AUGUST 1 , 1891,] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
119 
THE TARE WEIGHT OP TEA AND 
CEYLON TEA CHESTS. 
Wo recur to this eubjeot in order to make it 
clear what was done last year. The action of the 
Ceylon Association in London was then aonght 
by our local planting representatiTo body with the 
object of the removal of the cause of complaint. 
The letter addressed by the Saoretary to that Aaao- 
ciation in reply to this request stated that after 
the fullest examination of the matter, which iu- 
eluded the questioning of several of the leading 
Ceylon men in London, it was not found that 
the assertions as to undue doduction, emanating 
from this side, were borne out by the experience 
of those from whom evidence was obtained from 
home. That letter, however, proposed to our 
Planters’ Association that a test oass should be 
obtained. It suggested that a Commission, to be 
appointed by the last-mentioned body, should 
porsonally supervise the weighing and packing of 
a considerable consignment of out teas ; that 
those should be sent boms in the ordinary eourse 
and that parties to be nominated by the London 
Association should in the same oarefut manner 
supervise the weighing of the shipment when re- 
ceived in the London Docks. Now it seams to 
us that no fairer opportunity could be offered 
than this of ascertaining how far the complaints 
made were well-grounded or the reverse. Yet it 
sppeara to be the fact that no notioo whatever 
has been taken of this suggestion. Must it not 
be naturally ooncluled tharsfora that the repra- 
sentativas of our planting interest were aatiafled 
that —in the majority of instanoas at all events — 
substantial justice was done to Ceylon planters in 
this particular matter by this Custom authorities 
in London? 
London brokers and merchants go farther and 
allege in effect that the whole mischief is due to 
neglect on this aide of the Customs regulations with 
regard to weighing and paoking here in Ceylon. It is 
pointed out how completely the fractional parte of 
a pound are ignored under those regulations. Thus 
‘t a chest turns out say 49 lb. 15 oz.. it is raokonel 
ea 60 lb. gross. Similarly, if a chest turn out but 
49 lb. 2 oz., it is still reckonad for tare at the 
same weight. So in the one case the shipper would 
lose but one ounce on the tare weight, whi'e in the 
other ha would have to saorifico It ounces. Tbs 
objjct of our planters should therefore be, 
to sea that their chests are of weights as 
close to, but under the full pound, as may bs 
possible. It is alleged for the defence that in an 
exceedingly large number of iastanoes of ahipmants 
from Ceylon this point is altogether overlooked ; 
that in fact the whole burden of blame for what 
IS complained of rests upon those on this side 
who oare.ossly or ignorantly ovorlook the conditions 
upon which their shipments will ba dealt with by 
the Customs authorities at home. 
Wo do not suppose that the latest suggestion made 
from London can affect this, but we should 
like to know if any of our planting oommunity 
have had oxparienoo of the capacity for change 
of weight of ordinary chests under varying 
conditions of atmosphere. Mr. Cameron of the 
Eastern Et^tes and Produso Company is of 
opmion that a not inoansiderablo part of the 
nmicullies as to the taro weight of tea recently 
complained of, has been duo to the changed weight 
of the tea boxes used here after the passage to 
Loudon. Mr. Oamaron thought this raiglit am sunt 
to as much as half a pound ; and he unsparingly 
oondora led a large number ot the paekagss in 
■which our tea is sent home, as being of such 
unsuitable wood that damp in the hold of the 
vessel is readily absorbed by it and the tore 
weight thereby moat sensibly affected. Now as 
we have shown a very much smaller increase of 
weight than balf-a-pouud per chest would very 
injuriously affect the tors weight and the conse- 
quent burden to bs borne by the planters. 
The advise from Minoing Lane is to weigh as close 
to the even pound — but below it— as possible for 
tare weighing, and wo are advised to allow a 
margin of two or three ounces only. But if 
during the voyage home, a chest iiiereasss, owing 
to the absorption of damp, as much as half-a- 
pnnnd in weight, that margin would bs passed 
and — hey presto I — the Customs offioiala would tars 
the unfortunate one at the additional pound. The 
use of thoronghly seasoned wood for the chests 
will of course be recommended as the obvious 
remedy ; but where is such wood to ba obtained ? 
No doubt it is quite within the pewor of oar 
planters to accumulate a stock of wood and season 
it ; but then, unfortunately, a very large propor- 
tion of our oonatry-grown woods will not stand 
the process of seasoning without developing faults 
which render the boards cot from them wholly use- 
less for the manufaetura of tea boxes. No doubt Japan 
boxes have the advantage hero and as a matter ot 
fact it would be interesting to know if the oomplainti 
about loss of weight have all been confined to 
boxes of oountry-mado wood? Some hopes wore 
eniertaine.d, we believe, that the Stanley-Wrightson 
patent chests might not bs affsotsd by the damp 
and resultant increase of might, but from all 
we hear this has ecariely proved to be the ease. 
We really think this difficulty about absorption 
of moisture daring voyage might wall ba em- 
ployed as an argument towards induciug tbs 
Customs authorities at home to reconsider their 
present inaotion with regard to their minute about 
weighing to the half-pound instead of to the 
pound. It this obstacle respecting the variable 
weight of tea ohests cannot bs got over, it is 
•toeelingly hard that, despite all precaution by 
the planter, he should bo mnloted in a pound 
weight as the result of a oircumstanee over which 
he cm exercise little or no control. Ws have 
bssn told that the China teas imported give no 
troubli with respect to this question of tare, bat 
that is solely becansa no China teas are bulked 
after arrival in London. Tuete are very many 
object ons to mstal ohests; bat osrtaiuly this un- 
onrtainty abont tare weight could not apply to 
them, anl this might be a gain oompansatiag 
for many mmor disadvantvgas appertaining to 
their use. 

VISIT TO JAMAICA. 
Tallin r advantage of Mr. Plant's new Jamaina 
lino f.-oiu Tampa, I have just paid the island n 
two -veeks' visit, chiefly for the purpose ot gaining 
new ideas of methods of oullurs and propagation 
of tr ipical fruits. I think my experience is on 
the whole very flattering to our own State, though 
the object of my visit was not rsalized. 
I found a truly trojiioil island with a deep, 
fertile soil, provided with tillable slopes, elevated 
enough to admit of the eucsessful growth of 
apples and peaohes, where a paternal government 
at a heavy annual outlay has lor many years kept 
up extensive experimental gardens and nnrseries 
presided over by talent from England, with trained 
and ednca'ed hortioultorisls tor foremen; and 
still they are far behind iie in methods of pro- 
pagation and varieties. They still inarch the 
mango in the slow unsatisfactory way introdoeed 
from India. They plant only sweet seedling oranges 
ano n?vor bud. The psaohea and apples of 
