[Dec.  r,  1896, 
THK  TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST 
425 
^ r")  5^  V ,'*  tf!  p 0 }■',  r]  C !';  0. 
2'o  the  Editor. 
COFFEE  IN  SOUTH  SYLHET. 
Dauvaduira,  Mnnshi  Bazaar,  South  Sylhet, 
Oct. 
Dear  S r, — I have  been  e.xperimentin"  for  the 
last  three  years  witli  (litrereiit  varieties  ofcoftee  in 
this  district.  I have  been  advised  to  send  yon  a 
sample  for  youropinion.  If  you  would  Uindly  let 
me  have  your  opinion  on  tlie  sample,  width  I 
am  sending  per  parcel  post,  as  to  its  quality 
and  appro.ximate  price  in  the  market,  1 would 
be  obliged.  The  sample  is  taken  from  a maiden 
croj),  three  years  of  age.  The  seed  was  got  from 
Coorg,  and  was  grown  at  a low  elevation— 50  ft. 
above  sea-level  only. — I am,  dear  sir,  yours  faith- 
fully, ■ JAMES  LAURIE. 
[All  expert  to  whom  we  submitted  the  sample 
reports: — “It  is  very  small,  and  the  silver  skin 
has  been  allowed  to  settle  on  the  bean — a bad 
fault  in  curing.  I am  unable  to  give  its  present 
value.”— Ed.  C.O.] 
GOOERA  (CEYLON)  TEA  ESTATES, 
LIMITED. 
Oct.  21. 
Dear  Sir, — We  have  received  advice  from  London 
that  this  Company  h.as  declared  a (Inal  dividend 
of  10  per  cent,  making,  with  the  interim  dividend 
paid  in  March,  a total  of  17  per  cent  for  the  yea'', 
and  the  balance  carried  forward  is  equivalent  to 
7 per  cent,  on  the  capital  of  the  Company. —Yours 
faithfully,  BAKER  & HAJ.L’  Agent.'-. 
THE  MANUFACTURE  OF  TEA  IN  CHINA; 
COMPETITION  BETWEEN  INDIA  AND  CEYLON. 
Colombo,  Nov.  7. 
De.vr  Sir, — 'Wq  have  much  |deasure  in  enclos- 
ing a"  letter  received  by  us  from  a gentleman 
• in  China  (also  an  owner  of  estates  in  Ceylon! 
in  regarrl  to  the  awakening  of  China  merchants 
to  the  fact  that  unle.ss  something  is  done,  tlie 
total  e.xtinction  of  their  foreign  ami  colonial  trade 
is  within  measurable  distance.  The  means  adopted 
to  counteract  this  are  the  importation  of  an 
economic  roller  anrl  the  ad.aptation  of  Ceylon 
methods  tor  withering,  drying  and  rolling  the  leaf. 
Samples  of  the  first  teas  made  under  the  new 
proce.ss  have  readied  us  from  both  China  and  Aus- 
tralia, and  after  a careful  examination  we  find 
there  has  been  an  improvement  made  in  the 
appearance,  but  the  liquors  still  remain  those  of 
China  teas,  with  all  their  characteristics.  It 
\yould  be  unwise  to  under-estimate  the  opposi- 
tion of  China,  M'hose  hold  upon  se\'cral  markets 
of  the  world  is  still  ,a  strong  one.  At  the  same 
time  no  good  can  come  of  over-estim.ating  it, 
and  we  feel  assured  that  China's  real  obstacle 
to  regaining  her  old  position  in  the  trad'-  is 
owing  to  the  fact  that  her  soil  cannot  produce 
tea  of  snflicient  body  ami  strength  to  the  pos- 
session of  which  the  jiopularity  of  Ceylon  .and 
Indian  tea  is  due.  Improved  methods  of  manu- 
tacture  may^  and  will  no  doubt  result  in  the 
))roduclion  of  tea  resembling  somewhat  in  appear- 
ance that  of  India  and  Ceylon,  but  there  is  no 
possible  method  of  manufacturing  by  which  tlie 
evil  of  the  soil  producing  thg  tea  can  be  over- 
o3 
come.  Were  fresh  land  in  China  opened  and 
planted  with  good  Indian  seed,  it  is  po.ssible  an 
imiu'oied  article  might  be  produced,  but  if  the 
ar tempt  at  the  resuscitation  of  the  trade  begins 
a al  ends  with  manufacturing  the  present  leaf 
by  Ceyion  and  Indian  methods,  the  interests  of 
Ceylon  are  not  threatened. — Yours  faithfully, 
CROSFIELD,  LAMPARD  & CO. 
(Cojiy  of  letter  received.) 
Oct.  9. 
My  dear  L, — Thanks  for  your  last  letter.  I 
see  that  you  agree  with  what  I previously  wrote 
on  the  suliject  of  encouraging  the  sale  of  your 
teas  in  Russia,  and  as  you  are  much  interested 
in  that,  you  may  like  to  have  a few  more 
notes  from  me  on  it, 
'I'hat  a start  has  been  made  in  increasing  the 
ii.se  of  Ceylon  teas  in  Russia  is  evident  to  all, 
and  the  course  of  the  Northern  markets  in  China 
this  season  go  to  prove  this  for  the  direct  ex- 
port to  that  country  has  fallen  off  4 million 
pounds.  Nor  has  this  so  far  been  made  up  by 
purchases  on  the  London  market,  one  of  the 
best  informed  houses  there  writing  that  the  ex* 
pected  demand  for  black  leafs  for  export  has 
not  yet  shewn  itself.  The  start  having  been 
made  it  behoves  all  interested  to  help  it  along, 
and  the  need  for  this  to  be  done  immediately 
is  becoming  more  urgent  and  for  the  following 
reasons.  The  merchant  in  China  has  awakened 
to  the  fact  that  the  critical  period  has  arrived 
and  he  is  taking  steps  to  Avard  off  the  total  extinc* 
tion  of  the  trade.  F'rom  Shanghai  very  stiong 
representations  are  being  made  by  the  Chamber 
of  Commerce  to  the  Chinese  authoritities 
through  the  medium  of  foreign  ministers  at 
Pekin,  pointing  out  the  evils  which  press  so 
heavily  on  thetrade,  especially  such  as  the  “lekin” 
tax  and  the  export  duty.  When  many  years  ago, 
the  latter  was  fixed  at  R2  o per  picul,  it  was 
regarded  as  the  equivalent  of  5 per  cent  on 
tlie  value  of  the  tea  exported,  but  by  reason 
of  the  great  fall  in  the  value  of  the  article  on 
the  home  markets,  the  same  duty  now  repre- 
sents from  25  to  30  per  cent  of  such  value.  The 
Chinese  are  anxious  to  increase  the  duties  on 
imports,  and  to  obtain  this,  they  may  consent 
to  a reduction  of  the  duties  on  the  export  of 
tea.  But  the  most  important  movement  to  be 
considered  is  that  which  is  now  taking  place 
at  this  port  having  for  its  object  the  improve- 
ment of  the  teas  produced  here. 
An  “ Economic”  roller  has  been  imported  and 
a Company  formed  with  the  view  of  obtaining 
other  machines  for  distribution  amongst  the 
various  tea  districts,  so  as  to  try  where  the 
Ceylon  method  of  withering  and  rolling  can  be 
successfully  applied.  The  machine  arrived  too 
late  in  the  season  to  be  tried  upon  first-crop 
leaf,  and  the  several  parcels  of  tea  which  it 
has  turned  out  from  "second  and  third'  crop 
leaf  have  been  disappointing — the  teas  rapidly 
“changing”  and,  though  shewing  more  strength 
than  the  same  leaf  produced  under  Chine.se 
methods,  giving  no  flavour  in  the  cup.  But  it 
must  be  remembered  that  .so  far  only  the 
.second  and  . third  crop  leaf  from  one  of  our 
])oorest  districts  has  been  experimented  upon, 
and  the  promoters  of  the  Company  are 
sanguine  of  better  things  resulting  from  the  treat 
ment  of  first  crop.  The  Chinese  teamen  generally 
are  averse  to  the  use  of  machinerjq  but  many  are 
willing  to  tiy  the  Ceylon  method  of  withering 
and  the  more  careful  manufacture  of  the  leaf  by 
“ hand.” 
