^*0 
^HE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[April i, 1858. 
MACHINE-MADE TEA XN CHINA 
A TRADE REVOLUTION. 
Shanghai, March 3rd.— It is certain that very 
great interest will be taken in the modest prospectus 
of the Liang Hu Tea Improvement Company, which 
appears in our front page this morning. The Russians 
only remain faithful to China Congou, and the 
British public, the greatest tea-drinkers in the w . rid, 
w U not have China Congou any more, preferring the 
m ichine-made tea of India and Ceylon ; and thus 
wh it was a magnificent trade has dwindled away to a 
shadow. But the leaf grown in China i- still the best 
in the world, all the plants that produce docent tea 
in India and Ceylon having been introduced there 
from China ; the trouble is in the mode of prepara- 
tion. Three or four men have been working for 
some years to get the Chinese to adopt the modern 
system of manufacturing tea. The manufacture has 
been adopted successfully on a small scale at 
Fopchow, and experiments made at Wenchow last 
year with very inferior leaf opened the eyes of the 
Chinese as to how by ilu- use of machinery they 
may regain the market they have lost, IS'ow the 
tea-men of Hankow and the high offi-dals of the 
great black tea producing provinces, Hupeh and 
Hunan, have been interested in the matter, seeing 
that a recovery of the English market means w'ealth 
to themselves, as well as to the growers and the 
foreign merchants who handle the packed product. 
'A Company, modest enough in its inception, has 
been formed at Hankow with a capital of Tls. 
60,000 and Shanghai is also appealed to for its co- 
operation. The Chief Director is Mr. R. B. Moorhead, 
Commissioner of Customs at Hankow, and we under- 
stand that this appointment is particularly favoured 
by the Viceroy at Wuchang, under whose protection 
we may say the company is formed. The provisional 
directorate is a very strong one. Mr. Chi Ching- 
foo is the compradore of the Hongkong and Shan- 
ghai Bank here. Mr. Tang Kew-chiug is fami- 
liar to all who have anything to do with tea as Awal, 
and his name is a synonym for enterprise, intelli- 
gence, and uprightness. .Mr. Tang Soey-chie is the 
bead of the leading tea hong at Hankow and compra- 
dore to Messrs. Molchancff, Pechatnoff, & Co ; while 
Mr. Chun Fai-ting, the able and courteous Mana- 
ger' of the China Merchants’ Steam Navigation Com- 
pany in Shanghai, needs no introduction or commenda- 
tion. A significant paragraph in the prospectus is 
that which says that “although this is a purely mer- 
cantile company, Mr. Moorhead has received the 
guarantee of the Viceroy of the Laing Hu provinces 
that the machinery and employes shall be fully 
protected", and still more significant is the statement 
that “no officials will be directors or in the employ of 
the company.” The confidence that is j ustly reposed 
in the Hankow Commissioner, Mr. Moorhead, by 
Chinese and foreigners alike, is shown in the pro- 
vision in the prospectus that the “Chief Director is 
to have full power in the direction of the company 
and in the engagement of all employes of the com- 
any ; he is also to have power to delegate his authority 
temporarily to any respectable and trustworthy forei- 
gner, whom he believes capable of performing his duties 
during his temporary absence, hut he is to be 
accountable for the acts of hia delegate.'" 
It cannot be doubted that in this small beginning 
we have the germ of a revolution in the prepara- 
tion of tea in China, and a resurrection of the trade 
between Hankow and London, which is dead if not 
actually buried. The first tea-leaf roiling machine 
for the company is on board the “Oaufa” and will 
be landed in a few days. A commencement of 
operations will be made this year in ihinglaotung 
district. It is not our province to recommend pubic 
companies to our readers ; but tlie estabiish)ueut 
of the Liang Hu Toa Improvinent Oompany means 
a great deal more tim.n tin pv, in. i ,.f .-eniiiner- 
a’.ivo iuvc.-.tmwit ; it mean:, tiie recovery of a great 
trade that has burn lo.-t, rend, it was thnughl irreiri&v- 
ably lost. There is n j (iuestiou that China, bv adoj t 
ing ludiau methods of prepaiaticn, can cempete, 
with India, and on still better terms if India ado- 
pts, as ;t is Said she is going to do, the gold stan- 
dard,— V. C. Herald, 
CAKE OF HORSES. 
It is speed that kills, overloading that breaks down 
and ruins. 
A rough, soft or sandy road, nearly or quite doubles 
the labour of a horse, and a he id-wiiid adds greatly to 
it. A rise in the gr:de of one foot in ten doubles 
the draft. Dry axles double the labour and weariness 
of the team. 
Overloading is costly and crnel, and has ruined 
thousands of horses. No load should be too heavy to 
haul easily over the hardest place on the strip. Steady 
hard pulling causes great pain, so a team should 
have frequent rests, especially during the early part of 
a trip. 
Much horse power and distress is saved by starting 
slowly and driving molerately the first hour. Never 
start fast. 
Balking is caused by overloading whipping, cold or 
ill-fitting collars or harness, and ugly drivers. It is 
cruel and useless to whip a b.alky horse. Turn his atten- 
tion ; tie a string rather lightlj’ around his leg or his 
ear, lift his foot and pound on the shoe, give him sugar 
or an apple, but do not hurt him. Rarey says, “ horses 
never balk until forced into it by bad manage- 
ment.” 
Hard worked horses should have hay on the 
floor at night so that they may eat while lying 
down. 
Plaster scattered on the stable floor keeps down 
b.ad odour and purifies the air. 
To protect horses and cows from flies rub them with 
a cloth dam, noi toet, with kerosene. It helps greatly. 
A decoction of walnut leaves is said to be very 
effective. 
T.he feet should be examined every night and stones 
removed, as standing on them causes suffering and 
lameness. 
It is cruel and impolitic to tie a horse so that he 
cannot lie down. Horses should have deep, soft bed- 
ding, night and day, especially hard worked ones. 
Horses need water as often as men — or oftener. It 
is better to give them water five or six times daily than 
let them drink rarely and heavily. 
Regularity of meals and variety of food are as 
important to horses as to men. Water horses before 
feeding them, or keep water within their reach. 
The horse having a very small stomach does better 
oil three meals a day than on two, and should not have 
an unlimited supply of hay. He is much like a man 
and needs very similar treatment. 
Horses over twelve years old often suffer from tooth- 
ache, which prevents mastication and causes poor 
condition. Every horse should be examined annually 
by a veterinary dentist. It pans. 
Horses need a variety of food. It pays to give them 
vegetables, a few apples, Ac., also fresh grass, all mode- 
rately. Every horse should have a box of salt within 
his reach, also a pail of water, especially at night. — 
Home paper. 
MINOR PRODUCTS. 
London, March 5. 
CojA-LEAvES. — At the drug-auctions today fair green 
Truxillo leaves were limited at 6d per lb., and broken 
at 5jd. A p ircel of 11 b ales fair Ceylon was brought in 
at 41. The export from Java for the six months en- 
ding — 
Year 
Bales 
1894 
369 
1895 
619 
1S96 
560 
1‘07 
598 
CnoTON SEED. — Twj pavceli c,'!isi-i.ing of 29 bags lira 
come- to hand from sjulombo, but were not in time to 
beoffared at today’s auctious. 
Oil Ohaulhugr.a.— Hood pale sold at Is 51 per lb. 
