5o6 
TH6 TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST 
[January i, 1894 . 
exportation in India, China, Ceylon and tho world 
(the fraction sent elsewhere is not worth consider- 
10 ( 7 , unfortunately) has to bo infused and tasted in a 
few rooms in Mincing Lane, by a small number of 
men who have been trained to do this. Bit they ere 
completely overwhelmed by tho rush of the sales, and 
tboni-ands of lots most bo lelt ontash^d and un- 
priced by the bnyers, who, probably, to reduce their 
own risk, bid only a price at whi'’h_ they could not 
lose if the tea turned out to bo of inferior guahty, 
The producers therefore are tho victims of this state 
of things in tho central and sole outlet for our tfa. 
"What is tho moral i* Should America bo for 
our ten surely every pound of it consumed there 
should bo shipped direct, otherwise wo should be no 
better off than wo are now. Centcalixation is some- 
times good, but not when that^ centre is unprepared 
to do tho work thrown upon it. Unfortunately the 
sole sufferers from this state of things are powerless 
to alter it. It makes no difference to the morchauts 
and brokers, who, therefore, don t care. 
Tka Salks in Mincino Lane. 
lb. Ib. 
Ceylon . . CO.OOO.OOC in 4.000 lots equal to 15,0!I0 lots. 
India ..100,000,000 do do 25,000 do. 
China .. 90,000.000 do do 22,000 do. 
Other . . 20,000,000 do do 5,000 do. 
290,000,000 Days saloa 100 07,000 do. 
Daily average 070 do. 
Each in 5 grades, each sale day 6 
3,360* infusions to bo tasted 
by a dozen men, each sales day ; but each buyer is siip- 
poaod to taste them all, in about an hour and half, or 
about 40 minutes I The fact is no buyer tastes more 
than a dozen or 20 samples, so that competition is out 
of the questioiL 
THU PRICE OP PEKOE SOUCHONG. 
Colombo, Deo. 7th. 
Dkab Bib,— I notice a correspondent in your 
paper quotes Fair Pekoe Souchong in the Colombo 
market at 22o 24o, against 30o in London, the 
standard being Messrs. Geo. Wilson & Stanton s as 
per their weekly telegram. 
Though I have attended the looal sales regularly 
I have not been able to purchase pekoe sonabong 
equal to the London standard as under 80o — 32o, 
and therefore shall be glad if your correspondent 
will tell me where I oan buy at tho price he quotes : 
at that price I can take a considerble quantity. 
—Yours faithfully, A BUYER. 
THE PRICE OF PEKOE SOUCHONG. 
Deab Sib,— I see "A Buyer” dispute- the fairnees 
and truth of the inference drawn by mo in compar- 
ing London and local avertgea for P. S., and asks 
me to inform him “ where he can buy fair Pekoe 
Souchong at 22 to 21 cents.” This question reads 
almost like a joke, and the answer is very easy, 
namely At the Colombo salea every Wednesday. What 
ho intends to say, of ooutae, is that tho lots that are 
sold in Colombo every week at 22 to 21 oents are 
not average Pekoe Sonoliongs as sold in London. Well, 
who is to decide ? 1 don't suppose any seller who 
accepts the 22 cents will rise up in hi* wrath and in 
his own name fight the qncation out. So all we can 
do is to fall hack upon tho piiblisbed prico lists, and 
on what we, npcountty, know of our neighbours pluck- 
ing and make. I take the London value to be the 
average of all P. S.’s sold, it not snob “as nsnally 
made ” by one or two big factories, vsuall}/ under the 
average My question, therefore, is very natural, “Why 
should the Colombo average be 6 to Scents lower than 
the Londou, as aeon in every week s local price list.-i' 
I would like to sell locally myself, but do not tor 
this reason ; though I see tea of my neighbours (the 
plucking and making of which I know) Icing sold at 
22 oents, and I cannot understand WHY. 
* Corroct quantities required for tlio right answ'er. 
THE PRICE OP PEKOE SOUCHONG. 
Colombo, Dec. 18th. 
Dear Sir, — I was very much surprised at “Why” 's 
first letter, but b's second throws a little light on 
bis astonishing s ntement that Pekoe Souohong 
equal in quality to those in London selling at Cid 
per lb. are sold in Colombo nt 22 oents per In, 
Of course to anyone who is selling or buying on 
both markets, and so knows by the inexorable logic 
of account sales the relation of Colombo to London 
prices, the above statement is absurd. But " Why " 
states that ho supposes tho quotation which appears 
in your valuable paper every week refers to the 
average price of Pekoe Souohong sold for the week 
on tho London market ; if ho roads carefully ha 
will see that you quote tho prioo o( " Average 
Pekoe Souchong" of one uniform quality which 
does not vary, as you explained in answer to a letter 
which appeared in your paper some time ago. 
The latest mail from London is dated 2(!lh ultimo. 
On referring ,to Messrs. Gow, Wilson & Stanton’s 
oiroular of that date I find the lowest quotation 
for pekoe souchong is djd, only a single package, 
it is true, but a large proportion sold at between 
5d and 13d, some from estates of high altitude, and 
good reputation. At about this date your quotation 
lor fair pekoe souohong was O^d. 'This of itself 
is, I think, sullioient answer to •' Why ” ’s question. 
I herewith send a sample of pekoe souohong 
sold in London at 5(id and sent to me as a buy- 
ing standard. If "Why” can tell me where I oan 
buy tea equal to this at 25 cents (3 cents over 
his quotation for pekoe souchong worth in London 
U^d) I shall esteem it a favour. 
If "Why” really thinks there is a margin for 
profit of l|d between tho Colombo and London 
markets, why does he not buy all he oan get 7 
It is not often such a good thing offers. 
One other thing I may as well mention : tea sent 
down for sale on this market is not always what 
it is desoribed to be. 12 obests described as pekoe 
eouohoDg WEB sold at 12 cents; it was not pekoe 
souchong at all, but common rod leaf. — I am, dear 
sir, yours faithfully, A BUYER. 
Tapioca — Soak a quarter of a pound of 
tapioca in water enough to cover it. Let it stand 
several hours, then stir it into a pint of boiling 
water. Simmer it slowly till it appears semi- 
transparent. Sweeten it to taste, and flavour 
with wine and nutmeg if approved of by tho 
physician. Turn it into cups or molds. — 
Florida Despatch axd Fruit Grower. 
Low-Firkd Teas. — We learn that telegrams have 
been received in Colombo annourioing that the 
first Ceylon teas low-fired according to Mr 
Davidson’s system have sold in Mincing Lane 
at good prices, showing an advanoe on ruling 
prioes of Id to 2 d, thus proving the suocess of 
Mr. Davidson's method. 
The Zahzibar Clove Trade. — A proclamation 
signed by the BuUan of Zanzibar, and oounter- 
signed by Mr, Gerald Portal, the British Bosident 
was issued on November 27tb, deolaring that a 
duty will be levied on all the organs of ilorescenae 
of the olove-tree, whether clove stems, buds, or 
seeds, afti r Deoember 2nd next. The ohjeot of the 
measure, Reuter thinks is to inoroasa the value of 
the clove stems, upon which no duty has hitherto 
been paid. Wo should rather incline to the belief 
that the measure is aimed at the discouragement 
of tho exportation of parts of the olovo other than 
tho buds.— CVie/rtisfnwil Druggist, Deo. 6 . 
