Mvrch  I,  1397.]  THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST.  609 
tlon  ill  a steady  niarket  at  satisfactory  prices 
throughout;  while  others  who  cannot  successfully 
compete  in  the  production  of  high-class  teas  will 
have  been  benefited  by  a more  abundant  output. 
The  recent  rise  in  Exchange,  and  the  dearness  of 
native  food  in  the  districts,  caused  by  the  Indian 
famine,  are  rather  serious  drawbacks  which  will,  we 
fear,  have  to  be  contended  with  for  some  time.  But 
some  offset  to  these  will  be  found  in  a more  plenti- 
ful supply  of  labour.  As  regards  the  future,  the  demand 
for  teas  of  sterling  character  should  not  be  prejudiced  by 
the  larger  crops  of  coming  seasons  from  districts 
which,  owing  to  canditions  of  climate,  soiles,  &c., 
have  largely  to  look  to  quantity.  But  for  ths  com- 
mon and  medium  classes  the  outlook  is  lesas  reas- 
suring, because  neither  in  India  or  Ceylon  has  the 
limit  to  production  been  reached,  certainly  nor  in 
India  were  large  additional  areas  of  cultivation  will 
soon  be  coming  into  bearing,  and  thus,  with  ever 
increasing  quantities  coming  on  the  market,  the 
tendency  must  be  to  a further  weakening  of  prices. 
In  these  circumstances  the  grower  naturally  watches 
with  some  concern  the  progress  in  the  demand  for 
British  grown  tea  in  other  countries.  During  1895 
the  quantity  sent  from  London  to  America,  the 
Continent,  and  other  countries  amounted  to 
.8,924,551  lb.,  and  it  is  disappointing  to  find  that  the 
figures  for  1896  show  an  increase  of  only  ;)81,00C  lb., 
and  this,  in  spite  of  the  preserving  efforts  being 
made  to  extend  the  business.  The  shipments  direct 
from  Calcutta  to  countries  other  than  the  United 
Kingdom  show  a falling  off  of  658,000  compared 
with  last  year.  Against  this,  however,  1,256,000  lb. 
more  of  all  teas  have  been  sent  to  United  Kingdom 
for  transhipment  to  other  ports,  the  figures  being 
6,395,000  lb.  during  1896  and  5,140,000  lb.  in  1895. 
The  importation  of  a consignment  of  machine- 
made  tea  from  Foo  Chow  has  excited  some  interest 
in  the  China  market,  owing  to  its  novel  y.  This 
tardy  innovation  in  Chinese  methods  if  it  were  ap- 
plied systematically  would  no  doubt  lesson  the  cost 
of  production,  but  it  would  not  go  far  towards  re- 
suscitating their  lost  trade.  China  tea  has  passed 
out  of  favour  by  reason  of  its  inherently  poor  chai'- 
acter  compared  with  the  teas  of  India  and  Ceylon, 
and  the  use  of  machinery  in  its  manufacture  could 
not  overcome  this  difficulty. 
CEYLON. 
The  Couuse  of  the  Mahket. — Contrary  to  1895  a 
dull  tone  with  lower  prices  marked  the  opening  of 
business  due  to  heavy  supplies  and  less  attractive 
teas.  A slow  enquiry  was  experienced  in  Februaiy 
and  although  auctions  were  smaller  inactivity  conti- 
nued until  the  latter  part  of  March,  when  there  was 
a slight  recovery,  especially  in  the  lower  priced  teas, 
and  after  the  holidays  in  April  a good  demand  set 
in  at  dearer  prices  which  continued  throughout 
May,  early  in  June  arrivals  were  he.vy,  and  prices 
fell.  Better  quality  and  less  pressure  to  realize 
throughout  July  and  August  led  to  a steadier  tone 
at  higher  prices.  September  auctions  were  rather 
small,  the  quality  was  good  and  the  market  hard- 
ened throughout.  Larger  supplies  early  in  October 
caused  quotations  to  give  way  slightly  but  they 
steadied  again  as  quanutities  fell  off,  and  with  conti- 
nued good  quali  y in  November  the  market  w'as  strong; 
less  attractive  quality  in  December  made  lower  quo- 
tations and  the  maket  coutiuued  we  ik  until  the  close 
business  for  the  year,  more  p vrticularly  for  such  of 
the  higher  grades  as  lacked  quality. 
Smale  Bheaks. — Since  the  1st  October,  lots  of  less 
than  18  Chests,  21  Half-Chests  or  40  Boxes  have  been 
reckoned  as  Small  Breaks. 
Qualitv. — Fine  Invoices  were  somewh.it  scirce  un- 
til April ; afterwirds  the  general  character  became  in- 
different; but  from  August  to  November  an  inprove- 
mentwas  noticeable  which  waq  however,  succeeded  by 
some  falling  off  in  December.  Ontliewhffo  we  con- 
sider the  year’s  imports  to  have  been  up  to  the  average 
though  a great  quantity  of  very  poor  tea  has  been  pro- 
duced which  h.is  come  here  chiefly  on  Colombo  pur- 
chase account.  The  prices  now  obtainable  for  tea  of 
this  low  class  can  leave  but  a sl.u  ’.er  margin  of  profit, 
and,  owing  to  the  tendency  to  lower  prices  generally, 
its  production  may  at  no  distant  date  become  alto- 
gether unprofitable,  especially  since  China  tea  at 
the  same  price  is  better  in  appearance,  if  not  in 
liquor  also. 
Othek  Markets.— From  Colombo,  shipments  as 
follows  (to  the  22nd  December)  ; — 
To  Australia  and  New  Zealand,  11,746,6001b.,  against 
9,314,200  lb.  in  1895. 
From  Loudon  the  Experts  are  as  follow-s  : — 
Conti-  Canada,  Other 
nent.  America.  Ac.  Countries.  Total,] 
lb.  lb.  lb.  lb.  lb. 
1896..  4. .536. 100  1,386,020  1,346,188  975,130  8,242,438 
1895..  3.786.178  1,420,262  1,113,165  773,836  7,093,441 
In  previous  years  when  the  destination  of  Ex- 
ports was  not  distinguished  the  Totals  were  as 
follows  : — 
1894. 
1893.  1892. 
lb. 
lb.  lb. 
5,123,862 
4,065,709  3,273,955 
Pkgs.  Aver. 
Per  lb. 
Average  Price  . . 1896 
. . 1,066,912 
8id 
1895 
965,052 
8id 
1894 
889,573 
8|d 
1893 
846,762 
9id 
1892 
789,231 
9id 
1891 
755,552 
9|d 
1890 
535,611 
lOJd 
1889 
431,043 
lid 
1886 
303,284 
Hid 
1887 
182,955 
lOid 
USEFUL  HINTS ; 
Loss  IN  Weight. — As  this  occasionally  gives,  rise 
to  much  dissatisfaction  we  offer  the  following  sug- 
estions : that  the  gross  weight  of  the  package  should 
e a-  few  ounces,  say  four  or  five,  above  an  even 
number  of  pounds,  and  that  the  empty  package, 
complete  with  lead,  nails,  bands,  Ac.,  be  to  a like 
extent  below  an  even  number  of  pounds.  In  weigh- 
ing here  the  gross  weight  is  reduced  to  the  even 
number  of  pounds,  whilst  the  tare  is  increasi  d to  an 
even  number  of  pounds. 
With  regard  to  Garden  Bulked  Teas,  it  is  im- 
peratively necessary  to  put  an  equal  quantity  into 
each  package  of  the  break,  and  this  quantity  should 
be  four  or  five  ounces  over  the  desired  weight  of 
contents,  viz.,  if  the  packages  are  invoiced  to  con- 
tain 100  lb.  Tea  each,  not  less  than  100  lb.  4 ozs. 
should  be  weighed  in ; test  packages,  weighing  here 
a fraction  under  100  lb.  are  reckoned  as  99  lb.  only, 
or  a loss  of  1 lb.  on  each  chest  of  the  break. 
Careful  observance  of  the  foregoing  precautions 
would  no  doubt  prevent  much  loss  and  disappoint- 
ment. 
Draft  of  1 lb.  per  package  on  all  packages  gross- 
ing 29  lb.  and  upwards  is  allowed  to  the  buyer. 
Weight  of  Packages. — When  a gross  w’eight  of 
129  lb.  is  exceeded,  there  is  an  additional  charge  of 
5d.  per  chest  up  to  159  lb.  The  following  scale  of 
charges  fully  explains  this  and  deserves  attention: — 
Slanagerneut  rate  per  package,  subject  to  an 
uniform  discount  of  10  per  cent. 
Gross.— 160  to  199  lb.,  2/9  ; 130  tb  159  lb.,  2/3 ; 90 
to  129  lb.,  1/10  ; 80  to  89  lb.  1/8  ; 60  to  79  lb.,  1/5  ; 
45  to  691b.,  1/2;  35  to  44  1b.,  1/-  ; 17  to  34  lb., -/7. 
Marks  on  Chest. — Nothing  is  wanted  oris  of  any 
service  here  beyond  (1st.),  Garden  Mark ; (2nd.), 
Description  of  tea  ; (3rd.),  Garden  Numbers.  Gross, 
tare,  or  net,  are  not  of  the  least  use,  and  should  bo 
discontinued. 
Metal  Packages. — Although  not  especially  objec- 
ted to,  these  do  not  yet  find  generally  favour  with 
buyers. 
Packing  Small  Brokens  and  Dusts- — Special  care 
should  be  taken  to  pack  broken  descriptions,  which 
are  so  liable  to  lose  in  weight,  in  strongly  made 
wooden  p.ickages.  Dust  sliould  only  bo  packed  in 
half  chests,  eitner  of  metal  or  of  strong  iron  hooped 
wooden  packages;  canvas  coverings  should  in  no  case 
be  used,  as  they  disguise  injury  done  to  the  pack- 
ages by  rough  handling,  and  any  tea  retained  in  th? 
canvas  becomes  of  no  value, 
