6i8 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[March i, 1898 . 
3. Advertise the merits of Ceylon tea. 
The first of these recommendations will be con- 
sidered a big order, but there is nothing whicli 
wmld aid us more than a reduction of duty and 
consequent increase of consumption. A very 
strong case can be madeo\it fora reduction, and 
as Mr. Chamberlain has expressed his meat de- 
sire to aid Colonial trade in every possible man- 
ner, we could rely on all his influence being used 
in favour of the request. The request may not be 
successful at first, but the matter should be con- 
stantly kept in the foreground and would even- 
tually have a successlul issue. 
Havina stated that a Commissioner would find 
it difficult to find retailers prejiared to devote 
themselves to Ceylon tea, my second recommen- 
dation may seem rather a contradiction, but 
there is a difi'erence between the number of re- 
tailers required to justify the expense of a Com- 
missioner to supervise them, and the number which 
the Committee would get into correspondence with, 
and one result of my third recommenda- 
tion, if it be given ell'ect to, would be that of in- 
creasing the number of retail dealers. My own 
observation, apart from Mr. Ilogivue’s demonstra- 
tion, leads me to think that the retail of Ceylon 
tea in Russia oilers a good opening for anyone 
who, having the proper qualifications, devoted 
himself to it and had sufficient capital to tide over 
the first or two. 
In making my third recommendation, I do not 
advise advertising to the extent contemplated 
in the '(iro forma estimate which I enclose. At 
first the newspapers ailvertising should be 
limited to some selected papers circulating in 
the towns where pure Ceylon tea is sold, and 
there would be no difficulty in arranging a con- 
tract for that, and, what is more important arrang- 
ing for the regular verification of the appear- 
ance of the agreed-on advertisements. Such ad- 
vertisements should be general and name no ]iar- 
ticular dealer, but the dealers in pure Ceylon tea 
should be informed of the advertising luogramme, 
and thus placed in a position to issue their own 
supplementary advertisements with advantage. 
As 1 will shortly have an opportunity of discus- 
sing the matter personally with your Committee, 
I refrain from entering into further details in 
connection with my suggestions. I found it diffi- 
cult to obtain in London reliable information on 
many minor points connected with Russian busi- 
ness. I, therefore, annex a brief memorandum which 
may be of use to those contemplating business 
there. THUS. NORTH CHRISTIE. 
3rd January, 1898. 
TEAGROWIING IN THE RfJSSIAN 
CAUCASUS. 
To the main report by Mr. T. N. Christie 
on the prospects of Ceylon tea in Russia there 
are annexures : one of them is an interestiug 
estimate of tea crops in the Caucasus : — 
Extract from Itussuin Newspaper. 
The following quantity of tea may be expected 
to be grown in the Bautoum district during the fol- 
lowing years: — 
PLANTATIONS. 
PopolL 
Solovtsell'. 
Russian Govt. 
lb. 
lb. 
lb. 
1897 . . 
72') 
180 
— 
1898 . . 
5,04J 
360 
— 
1899 . . 
12,600 
9,000 
— 
1900 . . 
18,900 
34,200 
5,580 
1901 . . 
64,800 
50,400 
22,140 
1902 . . 
86,400 
61,900 
52,920 
Total expected in 
1902— 200,. 52h 
b. Eug. 
1 think the quantities for 1897 ui'ast be consider- 
ably more than this. I know Coloue Solovtzofl made 
more in 1896, and he has a ‘‘ Little Criant ” Roller. 
(Initiaiied) T. R. C. 
STENNING, INSKIPP & CO.’S CEYLON, &C., 
TEA MARKEr REVIEW FOR 1897. 
INDIAN. — Position and Prospects. — The new year 
commences with a Stock of 61,673,000 ib., as com- 
pared with 64,145,000 lb. a year ago ; these latter 
figures, however, do not include an amount of 
2 , 000,000 lb. that had then arrived but had not 
been taken into Stock, whereis the total for 1897 
includes all arrivals. The Delivery for the year is 
disappointing, showing an increase of only 2,676,000 lb 
during a time when taking the quality into 
account the average price of 9d has offered ex- 
tremely good value ; hence the statistical position 
can hardly be reg.irded as satisfactory, and in view 
of the ever increasing supply there is some ground 
for apprehension couceruiug the future of prices 
for teas of poor quality. Consumption at home 
h viug now reached a high figure, further expan- 
sion in this direction can only be looked for on a 
gradual and small scale, and it would seem there- 
fore that the main outlet for the increased pro- 
duction of coming seasons will have to be found in 
outside markets. In these circumstances it is en- 
couraging to find so large a quantity of Indian 
growth already being taken for Australia, New Zea- 
land, Bombay and Canada ; but in the United 
States, where it w'as hoped ere this a large market 
for our teas might ba found, progress has been but 
slow, and this is the more disappointing when the 
money, time, and labour given for some time past 
are considered. 
JAVA. — 38 905 packages have been brought to auc- 
tion. against 39,666 packages in 1896. The quality 
of the Imports generally is still satisfactory, the 
liquors being fairly strong, and the leaf very well 
made. 
CHINA TEA. — In our Annual Review of 1896 
we alluded to machine-made teas from China. 
During the present season several parcels have 
arrived from Foochow, wLich consisted principally 
of very small lots ; the leaf generally was fairly 
Well made, but the colour of the infused leaf was 
too dark, and the teas had been too highly fired. 
They met with a poor reception, aud sold at prices 
which are stated to be unsatisfactory to the Im- 
porters. Hardly .any of this New Method Tea has 
been received from the North of China. 
CEYLON. — The Course of the Market. — The 
dulness that marked the closing auctions of 1896 
continued into the early part of January, when a 
better demand took place, which was maintained 
throughout February, and in March whole leaf tea 
fractionally advanced, whilst fine kinds declined ; 
no alteration took place in April, but in May a 
good enquiry sprang up, esmmon kinds hardened, 
and fine sold at firmer prices, due to increasing 
scarcity. Owing to poor quality, in June all teas 
but a few finest gave way. The low range for 
common and medium teas attracted competition in 
July, but without influencing quotations, whilst fine 
tended upwards, Very large auctions took place in 
August, and as the quality showed some improve- 
ment, the competition was good at firm prices for 
desirable teas ; this position was maintained until 
the middle of September, when smaller totals of 
better quality led to a brisk enquiry at full 
rates, and in the case of fine invoices to an advance, 
which was kept up during October ; the com- 
moner gra’les being in less supply, went a little 
dearer. Allhougb in November totals at auction 
were small, there was less activity, and all teas 
went in favour of buyers. The enquiry continued 
slow throughoirt December, except for a few useful 
invoices which were well competed for at the closing 
auctions. 
