THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Sept, i, 1897. 
1 68 
These subsidies were fixed, as a rule, at one fourth 
of the amount each firm was itself prepared to 
expend on advertising, demonstrating and otheiwise 
pushing its own brands of Indian and Ceylon teas, 
and Mr. Jllechynden points out that it would have 
been practically impossible for him by hi.s own 
efforts, to have i»vercd the large area worked during 
the year by subsidised linns at Tood Shows. B.izars 
and Grocery shows Mr. Bleohynden has also done 
considerable amount of travelling, both in the States 
and in Can.ada, and has again made use of the 
varied means of bringing British-grown teas before 
the American public which are now fauniliar to any- 
one connected with the tea industry. Tlie Committee 
in London have decided — and in this the General 
C.jmmittee here agree with them — that bearing in 
mind that the present year’s crop, both for India 
and Ceylon, is again likely to show a subsiantial in- 
crease, there should be no relaxation made at pre- 
sent in the efforts which have hitherto been rewarded 
by so much success, and a circular has accordingly 
been issued, asking for furtiier contributions on the 
same basis as last year, viz., at the rate of four annas 
per acre on the area under cultivation, and lialf 
an anna per maund on production. The Committee 
trust tint the present levy will show a still larger 
amount of subscription than the last, and that 
many of those who reap the benetiis of the efforts 
made but who have not hitherto subscribed will 
send in ooutributious. The usual statements of 
accounts are annexed to this Report, showing ro eipts 
and expenditure iu Calcutta, London and America. 
A Scientific Offigeu fou the Te.i Distuicts. 
The Committee regret that the proposals in con- 
nection with this matter, which was referred to in 
the last Report under the head of ‘‘ Mitigation and 
Prevention of Insect Blights,” are for the present 
iu abeyance. On tlie 15th June 1896 the Committee 
issued a Circular to members, which summarised 
what had been done up to that time and a'ksug for 
the views of members at an early date. The Com- 
mittee were specially anxious to ascertain whether 
the project was likely to meet with a sufficient amount 
of support to warrant them in making an a]jpeal 
to the tea industry generally for the requisite funds. 
The matter was nisi referred to the Committee of 
the Association in Loudon, and was brought before 
their members at their Annual Meeting, at which 
it was found that there was a considerable diver- 
■gence of opini m among members as to the ad- 
visability of going on with the in-oject, tbs importance 
of which, however, was generally recognised. Re- 
ference is also made to the prospects of trade in 
Peisia and Afghanistan. 
The following inforniation was supplied by tlie 
General Co ninittee to tlie yec etary to the 'Jliief 
Cotninissioner of Assam for insertion in the An- 
nual Report on tea culture As. P. 
Avg. price per lb. of Assam Valley tea iu 1896 8 3 
,, ,, „ Surma ,, 1896 0 10 
lbs. 
Outturn of tea in Assam Valley in 1896 . 61,155,793 
„ „ „ Surma „ „ 1896. 47,000,973 
Tliese figures , show an increase of about four 
millions of pounds in the ]iroduction of the Assam 
Valley and of about six millions of pounds in the 
production of the Surma Valley. 
Tlie total planted area represented by tlie As- 
sociation during the year is 27o,445J acres. This 
shows an increase of 10,307i acres on the previ- 
ous year, but the total area under cultivation is 
still a long way from being reaclied. The year’s 
subscriptions at the rate of one anna per acre 
amount to R17, 215-5-6, of wliicli, kowever, only 
R16, 219-12-6 were realised up to the 2Stli Pebruary, 
and, consequently, only this latter amount can 
be included in tlie account.*, the lalance, how- 
ever, having since been paid. The revenue ac- 
count, notwithstanding the increase in the amount 
of the monthly contribution to the Chamber, 
gh 05 v's a surplus of 112,139-7-10, and the Commit- 
tee had a balance in hand on the 28tli February 
1897 of Rl7,926-4-7 less sundry liabilities amount- 
ing toRl,584-5 9. TlieCommittee remitted to the 
London Association on aecnuiit of the expen.ses of 
the London Otfice the sum of £200, the equiva- 
lent of which, R3, 141-1 -8, is debited to the revtnue 
account, and lias been iirovidetl, as u.siial, out of 
ordinary income. 
We liave next to refer to the s])eech made 
by Ml. H. U. Ashton in moving the ml- 
optiou of the report. Amongst other in- 
teresting facts be mentioned that in the pre- 
vious year the tea crop within what he described 
as the jurisdiction of this Association, amounted 
to 100,000,009 lb. more than in 1881-82 wlien the 
Association came into existence. When he ex- 
amined the ex)iaii.sion of the Association as apart 
tiom that of the crop as a whole, the result did 
not appear to him so sati.-factory In 1881 the 
crop was returned as 47 millions, in 189(i as 148 
million.s ; iu 1881 the Association nicmherslii|) 
reiiresentcil Ui3,0U0 acres ; in 1896 275,000 .'icre.s, 
and he was told that the acicMge under tea in 
N rtheiTi India last year might lie estimated at 
400,000. Taking this as corieet they got an 
average out-turn of 37u Ih. per aere, and 
apjilying that figure to 1 881 there must have been 
127,000 acres umler tea to produce a crop of 47 mil- 
lioii.s. Therefore iu 1881, 103,000 acres out of 127,0(0 
suppoitcd the As.sociatiun, and in 1896, 275,000 out 
of 400,000. ''I'hus in 1881 about 82 |ier cent, of 
the whole acreage subscribed to the Association 
and iu 1896 only 68 per cent — not a satis- 
factory ciieumstance- Ke was aware that these 
figures were only a rough estimate, Imt they 
indicated at least that the Association had not 
expanded so lajiidly as the Indian Tea Indu.stry, 
and as lie was of opinion that the work of 
the As.sociation was tlioiduglily representative 
and goes to benefit the industry as a whole, 
fie was necessarily also of oiiinicn ti at those 
gardens which did not snhsciihe were evading 
tl.eir share of a burden that sliculj he borne 
by all, — this being due to .some misappreliension 
as to (he objects and scojie of the Association. 
Labour questions were only a part of the work 
of the Association and that work increased 
ra)iidly year by year in quantity and variety. 
In suppoiting tins motion Mr. G. G. Anderson 
referred to the efforts made to exploit the 
American Market. The past year’s operations 
were, he was of opinion, distinctly encouraging 
hilt they must he unceasing to give their pro- 
duce a liim hold on the American IMarket. 
The campaign must he carried on vigorously, 
as they had an energetic and enterprising com- 
petitor to contend wiiliaiulone who had notonly 
had for years the command of the market, 
but who was evidently prepared to go to some 
considerable monetary sacrifice to maintain 
the monopoly so long enjoyed. Vigorous 
efforts would have to he made to maintain and 
consolidate their position in America, not to men- 
tion extending their operations in that country 
and he could only hope that the further levy 
which had been called would receive the most 
favourable consideration of all concerned. Tlie 
total shipments to Great Britain last year 
amounted to 132^ millions lb. , and the quantity 
available for sliimiient this year was estimated 
at 138^ millions lb. and as similar increases might 
he expected yearly, he was afraid that, unless 
- fresh fields were opened up, they would have 
to face a surfeited market in the near future. 
The speaker then proceeded to advocate, the 
Central Agency Scheme for the supply of labour. 
