Feb,  1,  1897.] 
THE  TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURISr 
571 
^oitri3spcmleno0. 
To  the  Editor, 
BOHMERIA  NIVEA  (RHEA.) 
Ileneratgoda,  Jan.  5. 
Deab  Sib, — Seed  sown  by  us  in  shaded  nursery 
on  the  24th  ultimo  have  begun  to  germinate  from  the 
2nd  instant  (in  ten  days.)  If  carefully  treated  we  think 
about  1,300  plants  may  be  raised  from  one 
ounce  of  seed,  equal  to  about  20,000  plants  to  the 
lb.  We  herewith  enclose  a small  packet  of  seeds. 
J.  P.  WILLIAM  BROS. 
CEYLON  TEA  IN  RUSSIA. 
Jan.  6th. 
Dear  Sir, — In  a letter  addressed  to  Mr. 
Rogivue  and  informing  liini  of  a grant  made  by 
the  Thirty  Committee  towards  hi.s  work  in  Russia, 
I told  him  the  fact  which  had  come  to  my  notice 
that  “certain  firms  in  Colombo  and  London 
have  made  our  grants  to  you  tlie  subject  of  a 
grievance,  and  say  tliat  you  are  therel)y  enabled 
to  undersell  competitor.s.”  To  avoid  such  com- 
plaints it  will  be  necessary  for  you  to  devote 
the  grants  in  accordance  with  your  letters  of 
8th  May  1895  and  October  1896.” 
To  this  Mr.  Rogivue  makes  a very  full  reply, 
and  I think  what  he  says  justifies  the  grants 
which  have  been  made  to  him,  and  the  con- 
fidence of  the  Committee, — I am,  dear  sir,  yours 
faithfully,  ' A.  W.  S.  SACKVILLE. 
Copy, 
Moscow,  20th  November,  1896. 
Maroseika,  House  Lebediell,  2nd  December. 
A.  W.  S.  Sackville,  Esq.,  Drayton  Estate,  Kota- 
gala,  Dimbula,  Ceylon. 
My  dear  sir, — I beg  to  thank  you  for  your  letter 
of  the  9th  November,  the  contents  of  which  had  my 
careful  attention. 
I also  have  to  tender  my  best  thanks  to  the 
“ Thirty.  Committee  for  their  last  vote  in  my  favour 
for  a new  grant  as  the  “ Times  of  Ceylon  ” gives 
it  in  one  of  its  last  issues  for  i)2,000  out  of  which, 
I understand  by  your  letter  uuder  reply  a sum  of 
£500  or  about,  has  to  be  specially  devoted  for  the 
lecturing  and  advertising  tours  mentioned  in  my 
letter  to  you  of  the  25th  October  last. 
I may  here  inform  you  that  previous  to  your 
sanction  for  the  above  scheme  I had  already  started 
the  man  I selected,  Mr.  W.  Straniberg,  on  his  first  tour 
through  the  Baltic  West  and  partly  Centro  Provinces 
to  visit  about  an  hundicd  towns  and  villages  ox 
which|the  principals  are  Kim,  Twer,  Istashkow,  Whisny, 
Wolostshoe,  St.  Petersburgh,  Gamberg,  Weseuberg, 
Rewal,  Hapsal,  Weissenstens,  Eellin,  Darpat,  Dolmar, 
Wenden,  Riga,  Mitan,  Libau,  Dwinss,  Deeuaburg, 
Wilna  Mensk,  Smolensk,  Vitbsk,  etc.  He  took  with 
him  2,500  packets  of  l/32d  of  a pound  and  numerous 
samples  of  good,  middling  and  lower  quality  of 
Ceylon  tea,  with  a large  quantity  of  pamphlets 
printed  for  the  purpose  and  has  instructions  to  dis- 
tribute tea  and  pamphlets  right  and  left  gratia  in 
whatever  manner  he  can  desire  while  travelling  or 
stopping  in  a place,  but  more  especially  by  going 
to  principal  “ Tractores  ” — tea  drinking  places— order- 
ing a Samowar  and  collecting  as  many  people  as 
he  can,  treating  them  to  the  tea  and  at  the  same  time 
gi>iug  them  a sort  of  lecture  in  a conversational 
way  on  the  history,  the  merits  and  various  advan- 
tages of  Ceylon  tea,  pointing  out  to  them  and  praising 
the  rapid  progress  of  consumption  the  article  has 
already  made  in  Russia  and  its  great  extension  all  over 
the  world. 
I hope  he  will  do  well  and  that  this  first  trip  will 
bring  in  good  results.  Mr.  Stramberg  will  be  tra- 
velling in  this  way  for  about  two  mouths  and  return 
here  before  Christmas  when  I shall  let  your  Com- 
mittee have  all  the  details  of  this  first  tour  and  of 
its  apparent  result. 
Now  you  will  kindly'  allow  me  to  refer  to  a para- 
graph of  your  letter  of  which  I must  confess,  I do 
not  understand  the  cause,  but  which  appears  to 
infer  very  unjust  complaints  about  my  work  and  has 
caused  me  considerable  surprise. 
I need  not  repeat  to  you  that  since  I came  in  this 
country  in  1890  for  the  special  purpose  of  introducing 
Ceylon  tea  in  Russia,  I devoted  all  my  time,  my 
energy  and  labour  to  the  cause  of  furthering  the  in- 
terests of  Ceylon,  Ceylon,  planters,  and  Ceylon  tea,  in 
preference  of  my  own,  for,  my  experience  proves  it,  I 
could  in  business,  have  done  here  much  better  as  a 
general  mex'chant,  buyiiag  and  selling  tea  (Ceylon  or 
other  kinds)  in  chests  and  or  other  produce  than 
selling  exclusively  pure  Ceylon  tea  in  pachets  which 
was  absolutely  the  only  method  to  adopt  in  order  to 
spread  a knowledge  of,  and  create  the  demand  for, 
Ceylon  tea  as  I soon  saw.  To  this  I have  devoted 
myself  and  left  the  field  open  to  existing  Moscow, 
London  and  Colombo  firms  to  supply  the  wholesale 
demand  for  tea  in  cheats  consequent  on  my  labours 
in  the  packet  and  retail  branch  to  reach  the  con- 
sumer. Had  the  “ Ceylon  Tea  Fund  ” given  me 
from  the  time  of  my  arrival  in  this  country 
say  50  to  100  thousand  pounds  a year  of  duty- 
paid  tea  to  be  distributed  or  sold  for  them  in  Russia 
and  paid  my  expenses  and  trouble  for  doing  the  work, 
I would  never  have  started  business  here  on  my  oten 
account  and  would  have  perhaps  attained  quicker 
results.  Many  people  in  Ceylon  will  remember  how 
eften  in  the  beginning  of  my  stay  in  Moscow,  I 
have  asked  for  help  in  the  way  of  consignments  of 
tea  and  begged  Colombo  and  London  firms  to  open 
business  in  or  with  Russia  ; but  no  one  came  to  the 
front,  they  were  all  afraid  if  not,  of  losing  their 
money  with  me,  at  least  to  trade  with  a so,  at  the 
time,  little  knowm  country  as  Russia. 
My  business  here  is  the  sale  of  pxire  Ceylon  tea  in 
packets  and  in  this  kind  of  trade  I can  say  I have 
no  or  little  competition  because,  for  the  present, 
most  of  the  Ceylon  tea,  except  mine,  imported  into 
Russia  serves  for  the  blending  of  other  teas,  and  the 
few  merchants  all  Russian  firms  who  sell  it  pure  in 
packets,  have  prices  for  retail  and  wholesale  equiva- 
lent to  mine.  I therefore  fail  to  understand  how  I 
can  undersell  the  competitioji  and  know  of  no  firms 
in  London  or  Colombo,  doing  a business  in  packet  teas 
in  Russia  whom  I could  compete  with  or  undersell, 
I shall  not  attempt  here  to  urge  that  I have 
always  utilized  the  funds  granted  to  me  by  the  ‘‘  Tea 
Fund”  and  the  “ Thirty  Committee”  besides  a great 
deal  of  my  own  money,  entirely  for  the  furtherance 
of  the  Ceylon  trade  generally ; my  reports  and  ac- 
counts in  conjunction  with  results  are  my  best  ad 
vocates,  the  total  import  of  Ceylon  tea  in  Russia 
being  now  nearly  eight  million  pounds,  while  my 
own  import  is  not  yet  J a million. 
That  I am  reg.xrded  with  envy  now  by  firms  who 
have  tried  here  lately  to  s'art  with  Russia  business 
in  tea  on  the  order  system,  I can  understand,  for 
their  success  like  mine  may  not  come  in  one  or  two 
or  even  more  years,  because  such  a way  of  business 
is  not  suited  to  the  stylo  and  ideas  of  the  Russian 
merchants.  Large  and  smaller  importers  of  Ceylon 
tea,  firms  established  iu  Russia  and  there  are  many 
who  now  keep  stocks  of  Ceylon  tea,  are  certainly 
not  complaining  of  my  imdcrselling  them,  on  the 
contrary,  being  now  foioad  to  deal  in  Crylon  tea  as 
a recognized  article  of  Russian  trade,  they  are  very 
pleased  with  my  advertisements. 
I am  making  for  Christmas  a new  line  of  adver- 
tisement, viz.,  giving  away  as  presents  very  pretty 
little  tea  2>ots  with  the  words  ‘"Ceylon  Tea"  and  in- 
structions as  to  its  preparation  and  my  name  as 
your  representative  printed  on  the  sides  and  lids. 
These  tea  pots  to  the  number  of  5,000  will  be  dis- 
tributed through  my  own  magazines,  and  also  by 
piy  agents  in  Provinces, 
