6o 
THE  TROPIC  AI 
AGRicui/ruRisr. 
[July  i,  1896. 
There  aro  other  iriavltcts  which  have  sliU  to  lie  cap- 
tured aud  they  are  deservin''  of  the  earliest  attention. 
South  Africa  seems  a likely  market  for  our  teas, 
and  with  an  ever-increasing  population  it  is  to  lie 
hoped  that  our  manufacture  will  soon  find  its  way 
in  large  quantities  to  that  market.  It  is  said  that 
the  people  there  drink  inferior  China  aud  Natal  teas 
when  they  can  get  it,  and  we  should  lose  no  tmie 
in  entering  that  market  with  vigour.  There  is  a 
large  mining  population  in  Johannesburg,  aud  there 
are  other  rapidly  growing  places,  and  as  the  miner 
prefers  tea  to  liquor,  which  is  excessively  dear,  in  all 
reasonable  likelihood,  he  would  take  to  tea,  if  ho  can 
get  it  good,  and  will  no  doubt  pay  well  for  it. 
The  Negro  population  of  New  Orleans,  Alabama 
and  other  places  in  the  States  buy  largely,  but  the 
coloured  people  living  in  the  south,  although  no 
of  the  same  liking,  should  not  be  forgotten,  while 
Russia,  consuming  70  million  pounds  of  lea,  ancl 
Persia  shoul  1 claim  a large  share  of  our  att^tion, 
where  our  teas  are  gaining  favour  as  against  Cln'i''  ■ 
VVe  do  not  appear  to  make  much  headway’  in  the 
Colonies  in  competition  with  China  and  Ceylon,  the 
proportion.^  being  put  down  at  six  millions  Indian, 
nine  millions  Ceylon  and  11  millions  China,  making 
the  consumption  per  head  of  about  7 lb.,  as  against 
the  United  Kingdom  of  to  lb. 
The  India,  Bimma  and  Ceylon  Exhibition  was 
opened  at  Earl’s  Court  on  the  9th  instant  and  it 
is  reported  that  the  Indian  exhibits  exceed  those  of 
last  year  three  times  over.  We  all  realize  the  im- 
portance of  having  our  manufacture  brought  promi- 
nently before  the  British  public,  and  inllueutial 
visitors  to  London  and  the  Exhibition,  who  it  may 
be  expected  will  take  back  to  their  own  countries, 
not  only  a liking  themselves  for  a real  good  cup 
of  tea,  but  initiate-its  use  among  their  friends  and 
in  turn  the  thousands. 
It  is  not  too  late  to  send  samples,  as  it  is  most 
desirable  to  make  a creditable  appearance  along- 
side of  Ceylon,  and  no  doubt  the  cleanly  method  of 
manufacturing  by  machinery  and  other  demonstra- 
tions will  be  shown,  as  it  is  well  that  people  should 
know  that  no  foreign  colouring  substances  are  used, 
and  that  our  teas  are  manipulated  entirely  by 
machinery. 
We  are  much  indebted  to  Dr.  Watt  for  his  valu- 
able hints  on  tea  blights,  and  we  trust  th  it  Govern- 
ment will  see  their  way  to  allowing  him  to  prosecute 
his  researches  in  the  districts  for  a few  months,  and 
thus  enable  him  to  further  investigate  the  terrible 
pest  of  the  tea  bush  and  thereby  assist  in  suggesting 
certain  remedies  whereby  its  ravages  may  be  allayed. 
In  regard  to  the  appointment  of  a Scientific  Officer 
for  the  tea  districts  for  a term  of  years  it  seems 
reasonable  to  expect,  and  it  may  be  said  to  be  beyond 
doubt,  that  such  a specialist  would  be  invaluable  to 
the  industry  at  large,  as  he  would  be  able  to 
thoroughly  investigate  the  many  points  which  must 
arise  in  the  chemistry  of  the  tea  plant  and  the  cul- 
tivation and  manufacture  of  it.  Much  has  yet  to  be 
learnt  on  the  subject  of  proper  cultivation  of  the 
plant,  and  remedy  for  blights  and  the  investigations 
would  contemplate  certain  inquiries  into  the  ])hysio- 
logy  and  chemistry  of  the  tea  plant,  the  manufacture 
of  tea,  and  especially  the  eradication  or  treatment  of 
diseases,  pests  and  blights.  It  is  hardly  to  lie  expected 
that  an  officer  can  efficiently  investigate  all  these  points, 
but  an  expert  in  chemistry  would  be  able  to  make 
such  observations  and  collections  in  both  botany  and 
entomology  as  to  ensure  assistance  from  the  Economic 
Department  of  Government,  and  we  have  every  reason 
to  believe  that  Government  would  render  valuable 
assistance  in  this  and  other  ways. 
It  is  estimated  that  to  secure  a really  good  man 
R],.'i00  per  month  would  have  to  be  offered  aud 
guaranteed  for  five  years,  and  the  question  now  arises 
in  what  way  the  necess.ary  funds  w'ould  be  best  raised. 
Mr.  Buckingham  suggests  a voluntary  subscription 
of  one  anna  per  acre  under  cultivation,  and  this 
probably  would  be  the  best  means  of  securing  the 
necessary  funds,  but  the  Committee  are  anxious  to 
have  the  views  of  all  interested  in  such  an  important 
matter,  and  proprietors,  agents  and  managers  will  be 
circularized  to  obtain  tbeir  opinions. 
The  Committee  have  to  express  regret  that,  owing 
to  the  non-receipt  of  one  of  the  statements  of  ac- 
count, they  are  unable  to  place  the  accounts  of  the 
American  Market  T'liiid  before  this  meeting,  but  they 
will  be  issued  as  soon  as  the  necessary  information 
is  received  which  has  been  written  for. 
The  Hon.  P.  Playfair,  C.  I.  E.,  said  : — The  expan- 
sion of  markets  is  a feature  full  of  encouragement 
in  the  future  prospects  of  Indian  tea.  The  results 
anticipated  by  the  Association  when  it  decided  to 
make  an  effort  to  introduce  Indian  tea  to  the  Ameri- 
can consumer  appear  likely  to  be  fulfiled.  Much 
credit  is  due  to  Mr.  Blechynden,  and  the  resource 
and  energy  he  bas  displayed  are  both  instructive 
and  commendable. 
You  have  alluded.  Sir  to  remai'ks  made  by  the 
chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  on  the  introduction  of 
the  Budget,  aud  you  may  have  observed  that  he  con- 
gratulated those  who  desire  to  promote  trade  with* 
in  the  limits  of  the  Empire,  that  the  trade  in  tea  was 
being  rapklly  transferred  from  China  to  India  and 
Ceylon ; and  that  the  duty  with  an  increased  con- 
sumption of  10  million  lbs.  had  risen  to  <;J,71.'),000. 
To  prodiK  c this,  Indian  atm  Ceylon  teas  were  taxed 
to  the  extent  of  fJ, ‘200,000,  or  Rs.  .'li  crores,  and 
of  this  amount  Indian  teas  contributed  about  Rs. 
crores,  or  I might  add  in  passing,  Rs.  2i  crores 
more  than  is  the  estimated  income  in  the  Indian 
Budget  for  the  current  year  from  import  duties 
on  cotton  goods,  over  which  so  much  indignation 
has  been  expressed  at  Home.  It  is  a notice- 
able fact  that  although  tea  is  one  of  the 
few  products  of  India  that  finds  a market 
from  its  intrinsic  merit,  i.  e.,  superior  quality,  con- 
sumption is  very  dependent  upon  price.  Deliveries 
decrease  with  a rise  in  values,  and  vice  versa,  and  I 
believe  the  free  breakfast  table  is  a future  fiscal 
achievement  in  which  India  and  Ceylon,  as  the  sup- 
pliers of  85  per  cent,  of  the  tea  consumed  in  the 
United  Kingdom,  is  much  interested.  This  is  a 
matter  to  which  I think  this  Association  should  not 
be  indifferent. — Eiujlishmaii,  June  2. 
TICK  IN  CATTLE 
[The  following  information  may  be  of  help  to  “ II. 
W.  ” who  wrote  us  recently  on  this  .subject. — Ed, 
T.  A.] 
Dr.  M.  I’rancis,  veterinarian  to  the  Texas  E.xperi- 
inent  Farm,  has  been  investigating  the  methods  of 
destroying  tick.s  in  cattle,  and  has  coniiiiunicateil 
his  results  to  the  Texas  Farm  and  Ranch  of  Marcli 
1-1.  After  several  unsucce.ssful  .attempts  to  destroy 
the  pest  by  various  means,  the  dipping- process  has 
been  adopted  at  Texas  with  very  gratifying  results. 
A large  vat  of  5,000-g.allons  cap.acity  is  used,  and 
the  cattle  are  forced  to  swim  through  it.  Various 
cai'bolic  and  arsenical  sheep-dips  were  employed  as 
solutions  in  the  vat,  Imt  the  results  were  not  satis- 
factory; either  the  c.attle  li.ad  to  be  kept  in  thcdi])S 
for  too  long  a time  in  order  to  kill  all  the  licks  oi- 
they  were  irritalcd  by  t he  solutions.  This  led  Dr. 
Francis  to  try  1 lie  ell'ect  of  oil.  Ft.  is  widl  known 
tb.at  grease  or  oil  of  almost  any  kind  is  fatal 
to  insects,  lice  Ac.  and  known  facts  as  lo  the 
life  history  .and  .strucinre  of  licks  gave  presumii- 
tive  evidence  that  oil  might  be  suece.ssfullv 
substituted  for  the  various  commercial  dips  \\  hic'li 
hail  been  emiiloycd.  A kayer,  from  I lirec-quarters 
to  one  inch  in  thickness,  of  crude  cotton  seed 
oil  on  the  water  in  the  \at,  was  first  used, 
the  c.attle  being  forced  to  swim  through  the  vat  so 
that  when  I In'y  cmm'ged  they  w ine  covered  perfect  ly 
with  oil.  rids  had  no  apparent  ell'ect  on  t-hecallle, 
but  w'.as  lonnd  lobe  exceedingly  fatal  to  the  tick' 
and  wars  very  much  superior  toany  other  treatment 
tried.  Dips  of  dillerent  natures  were  experimented 
with,  but  none  as  yet.  used  liau'  gi\  en  such  satis- 
tactiuy  results  as  the  cotton-seed-oil.  Kerosene 
emulsion  w as  found  to  have  no  [iraetical  value;  crude 
petroleum  irritates  the  skin,  and  emuksilie.s  with 
