754 
THE TROWCAL aQRIOOLTURIST. 
[April i, 1892. 
iriont recently in Calcutta for the formation of a 
central labour organiaation on co-operative principles 
to control tho recruiting of coolies. Co operation on 
this important subject cannot fail to strengthen tho 
position of tea proprietors in Assam. 
Moke Light.— Mincing Lane has been amnsod at 
a paragraph which appeared in tho Daily Chronicle, 
a few Says since, to the effect that a toa-tastiiig 
eommittoo of the guardians of Islington Workhouse 
had made a now discovery in tea-tasting. The para- 
graph was as follows “ Something like thirty sam- 
ples of black tea had boon sent in by different firms, 
who sought to obtain a contract for T.-IOO lb. of 
tea in bond at lOd. As usual a cup of tea was 
mode from each sample, and the committee then 
proceeded with the operation of tasting. It is customary 
to allow the cups to stand for five or six minutes, 
but on this occasion, owing to an accident, they 
were left standing for twenty minutes. When the 
committee examined them, to their groat surprise, 
they found that tho tea in about a dozen of the 
cups had undergone an extraordinary change. Instead 
of being quite clear it had the appearance of cocoa ; 
and, curiously enough, tho change did not take place 
until the cups had been standing for more than 
fifteen minutes. Among the sampTos that had under- 
gone the change were one or two which had been 
looked upon as the best teas. Tho samples will, it 
is understood, be submitted to analysis." 
Tea Tasters WAirrEn.— If this “creaming down” 
of tea scares tho tea-tasting committee of the work- 
house it is high time that parochial authorities who 
buy tea on a wgo scale, employed the services of an 
expert on the premises. In the absence of an adult, 
a youth who nndorstood the business w'ould bo useful. 
Ka tho Daily Chronicle says “ It is a common 
experience that all good teas from India and (Jeylon 
• cream down,’ as tho technical phrase is, when cold, 
and present tho appoaraiico which aroused the sus- 
picious of the guardians. It they do not, tho saiiiples 
MO at once put on one side as being inferior. The 
chango is wrought by tho atniosphere coming in 
contact with the tannin developed liy the process of 
infusion, and it is highly probable that the sample 
which was approved was greatly inferior to many of 
those rejected. In large contracts of this descrip- 
tion the services of on experienced taster might with 
advantage be requisitioned." 
The Decay of the China Tea Trade.— In some 
districts of China the tea-growers take such a gloomy 
view of their prospects that they are turning their 
attention to other things. A Foochow paper says : 
“ Two tea-growers are, we understand, planting 
poppies in the place of tea in tho lower ranges of 
their tea plantations. If they meet with success, 
others will follow their example and give up tea 
altogether.” For this China has only herself to 
thank. By heavy export duty and local taxes and 
“ squeozos'’ iminnioraule, she has done her best to 
kill the trade which for so long gave her a proud 
pro eminence among tho countries of tho world. 
Last Week's Sai.eb.— There has again been a fall- 
ing-off in tho supply of Indian tea, says the Produce 
Marhets’ ller.ieic, the quantities offered being 2H,U(K) 
packages, against al,000 in the preceding week. Al- 
though the demand generally is by no moans active, 
there are evidences of an improved enquiry, more 
particularly for all good descriptions. For medium 
and fine sorts the demand has been decidedly better, 
with a further upward tendency in values, and unless 
a larger supply of these descriptions in forthcoming, 
hieher prices in the near future are not improbable. 
No material change has taken place m the lower 
sorts althongh buyers find it difficult to follow pre- 
vious purchases, this being more particularly the 
case in whole leaf kinds of good useful qualities, 
which are not so plentifully offered just now. On the 
other hand, common and undesirable teas are dull 
of sale and have passed at irregular rates. At the 
publio’salo 25,654 packages were catalogued, and 
about 8,060 withdrawn, most of which have since 
found buyers. The following are the figures i.'sued 
for the past month compared with January last year : — 
The imports were 13,600,000 lb, and 13,300,000 lb. 
tcspeotively, while deliveries wore about 600,0001 
smsller, or 9,967,000 lb. against 10,570,0001b. Tho 
stock, on the other hand, shows an increafe of 
10,000,000 lb. the quantity being 49,000,000 lb. as com- 
pared with 39,000,000 lb. in the previous year. This 
increase in the stock almost exactly correaponda 
with the differODOe in tho imports from Juno Ist to 
January 31st in each yenr, which amounted to 
91,900,000 lb. and 81,200,000 lb. respectively Cey- 
lon teas have been strongly competed for, and a 
general but not very extensive rise in prices has 
again taken place. The improvement has been, 
perhaps, moat emnrked in medism Pekoes, for which 
the competition is particularly keen, and which are 
about Jd dearer. Common grades are also in demand 
and show about Jd rise on tho prioos of a fortnight 
since. The quality of the teas has shown a slight 
improvement, but has not yet reached a satisfactory 
level. Keports as to the quantity of tha coming 
forward are somewhat contradictory, but it may bo 
taken for granted that it will exceed last years by 
some millions of pounds, all of which will be required 
if the present rate of inoioase in tho consumption is 
maintained. Some private advices, however, report 
the quantity immediately available as somewhat less 
than expected. 
The Boars of Track Rethiinb and Produces.— 
Tho Board of Trade Uetuins are again nosatisfac- 
tory, inasmuch sa with an 'increased value of im- 
ports the value of the ixperts has decreased. The 
latter fratuie is not, however, so marked as m 
November and Decimber of last year. Tho 
impcris amount to £38,485,244, an incroaso of 
£4,744,162, or 14 per cent. ; and the exports of British 
and Irish produce to £19,146,701, a decrease of 
£687,611, or shout 3J per cent. Arrivals of tea were 
heavy, particularly from Indio and Ceylon, but China 
reccipta were alro large. The total quantity of tea im- 
ported in .Tanuary this year was 24.678,797 lb.; 
value, £1,083,098 ; against 21,330,918 Ib.j vuliio £917,804, 
in January, 1891. Of ri fined sugar, Germany and 
Holland have sent more, Imt Fenuca only sent 83,280 
cwt. compared with 209,087 owt. This article has 
gone up in price, which, perhaps, accounts lor the 
larger imports, £72,000 alone of the increased valne 
being due to this cause. With the ixcoptiuuof Holland 
the best-prodiioiiig countries have sent leis raw sugar, 
but eamo producing countries have in the aggregate 
soot more. This article too has gone np in price. 
Of th'" articles cleaiod for consninpiion, tea is below 
the total of last year, Lut is considerably in excess 
of Jai nary, 1890: the check would appear to be only 
temporary. 
Bonded Produce — Tho B Bill of Entry shows that 
on Iho last day of January the quantity of tea re- 
maining in the Customs and Excise warchonsea of 
the United Kingdom was 111,066,449 1b , against 
100,646,624 lb ,and 11.5,.373,800 lb :of cocon, 11,317,755 lb., 
againat 12,785.781 lb. and 11,262,7861b. ; coffee, 118.277 
owt., against 122,494 cwt. 
Coffee Adultebation.— Coffee planters must feel 
disgusted at thovbamefnl adulteration cf cotfee. In 
vain public analysts point out the sdnl'oralicn, hut 
it is quite easy for the voudors to evade the law. At 
a recent meeting of 81. Luke's Vestry, the analyst 
said ; — “ In the case of tha eoffee thnt was 
found to contain 60 pir cent, of chicory no 
prosecution was undertaken, because the packet 
was labelled ‘n mixture’ — this one of tho niagis- 
trstes at Worship Street having bold to be a good 
defence in a previous case. In nnother case 
where 85 per cont. of chicory was present, and there, 
was no label anncuiiciiig ‘ a mixture,’ the Vestry 
did prosecute. The vein'or, however, swore that he 
verbally stated to tho pniohss r that the article was a 
mixture, and tho inaptet r swoio in equally positive 
terms thnt no such atnti mciit was made. The magis- 
trate believed the vendor, ai d dismissed the aummons. 
Hence, added Ihe analyst, it appears that a dealer may 
veil any amount of chicory to n I'uyir who asks for 
cotf‘ e without even prt tending to label it. Certainly the 
tf elp4 .Her has a worse time than the others. The law 
proteuts the purchaser from having hia b^r or spirits 
watered, but winks at any amonnt of ot ffi e adultcra 
