea  was  studied;  and  to.i, 
seeds  and  jdants  and  machinery  for  the  tea  planta- 
tions near  Batoum  worn  procured.  tn  .Tapan  the 
expedition  collected  somo  valu.-ihlo  information  re- 
specting the  soil  and  climatic  conditions  of  the  tea- 
growing districts  in  that  countrj’.  One  or  two  mem- 
bers of  theexiiedition  have  nu-ently  proceeded  to  San 
Francisco  to  study  the  American  system  of  culture, 
and  the  other  memliers  are  to  remain  a short  time 
longer  in  .Japan  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  Japanese 
labourers  and  obtaining  samples  of  Japanese  tea  plants 
and  seedlings.  It  is  rcp.irtecl  that  cxi)erimental  trials 
in  the  cultivation  of  tea  arc  also  to  be  made  in  Ka- 
hetia  during  the  autumn  of  this  year. 
AGRICULTURIST. 
Apart  from  its  reference  to  tea  cultivation.  IMr. 
Stevens’s  report  tlirows  light  on  the  efforts  when  arc 
being  made  by  tbe  Jliissian  (Jovernment  to  improve 
the  agricultural  condition  of  Transcaucasia.  It  is 
admitted  at  the  outset  that  the  general  condition 
of  the  district  is  “ deplorable,”  and  it  is  this  fact 
which  was  induced  the  authorities  to  adopt  special 
measures  with  a view  to  rai.sing  the  social  condition 
of  the  peasantry.  The  promotion  of  technical  edu- 
cation is  one  of  the  means  to  this  eud  ; jiersous  ex- 
perienced ill  the  scientific  cultivation  of  ihe  soil  are 
oontimially  being  sent  to  the  Batoum  district  from 
St.  Petersburg  and  other  educational  centres  to  in- 
struct the  rural  population,  and  sure  though  slow  pro- 
gress is  being  made.  A scheme  for  encouraging  the 
luauuf  rctuve  of  agricnltural  machinery  in  the  country 
itself  by  the  extension  of  credit  to  would-be  imple- 
inent  makers  has  been  started  by  the  Ministry  of 
Finance,  and  practical  mechanics  instructed  in  the 
handling  and  repairing  of  machinery  and  implements 
are  to  be  sent  to  Transcaucasia  as  itinerant  teachers. 
Depots  of  agricultural  implements  and  iiiachiiiery,  and 
also  of  seeds,  are  to  be  opened  by  the  Government. 
Increased  grants  have  been  made  for  the  current  year 
for  the  encouragement  of  meteorological  observations, 
silkworm  cultivation;  the  destruction  of  pernicious 
auimals  or  iii«e  ts,  irrigation,  and  the  establishment 
of  experimental  stations,  model  farms,  primary 
agricultural  schools,  and  agricultural  societies. 
Already  the  cotton-spinning  mills  of  Mo.scow  are 
receiving  supplies  of  cotton  grown  in  Transcaucasia 
as  well  as  Central  Asia.  The  mildness  and  humi- 
dity of  the  climate  and  extensive  tracts  of  available 
free  lands  are  said  to  be  favouraljle  to  the  industry, 
and  additional  efforts  are  being  made  to  induce  the 
peasantry  to  experiment  by  the  planting  of  Crown 
lands  with  cotton  and  the  distribulion  of  seed.  Nearlv 
250,000  acres  have  also  been  planted  with  vines,  and 
already  upwards  of  30,000,000  gallons  of  wine  arc 
produced  in  an  average  year  ; and  specialists  are 
engaged  in  com’oating  the  peculiar  dise.x.scs  of  tbe 
vine,  including  the  phylloxera,  ol'dium,  and  mildea. 
Tobacco  is  also  being  successfully  grown.  Great 
efforts  are  being  made  to  extend  sericiculturo  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Tiflis,  and  as  the  indiistrv 
suffered  severely  last  year  through  the  im;)Oi  t!ilioii 
of  inferior  eggs  from  Turkey,  the  central  silkworm 
establishment  at  Tiilis  is  taking  steps  to  supply  ilu- 
peasantry  at  moderate  prices  with  eggs  which’ ha\.- 
been  .selected  after  microscopical  examination,  aiul 
which,  therefore,  can  be  guaranteed  as  free  from 
disease.  Dairy  farming  on  a large  scale  is  being 
promoted.  In  regard  to  the  cultivation  of  grain  ex- 
tremely primitive  methods  are  still  in  vogue,  and  as 
the  peasants  do  not  possess  the  means  of  doing  their 
ploughing  independently,  a system  of  co-operative 
ploughing  has  come  into  existence. — If.  and.  C.  .Mail, 
Jan.  10. 
Te.V  for  the  N.VTIVE.S— The  huUnn  Plrnitrrs 
friizrtte  : — 
In  the  interesting  note  on  the  cultivation  of  Indian 
tea  Mr.  .T.  C.  O’Uonor  while  showing  that  Indian 
tea  is  exported  mainly  to  the  United  Kingdom— to 
the  extent  of  about  9(5  per  cent,  of  the  average 
production— comments  on  the  strong  coiurast  be- 
tween the  quan tities  ct)nsumed  in  the  United  Jvingdom, 
and  India,  remarking  that  the  Indian  consumption 
to  a substantial  extent  is  due  to  the  Kiiropean 
population,  more  than  one  million  pounds  of  it  bring 
taken  by  tbe  (Jommissariat  Depirtment  for  the 
British  Army,  iliat  Indian  to.i,  t.<  growing  in  favour 
with  the  natives  {especially  the  Mahommodans),  .as 
be  declares,  is*  a well-known  fact.  Jlcrc,  in  the 
capital,  the  beverage  is  commonly  sold  to  the  masses 
by  petty  shop-keepers  and  itinerant  ; but 
tea-drinking  does  not  seem  to  bo  .so  prevalent  hero  as 
in  Bombay,  where  an  enterprising  colony  of  Irani 
Parsees  have  pitched  their  tents  and  practically 
created  what  is  now  a thriving  business  in  the  tea 
shop  line  drawing  extensive  patronage  from  tlio  I’arsee, 
IMahommedan,  Arab,  Per.sian,  Goanese  and  Surti  com- 
munities—and  even  to  somo  extent  from  the  Hindoo 
commimity.  There  is  an  opening  for  similar  outer- 
enterprise  here,  we  think. 
