OCTOliER I, 1891.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
283 
NOTES ON PRODUCE AND FINANCE. 
Indian and Oevi.qn Tiug in Ap.-iiBAMA.— It is clear 
that Indian and Ceylon teas arc making rapid head- 
way in Analrnlia. China is losing the market. The 
quantity of tea reci ived from Foochow in the twelve 
m. nths was fificon-and-a-qnartor millions of pounds, 
against tweuty-ono and twoutj-four miflious daring 
♦he two prooeding years. .Vloanwhilo the aLipincnie 
from India and Ceylon t) Australia in the twelve 
months arc given as: — From India, '1,800,000 lb ; from 
Csylon, 2.000,0001b.; total, 7, 700,0001b. The Melbourne 
AiyKa, commeuling on Ibis, says — “■Jhorn tan bo 
no doubt that not only Obiin, but also India, has 
ranch to fear from the competition from Ceylon. 
The well-cured Oeyl'm teas are certainly most 
attractive, being remarkably flavonry, with good 
strength. Ceylon teas, liowovcr, have one serious 
disadvantage, aud that appe.tre to be their inferior 
keeping qualities; and, jndgiog from the present 
years’ receipts, this trade is cerluiuly * the jam tart 
trade ’ in tea. They are a'l better sold fresh than 
ttale and flat, which, in many iustances, from iu- 
f' rior mamifaclu'e, they soon become. There is, how- 
ever, a somewhat bolter demand for choice Ceylon 
I’ekocs, and it only requires time to ednoate the public 
taste for the demand lo bo good for choice ten.s from 
both Cslcntta aud Ctdoinbo,’’ 
Tea Re-packing in Bond. — The Wowing order 
has been issued hy H. M. Cu.stoms. “Tiie Board 
antborises insp ctors of districls to allow remuints of 
blending and ro-paoking operations in toa to be used 
without applic-itien to ihe Hoard in subsequently 
blendiug operations, provided that such remnants do 
not exceed the limits laid down in Port Order 60, 
1880.” 
Boabd ok Tkaiie Statistics. — The board of trade 
Returns for August show that the imports of Odina 
teas are still tailing off, while 1ho:o of India and 
Coy 'on are ii creasing, and this holds good as to the 
consumption also. The d' liveries out of bond of articles 
liable to duty for home cousumptiou is generally 
taken lo indicate the prosperity or otherwise of the 
Wngc-carning portion of oiir p pnlation, and their 
oup.icity for absorbing Iho various beverages which 
are u.sed in f'aUy life. On these there has been a 
d dine during the month in cod e, aud an increase 
in chicory, cocoa and tea. There is an incr'Caso 
in all for the eight months of tho present year as 
compared with the corresponding period last year. 
CoEKEE COLTCEE IN JAVA AND SUMATKA.— TllC auiiusl 
report on the Hnances of the Netherl.snds ( India) deals 
With the subject, and the Minister lor the Colonies 
fully recognises tho imporlance of tho question, Imt 
he points out that any piroposal lo introduce new systems 
must rt-oeive careful considoration, there being alway.s 
the risk lest any modiftoalion of an existing sys'em 
may result only in a sacrilicd of eeriniii interests in 
order to acquire other nnoertnin advantages. It is 
furthermore pointed oat that there is no product 
which in any immediate futuro can ha looked for to 
replace colfeo as a eourco of revenue. Any ill- 
considered change might iucrciiso the burdo.i of in- 
debledcess amt at the same lime cripple the ad- 
ministativo powers of the Government. The future, 
however, is stated not to bo so dark a.s has been re- 
presented. Notwithstanding the coffee plant 
disease the harvests in 1888 and 1889 wore fairly 
good ones, aud it is mainly on account of the un— 
propiiious weather that that of 1800 his been so de- 
ficient — a very small amount of cotfee having, in fact, 
been collected. The pio piots for 1801 at the time 
this statement was drawn up were 11 it nnpropitioua, 
»Dd made the gloomy auticipatroiis wbioh had beoa 
■ndulged is quite ui.just.fiable. In dealing with the 
bbancial question generally, Baron Mackay again 
Jlindeil to the impossibily of finding any substitute 
| 0 C coffee as a source of revenue. It was fortunate 
be said, the present delioionoy from this aonreo was 
raaoc up for by the rcaults of previous years of 
prosperity. Had it not been for this a rccourso to a 
loan Would liave boeu ioevitablo. He, however, fully 
recoguisod tho gravity ' of tho situation, and the 
peociBity for economy, holding out no prospect of 
being able to raise any considerable sum from new 
taxes. At (ho same time, he d' olined to admit that 
tho pros|ieot was as untavourable as it appeared to 
bo in some quarters, showing by a comparison ct 
1888 with 1891 that the total expenditure is con- 
siderably loss in the latter, although the amount in- 
eluded ill the estimates for prodnotive works is higher. 
It is not, however, denied that the lelation between 
income and expenditure imeonneoted with produce has 
bceorao less favourable than formerly. This, it may 
be presumed, is principally on account of a diminution 
of income from land routs and from the opium 
monopoly. Much is hoped from a more prosperous 
coffee harvest to redress tho balaiioo of income and 
expenditure ; at the same time, it may he foreseen 
that oven to carry out productive works it may bo 
ucccs.sary to have recourse a loan. — If, and ('. Mail, 
TEA FI RING AT *11 Hi II AND LOW 
TEMPERATURES. 
The letter of “Enquirer," on page 281, giving 
the results of some very careful experiment, 
in firing tea at various temperatures, is well 
worthy of attention from planters and tea-mei I 
The general conolnsions are entirely in favour ol 
the principles recently so emphatically enunciated 
by Mr. Davidson, of Sirocco and “ down-draft ” 
fame. All the experiments gave tho same result : 
at the high temperatures, from 270° to 390°, all 
special toa flivour and aroma bad disappeared, 
and a rich, malty taste and smell came instead ; 
not the peculiar violet flavour desiderated. A 
drying michino to fire at a low temperature, 
therefore, would bo a great gain to planters. Suoh 
machines are provided in Mr. Davidson’s “ down- 
draft sirocco ” and Mr. Jackson’s “ Britannia," 
excellent both, but both expensive. The olaim 
for Mr. Jaokson’s machine, however, that it is an 
effective witheror as well as a good drier, is an 
important consideration in facing the first cost. 
We cannot help quoting from the private letter 
of a correspondent as to the general cooduot of 
tea planting and manufacture : — 
“ What we really require is that our teas should 
be made on some certain basis, and this can only 
bo done by the whole series of manutaoture, growth, 
pruning, as to season A’s,, worked out in different 
districts, by an analytio ohomist. Like beer 
and nearly all the principal food manutaotures at 
the present day, all under guidance of the 
analytio ohemist," 
A (illl.VlilSE TEA -MERUIIANT .VT IIOJIE. 
The Indipentlent [American paper] says that the 
following glimpse of tlie domeatie life of a Cliineao 
millionaire is given by one of two British young 
ladies, who recently, and witliout male eaoort of any 
kind, made a tour round half tho globe. The gentle- 
man whose homo was tliua laid open to view was a 
aueoossfiil tea merchant at Canton, possessing a 
fortune estimated at thirty-five niilions; — 
After walking ten miimles from tho londing stage 
wo roaohed a massive gate opening 011 a large court. 
Several men, apparently servants, were lounging 
about, and to one of them the English friend who 
had met ns on our arrival at Canton, gave his card, on 
which ho had pencilled a few words in Chinese. With 
this the man went off, and while waiting his return, 
we curiously examined a handsomely decorated covered 
chair, evidently very heavy, which was standing in 
the court, with four coolies in attendance, all dressed 
alike in livery. Our friend said it was a mandarin’s 
chair, and that probably tho mandarin was calling 
on Mr. Howqua. 'JTie servant soon returned and 
marshalled ns across the court, along passages, 
through rooms, and round corners while wo mused on 
the mysteries of Chinese architecture. As our captain 
had said, ” a Chinese house is a meaningless muddle 
from begiimiug to cud.” At last wo entered another 
court, emaller than the first, with some tine vases 
