July  i,  1896, 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
59 
out  of  ovdiiifiry  income.  The  hdlancc  of  ordinary 
income  over  ordinary  oxponditnre  is  generally  about 
111,000;  but  in  the  year  wliicli  is  now  commencing, 
the  General  (Jommittee  will  be  called  upon  to  meet 
an  additional  monthly  expenditure  of  JR200  as  the 
Committee  of  Bengal  Chamber  of  Commerce 
have  suggested  that,  in  view  of  the  increased  work 
connected  with  the  Association,  the  monthly  contri- 
bution to  the  funds  of  the  Chamber  should  be  raised 
from  R400  to  ROOO.  The  General  Committee  realizing 
that  the  work  of  the  Association  has  largely  deve- 
loped in  late  years,  in  several  directions  have  decided 
to  recommend  at  the  annual  meeting  that  the  request 
of  the  Committee  of  the  Chamber  should  be  complied 
with,  and  trust  the  recommendation  will  receive  the 
support  of  members  generally. 
Annual  General  Meeting. 
Pi'oceedings  of  the  fifteenth  annual  general  meeting 
of  members  of  the  Association,  held  at  the  Bengal 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  on  the  27th  of  May,  1896. 
The  Chairman  said  : — The  report  fully  treats  with 
labour  and  markets  for  our  tea,  but  without  labour 
we  cannot  get  the  produce,  and  yet  it  seems  beyond 
reason  that  with  the  teeming  million  of  people  we 
should  find  any  difficulty  in  securing  labour.  Mar- 
kets also  are  not  without  difficulties,  as  it  is  easy 
to  take  a horse  to  the  water,  but  it  is  quite  another 
matter  to  make  him  drink,  although  a little  coaxing 
might  be  resorted  to,  and  this  is  being  done. 
The  first  estimate  of  the  Indian  crop  issued  in 
the  middle  of  April  anticipated  an  outturn  of  144 
million  lb.,  but  the  unfavourable  weather  prevailing 
in  some  districts  at  the  beginning  of  the  season 
made  this  estimate  drawn  up  some  time  previous, 
to  be  considered  a full  one,  and  it  cannot  be  said 
from  the  general  information  received  to  date  that 
the  situation  has  in  any  way  improved,  but  you  can 
understand  the  difficulty  in  gauging  the  future  when 
there  are  so  many  causes — climatic  and  otherwise — 
to  contend  with,  which  may  materially  affect  the 
crop  before  it  is  gathered. 
Out  of  the  144  millions,  16  millions  are  estimated 
for  shipment  to  the  Colonies  and  other  ports  and  for 
local  consumption,  leaving  128  million  lb.  for  Great 
Britain. 
Ceylon  has  been  annually  showing  considerable  ex- 
pansion in  exports,  and  it  is  expected  that  they  will 
reach  over  100  million  lbs.  this  year  of  which  15 
millions  will  likely  be  taken  by  the  Colonies  and  other 
foreign  countries,  but  the  eventual  results  will  much 
depend  on  the  weather. 
The  annual  increasing  production  from  India  and 
Ceylon  has  caused  some  uneasiness,  but  with  the  in- 
creased consumption  at  home,  and  improving  demand 
from  other  countries  as  well  as  the  displacement  of 
China  and  Japan  teas,  we  have  no  reason  to  view 
the  near  future  with  alarm,  on  the  contrary,  the 
present  statistical  position  points  to  the  season’s  sup- 
ply not  being  in  excess  of  requirements. 
I noticed  from  a Hong-Kong  Circular  the  other  day 
that  the  total  exports  of  tea  from  all  China  for  the 
past  season  was  140  million  lbs.  or  54  millions  more 
than  in  1894-95. 
It  is  indeed  worthy  of  note  to  place  these  three 
countries’  figures  side  by  side  and  compare — 
In  1875  China  imported  into  U.K.  122  millions 
,,  1895  ,,  ,,  jt  ft  314  i. 
„ 1875  India  & Ceylon  „ „ 23i  ,, 
„ 1895  „ „ „ 1904 
thus  showing  the  rapid  strides  British-grown  tea  has 
made  in  20  years. 
The  Budget  shows  a surplus  of  over  six  millions, 
and  the  outcry  is  that  sufficient  consideration  has  not 
been  paid  to  the  “breakfast  table.”  As  tea  takes  a 
very  prominent  position  in  that  daily  meal,  doubtless 
the  industry  which,  we  are  representing,  before  long 
will  claim  some  attention  from  the  Chancellor  of  the 
Kxchequer,  and  he  may  see  his  way  to  making  a 
further  reduction  of  duty  on  tea. 
The  statistics  available  go  to  show  that  America 
imported  during  1894,  102,  against  98  million  pounds 
in  1896,  of  which  India  and  Ceylon  contributed  over 
nine  millions  last  year,  being  an  increase  of  four 
million.s  over  1894,  the  remainder  being  China  and 
•lapan.  ^ ibis  will  .show  tlie  lield  we  have  yet  to 
conquer  in  that  direction,  but  a beginning  has  been 
iiiauo,  and  the  uliorts  of  tbe  Associations  with  their 
able  representative,  Mr.  Blochyuden,  will  doubtless 
show  greater  results  at  the  end  of  the  current  season. 
Americans  do  not  appear  to  take  very  kindly  to  tea, 
judging  from  the  fact  that  during  15  years  the  con- 
sumption  only  increased  some  30  million  lb.,  and  now 
It  is  put  down  at  134  in  pounds  per  head  of  population. 
So  that  there  is  in  addition  to  the  ousting  of  China  and 
Japan,  a great  held  for  us  to  induce  the  Americans  to 
transfer  their  fancy  from  iced  drinks  to  the  cup  that 
cheers. 
There  is  no  saying  also  to  what  extent  the  ladies  of 
America  will  go  in  the  use  of  tea  to  supplant  tobacco, 
because  I have  seen  notice  taken  of  the  rage  for  ciga- 
rettes made  of  tea,  and  we  hope  the  “ weed”  will  grow 
laigely  in  favour  although  we  would  not  like  them  to 
jeopardise  their  constitutions  in  so  doing. 
That  there  is  a wide  opening  for  Indian  tea  in 
America  and  Canada  is  quite  evident,  and  it  ap- 
pears that  Indian  in  time  will  not  only  oust  out  a 
large  influx  of  China  and  Japan  manufacture  into 
that  country,  but  wall  also  bring  our  teas  into  favour 
with  those  who  now  use  beer  or  coffee  at  almost 
every  meal.  The  taste  of  the  American  tea  drinkers 
has  been  educated  to  green  teas,  and  it  will  there- 
fore take  time  to  divert  their  liking  to  ours,  but 
^ccess  IS  bound  to  attend  our  energetic  efforts 
Gardens  have  tried  over  and  over  again  to  make 
green  teas,  but  abandoned  them  chiefly  on  account 
of  the  high  cost  of  manufacturing,  but  this  important 
matter  deserves  every  consideration. 
It  is  therefore  iucunibeiit  on  me  to  emphasize  the 
grave  error  we  would  make,  if  we  were  to  allow  the 
position  we  have  gained  to  relax  in  the  slightest 
degree,  in  trying  to  win  this  promising  market, 
which  IS  so  important  to  retain,  in  face  of  the  large 
area  of  tea  coming  into  bearing,  during  the  next 
lew  years.  Let  those  who  have  not  yet  made 
^ their  minds  to  contribute  towards  the  American 
h uud,  hesitate  no  longer  to  contribute  their  share 
of  what  IS  justly  due  by  all  with  no  exception  The 
appeal  of  the  London  and  Calcutta  Committees  it  is 
therefore  hoped,  will  receive  that  hearty  support  it 
SO  justly  deserves.  ^ 
We  cannot,  however,  be  expected  to  carry  every 
market  before  us  without  opposition,  and  this  re- 
calls to  my  memory  a recent  article  which  I read 
bearing  on  adulterated  teas  being  imported  into 
America.  It  went  on  to  say  that  the  plan 
adopted  to  restrict  or  prevent  the  duty  of  inferior 
teas  into  America  has  so  far  proved  futile 
and  stated  that  this  refers  particularly  to  the 
• bogus  teas  which  are  not  grown  but  manu- 
factured from  spurious  leaves,  tea  dust,  and 
colouring  material.  The  mixture  is  made  to  look 
quite  handsome  to  the  inexperienced  eye,  and  its 
sale  returns  good  profits  to  unprincipled  retailers 
A chromo  thrown  in  with  every  purchase  makes  the 
Ignorant  consumer  apparently  satisfied.  There  is  no 
question  about  the  legitimate  trade  being  injured 
and  Mr.  Bunn  proposes  to  regain  lost  ground  by 
needed  legislation.  Certain  suggestions  have  been 
made  by  this  gentleman  which,  it  is  acknowledged, 
would  be  a vast  improvement  over  the  present  sys- 
tem, but  the  House  of  Representatives  appear  indiffer- 
ent. It  would  therefore  be  well  for  the  tea  trade 
to  agitate  the  necesspy  reforms  in  admitting  tea 
into  America,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  a matter 
so  detrimental  to  our  interests,  will  claim  the 
earnest  attention  of  all  concerned  in  the  welfare  of 
our  industry. 
It  is  said  by  some  that  tea  causes  many  local 
uiscsiSGS,  UlUd  you  soui6tiui6s  sgg  Sirticlcs  running  in 
this  strain,  but  much,  I am  afraid,  is  due  to  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  infused  or  rather  “stewed” 
and,  the  adoption  of  “ Chinese  rubbish,”  which  it  is 
often  termed,  in  place  of  using  onr  pure  Indian  tea 
manufactured  entirely  by  machinery  and  not  by  hand 
as  in  China.  It  is  to  be  hoped  tli  it  consumers  will 
soon  learn  to  infuse  tea  for  three  to  four  minutes 
only,  with  fresh  boiling  water,  and  to  bear  in  mind 
tiifiit  Xndid«n  possesses  more  body  Oiud  dner  f^&vour 
and  at  less  relative  cost  to  the  consumer  than  China. 
