April r, 1892.] 
THE TROPICAL AORICULTURI8T. 
735 
FKOM THE METEOPOLIS. 
CEYLON TEA PRODUCTION AND 
CONSUMPTION. 
Feb. Cth. 
That the total exports ol Ceylon tea for 1891 
ehonld exceed C8 in place of 66 raillioos lb. of tea 
makes an important dillerence in the calculation 
I sent you for the current year. It is gratifying, 
of course, to see that the estimate I ventured to 
frame early last year has been so exactly realized, 
and adding an increase of 10 millions to 68 (in 
place of to 65) gives us a figure 78 millions, not 
for oil the 80 million lb. at which we have put 
the total exports lor 1892. “ Oh! but” — say friends 
in tea on this side, — “yon forget what an excep- 
tionally wet forcing season 1891 presented 1" “ Not 
at all” we may reply, seeing that we allow a margin 
of 10 to 12 million lb. for that oiroumatauoe and 
other exceptional causes. It is a fact quite as 
likely that the total shipments should exceed, as 
fall short of, 80 millions lb. Nor oan I see why 
this should frighten, or adversely afi'set, the homo 
prospects of Ceylon tea. For surely the first 
eileot should be to check speculation or investments 
in China teas during the approaching season 
more particularly in view ol the heavy loeees 
snstained (.£800,000 estimated) last year, in which 
Eastern Banks as well as the dealers are supposed 
to share. From this point of view, indeed, one 
might expect high estimates for Ceylon shipments 
in 1892 and 1896 to act as a strong deterrent on 
the China tea trade," and more especially with the 
United Kingdom. Not only so, but also as a 
deterrent on further planting of tea in India, the 
Straits, Borneo, Africa or South America -, for 
“tea" is given as a product suited to them all. 
The sooner it is widely known therefore that 
Ceylon . is bound to increase her exports, year by 
year, for a good many years to come the better, I 
and a good many more friends of the colony at 
this end think. Among them, ol course, is the 
veteran Mr, J. H. Roberts ol Messrs. S. Rucker & 
Co., who first and so cheerfully and frankly urged 
Ceylon planters to hurry on with their planting, 
crops and exports, until 80 to 100 millions lb, of 
shipments to London were attained. 1 asked Mr. 
Roberts the other day, during a hurried call, “ what 
he thought now ol our giving London about 80 
millions this year?” “Delighted to hear it” was 
bis pleasant response, and I have to see him 
again and our old planting friend, Mr. J. 
Hamilton, to go over the prospects of Ceylon and 
its products with them. Ol course even if 80 
millions lb. are shipped from Colombo and Gallo 
during 1892, not all will come to London — perhaps 
less than 71 millions will be so directed, more 
especially if the rumour of a diilerential duly to 
be imposed in the United States prove correct, 
so necessitating direct shipments. Seeing how 
well C3j million lb. ol Ceylon tea have been 
dieposeu ol in the past twelvemonths, we need 
scarcely be frightened about 10 to 12 million lb. 
more going into consumption during 1892. Nor, 
■I a check be given to China exports, should the 
average prices be lower, more particularly if due 
earn be taken about '‘plucking" and ‘‘prepara- 
tion " in Ceylon. Ol oourse there is some reason 
lor the query of our good friends in Rood Lane 
and other of the ‘‘ Lanes ” as to how the trade 
IS to meet such largo increases in production ; but 
they are very ready to admit that for good tea, 
pure Ceylon, there will bo a profitable market. So 
lot all concerned beware of doing onything in 1892 
to imperil and lower the good naiiio of ” Ceylon.” 
LComplaints have not yet quite died out, about the 
poor qualities being sent over in some oases, 
92 
although I hear no more of absolute ‘‘ trash 
nor I trust shall this term be ever fairly applied 
to any Ceylon export again. If it is, an Inquisi- 
torial Board wonld certainly be formed to find out 
all about it aiyd give a word ol warning, or 
something more, to the shipper.] I was sorry 
to miss another leading broker, "Mr, Geo. White, 
whoso firm have also taken such an intelligent 
interest in Ceylon tea, more especially in classify- 
ing our districts according to_ altitude. Mr; 
White has already started on a trip out to Ceylon 
where, I feel sure, he will meet with a hearty recep- 
tion and enjoy bis visit to the tea districts. 
AMOTIIBE Bia CBTLON OOMTANY. 
Calling at the headquarters of the Ceylon andOrien- 
tal Investment Corporation, I had the good fortune to 
meet Mr. Huntly Thring, the Managing Director, 
Mr. H. A. Hancock of the well-known tea house, 
closely identified with this and the Lauderdale 
Company, and the Secretary, Mr. Chapman. [A 
caller soon after was Mr. Prior Palmer, who is about 
to return to Ceylon, and from whom I was glad to 
learn bettor news of Mr. Turpin, who is also likely 
to return erelong]. The taking over ol the ‘‘Baring” 
estatoB in Ceylon to a value of perhaps £120,000, 
has added to the importance of the Investment 
Corporation, and it was very satisfactory to learn 
that they have so inlluontial a Chairman as Mr. 
Hurg C. Smith, so good a Board and strong sup- 
port. It is probable that the Company will be 
reconstituted on sneh a basis as may permit of 
their shares being quoted on the Stock Exchange — 
a great advantage. Meantime, the Ceylon tea 
planter, if he has bad moderate prices of late,bBB been 
favoured with exceptionally low exchange : and we 
may well hope that the Americans may not succeed 
in inflating silver during the year at any rate, unless 
the ‘‘ averages ’’ for tea rise instead of fall. 
Calling last evening, in Fbilpot Lane, to say fare- 
well to Mr. Porter (who baa started today via 
Folkestone for Marseilles and Ceylon, having Dr, 
Stevenson of the China Inland Mission as his 
travelling companion), — 1 was fortunate enough to 
find the Board of the Scottish Ceylon Tea Com- 
pany silting, and to meet such old friends as 
Messrs. H. L. and R. W. Forbes, both in good 
health and as usual cheery and confident about the 
future of Ceylon and its planting enterprise. Mr. B. 
L. Forbes had just recovered from an attack of 
influenza which be described as by no means a 
pleasant companion. It was interesting to learn 
that Major (and Mrs.) Forbes at 78 years of age, is 
still bale and hearty. Mr. Porter produced the latest 
circular arising out of Sir Andrew Clark’s unfortu- 
nate speech, which runs as follows ; — 
In 
LEAD PACKETS 
1 lb. ... i lb. ... l lb. 
At Bn and 3s 6d nor lb. 
FINK OUINA TEA 
Flavoured with Datieellng Pekoe. 
THE DOCTOR'S TEA 
Eecommondod by leading men of the inedlcol profession. 
This Tea Is the young spring leaf of the China Ten 
Plant and possesses less tannio acid than Indian Tea which 
ta the cause of so much Indigestion and Nervous Debility. 
See Sir Andrew Clark's aildress to tho medical men of 
London, Oct. 13t!i, 1S91. 
USE PINE BLACK CHINA TEA. 
One gentleman present was able to recall a visit ol 
Sir Andrew Clark some years ago to his home when 
he bad a cup of Ceylon tea and the worthy doctor 
then pronounced it the finest tea he bad ever tasted. 
From tho letter of another Ceylon proprietor, 
received the other day. I quote aa follows : — 
'• Sir A. Clark was supposed to recommend Coylos 
tea, properly made, at one time. I take it that his 
real grievance now is with tho fashionable ladies 
who, wliilo pretending to be so sympathetic and kind! 
grudge the trouble of making a little fresh tea for 
