682 
THfi TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
portation of impure and unwholesome tea,” we have 
the honor to report that we have selected and pur- 
chased standards for the season beginning May 1, 
1898, and respectfully recommend that all arrivals of 
tea after that date be governed by these new stan ards. 
We have the pleasure to inform you that the law has 
been successfully executed up to date, and that in con- 
sequence the crop which has arrived since May 1, 1897, 
is unprecedented in its quality and purity beyond any 
previous season in the knowledge of the tea trade. 
With a view to preserve the protection afforded, our 
people by this salutary measure, and realizing the su- 
preme importance of uniformity in the examinations at 
different ports, we respectfully recommed that the 
number of examiners be reduced to not more than four 
in all, the Act having, with careful forethought, 
specified three as the proper number, and that one 
examiner only shall take charge of both the ports 
of Tacoma and Portland. We can bear witness that 
the whole tea trade from the Pacific to the Atlantic 
coasts, excepting the locality interested^ are unani- 
mous regarding this point as the principal menace 
to the successful administration of the law, and in 
considering the reasons assigned for extra examiners 
at these ports as entirely unfounded or misconceived. 
In order to promote uniformity in the methods of 
examination we have considered it necessary to suggest 
the following regulations as a substitute for those 
previously issued in Department Circular No. 69, 
page 8. 
COMPARISON WITH STANDARDS. 
In comparing with standards’ examiners are to test all 
teas on these points, namely, for cup quality, for any 
foreign matter on the surface of the infusion, sometimes 
called scum, and for quality of leaf after infusion. Cup 
quality shall be ascertained by drawing, according to 
the custom of the tea trade, with the weight of a 
half dime to the cup. In country green teas, im- 
perials, hysons, coarse leaf gunpowders and extra 
young hysons are to be compared with hyson stand- 
ards, and all other young hysons and small leaf gun- 
powders with the young hyson standard. The quality 
must be equal to standard, but the flavour may be 
that of a different district, as long as it is equal 
in sweetness. As an illustration, a Teenkai may be 
equal to a Moyune, but a distinctly smoky or rank 
Foochow or Wenchow of sour character must not be 
considered as equal to the two first mentioned. 
In order to test for floating coloring matter or 
scum and also for the quality of infused leaf, a 
second drawing should be made of double the 
foregoing weight. Before disturbing the infusion 
examination should be made for any floating 
substance, and after pouring off the water the 
infused leaf should be taken out so as to ex- 
hibit the lower side which rested against the cup. 
Should the mass show a larger quantity of exhausted, 
decayed or inferior leaf, or foreign substance than the 
standard, it shall be considered inferior in quality, and 
the tea must be rejected. In greens and Japans, par- 
ticularly, the brightness of the leaf should be consi- 
dered as an evidence of quality. 
Should a tea prove, on examination, to be inferior 
to the standard in any one of the requisites, viz : cup 
quality, scum, or quality of infused leaf, it shall be 
rejected, notwithstanding that it be superior to the 
standard in some of the qualifications. All consi- 
deration of the appearance or so-called style of the 
dry leaf shall be omitted. 
It is recommended that Macao or Canton Congous 
be compared with the standard for South China 
Congou, and that brick tea be compared with the 
standard for the district whence it comes. The 
mustiness or damaged flavour exhibited in certain 
Canton teas imported for Chinese consumption shall 
be considered as sufficient cause for rejection. 
TESTING FOR DUST. 
The dust and fannings in all Formosa, Foochow 
and Amoy Oolongs, Canton teas. Congous, Indias 
and Ceylons must be restricted to 10 per cent, 
when sifted through a sieve of No. 16 mesh, made 
of brass wire. In order that the needle leaf and 
Fekoe tips may not be confounded with dust, they 
[April r, 1898. 
must be returned with the dust to the sieve for 
a second and third sifting until separated. 
In the case of Ceylon and India teas the needle 
leaf and Pekoe tips shall be separated by passing 
them together with the dust through a No. 26 sieve 
of brass wire, after the tea has been first sifted 
through a No. 16 sieve. 
Dust and fannings in Japan teas must not exceed 
4 per cent when tested by a No. 30 sieve of brass 
wire. Before condemning any tea for dust, examiners 
shall sieve at least two packages. 
Examiners should preserve in tin for one year 
samples of all teas examined, for future reference, 
in case of complaints, and the Board of General 
Appraisers should also retain a portion of all sam- 
ples sent them on appeal for the same object. To 
this end, examiners should always send the Board 
samples of at least half a pound, and never other- 
wise than in tin cans securely labeled. 
Valuable statistics, showing the quantities of various 
kinds of teas, admitted and rejected, can readily be 
furnished by examiners should you see fit to in- 
struct that records be preserved which heretofore 
have been omitted. 
The following are the standards adopted : 
No. 1. Formosa Oolong. 
No, 2. Foochow Oolong. 
No. 3. Amoy Oolong (to be adopted later). 
No. 4. North China Congou. 
No. 5. South China Congou. 
No. 6. Indian Tea. 
No. 7. Ceylon Tea. 
No. 8. Pingsuey Green Tea. 
No. 9. (a) Country Green Tea. Y. Hyson. 
No. 10. (b) Country Green Tea. Hyson. 
No. 11. Japan Tea, pan-fired. 
No. 12. Japan Tea, sun-dried. 
No. 13. Japan Tea. basket-fired. 
No. 14. Japan Tea, dust or fannings. 
No. 15. Scented Orange Pekoe. 
No. 16. Capers. 
No. 17. Canton Oolong. 
No. 18. Scented Canton. 
Respectfully yours, (Signed) E. A. Shoyer, of 
Chicago ; A. P. Upham, of Chicago; A. P. Irwin, 
of Philadelphia ; H. G. Woodworth, of Boston ; 
Mansfield Lovell, of San Francisco ; Wm. P. Roome, 
of New York ; Thos. A. Phelan, of N. Y., Chairman. 
^ 
SELANGOR PLANTERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The Annual Report for 1897 contains these 
paragraphs In presenting this, their Fifth 
Annual Report, your Committee have to an- 
nounce that during the past year eight new 
members have been enrolled upon the books of 
the Association, whilst the attached .statistics 
show an increase under cultivation of 1,854 acres 
and of 1,664 labourers of all nationalities em- 
ployed on estates. The actual increase of land 
under coffee should be 2,454 acres as 600 acres 
of land under tapioca, included in the 1896 
statistics, have gone out of cultivation this year. 
These returns cannot he regarded as other than 
satisfactory in view of the fact that whereas in 
December 1896, the market quotation for No. 1 
Liberiari coffee was $31, the price hasnow fallen. 
The importance of the ramie industry was 
brought to the notice of Government, and assist- 
ance was asked to provide for an expert to visit 
Selangor and report on the suitability of the 
various districts for the cultivation of this pro- 
duct. The reply of the local Government was un- 
favourable ; but in view of the fact that both the 
Indian and Dutch Governments have offered con- 
siderable pecuniary assistance in connection with 
the ramie industry, and the cultivation being 
one which may greatly add to the prosperity 
of the Federated Malay States, your Com- 
mittee addressed the United Planters’ Asso- 
