86o 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[May 2, it' 92 . 
it is evident that fresh outlets, outside the United 
Kingdom, mu^t be sought for and exports encouraged. 
With this object in view, ntraLgemeuts are already 
being made to bring Britii-h'growu tea before the world 
at the Chicago Exhibition next year, ^teps have been 
taken tu S' licii a grant from the Indian Government 
and to direct the attention of tboro intercstod in the 
cultivation of tea tbere^ to tbe importance of being 
adequately represented. Hitherto, the expenses at. 
tending Exhibitions have fallen principally on London 
agents and brokers, while compnratively very littlo 
has been raised for Ibo purpose in India. It is, there- 
fore, now proposed that a small sum per core ►hall 
be oentriluted by each estate in fiirtherante of tho 
abovo project which appears a fair rneibod of rai^i' K 
the lands absolutely necessary, not only tu rmiblo 
India to maintain her posiiioii, won after many year»<' 
struggle, tut to open out other channels for her 
increased cutput. We al*o loam that considerable 
sums have been prnmuti*!! by the Government and 
planners of Ceylon ; it is hoped that aUo.>ether about 
11200,000 will 8*'X»u be forthcoiniLg to forward the 
andi B ries of tbe island on that occasion. 
The interests of these two countries being to ^ucU 
a great extent identical, it stem.s of vital impurtance 
that they should If posMblo adopt a ecinmun policy 
in opening up new markets fer their proiluof, 
lucreastd shipments have I ecu mudo loth from 
Calcutta and Ooiombo to ether countries lusides Great 
liritain, the hgurte for the past two jodts, from Ist 
May to iith February, being 
Aualra- Bombay Sundry America. Total, 
lasia. thieilyfor PortB. 
Persian Gulf. 
ludia. 
Ih. lb. 
189L2...4,288,000 3,068.000 
1890-1...4,545,000 742,000 
lb. 
191-2. ..2, 810, 000 
190-1.. .2, 010, COO 
lb. lb. lb. 
SfiOOOO 180,000 8,092.000 
213,000 118,000 .5,018,000 
Ce} lou. 
lb. lb, lb. lb. 
4CO.OOO 508,000 144.(CO 3,422 000 
107,000 182 000 112,000 2,441,OOo 
The low price.s cunent lie e dnring the past eight 
months have, lo doubt, b» en b’«‘«fici»l in devploping 
(be export from London to the continent ot Euc pe, 
as, for the first two months of tbibyoar, Inuiu (( tailed 
787,0(10 lb., and Cey'on 414 COO U aga ust 428,000 lb, 
and 101,000 lb. respre iv< ly for the fume period in 1891. 
Manukactoeb,— It aterua probable, however, nuiwita- 
standing the assUtance iudioati d above, that supplies 
will tax our cotiiuming powers, and, tht lefure, planters 
sbnnld bim at a sma'ler -outturn ami better quali y. 
Wo would draw attention lotbe following extract tfom 
our last annual oircolsr, bear! g on this feubjoct 
which will also apply to the coming crop: — 
“Heavy rhipments being expected Itom all the 
producing cou- tries, it behoves Brni-ih plmiorH to 
use every endeavour to prevent ihe market lieing 
flooded with mediocre ichh t { poor liquor. Tli ^y 
will, tberef^re, probably find that by plucking a 
little finer than utuvl they will make much belter 
tea, and in the long run show n more satisfactory 
robult Huancially, as the enhanced pticoa obtained will 
moiti ilun recoup them even i^bould the lutal output 
I e smaller.’* 
There is no doubt that during the psht yesr 
owing to very heavy Hu'^lue, tins in many cuhcs was 
impracticable snd a Urge prcporlion of coarse Uaf 
was plnckcd, which rralizod insntf'icienb io co er cost 
of maktiig, freight and warelouae charges, llie last 
two items falling proportionately heavier on low-priced 
tea. It would have been better if this had either not 
been plucked, or eleo consumed locally. Perhaps it 
might be fcai^itlo to use some of the dust and coarse leaf 
iu the manuftiCture of Brick Thp, which is largely 
made in Ohioa for shipment ,(0 Mongolia. Many 
plsnters eicou.uped by the high rates ruling lust 
spring for P».koo Hoocliongs, no doubt were induced 
to go in for quantity with tbe result that, though 
their outturn was increased, lie average price Buffered, 
for it is not the toa which costs least to make, that 
as a rule will be found to pay btat. Uon.sc qaenily 
moderately fine plucking with very oaieful eupervision 
dm lug, tho process of fermeutatiua and manufacture, 
sbouhl under meat circumstcmces prove the more 
rcmun**iative. 
Sjzb op Hrkaks, Style of Packaoe.— The growth 
(f the trade in Briti‘h grTwn tea renders it neces- 
sary to iconomise tbe limr^ of buyirs as much 
as po.silde’ as, when snles sre heavy, tho eamplea 
to be tested are ortiuuioro than can bo properly gone 
through. AUhough (he minimum for ordinary brvaki 
roinnina at 12 chests*, 18 baU-chests *, and 30 boxes^ 
nuiiy of ibe d'-alcra do not look at parcels of this 
Five, In fact, so far back as \u 1887, son o decided 
not (o tiiste anything Icfs than 20 rhest lines. To 
LHisuro full competiiioo, ihercfcrr, for all excepting 
chi ice qualify, tbe I r* aks phould bo as large as 
p' saible ai.d invoices should not represent too many 
ilcscriptiouB. Tho fo’l wing aesortninot will generaily 
be found to answer, v z. : a first oia'is Brok.n Pekoe; 
a fine Pekoe; the bold h%f often ►out with Pekoe to 
le loft iu the Pekoe Soochong ; rough Souchong end 
Fiininnga to bn equalised and packed as Btokeu Tea, 
thus miking four kinds. Pnreeis contnining Dust are 
uu- a table, therefore this sbuuhl he sifted out and 
shippfd siparatily. 
ILilf -chehts continue in favour, both with exporters 
and for home use, especidly for pekoos. L^^afy kinds, 
suitable for drinking alone, ofteu sell well iu boxes 
bn’,tho<je packages should he un'er28 lb. gross to 
avoid tbe I lb. draft a lowed on tliose over this weight. 
Pactury-bu ked teas arc still liked, many houses 
giving tbem tbe prof< rence*. Iu the majority of caieB, 
the efforts of plaiiti rn to attain rtgulariiy of a; pear- 
Hiice have been fuccessful, and they have thus avoided 
(he ( xpeuso of bulking iuL )nd( n, which is of cense- 
quenct* I ow that the average price has fallen so low. 
Economy in all ch«igeB muht bu studied, and if tbe 
packing 18 reguUli d iu accordance with the fuliowiiig 
scale, a coLSidcrable amoont may be (-uved in tho 
oourseof HStasou. 
Analysis or Crop.— The 1891 crop from India 
has, on the whole bciMi ci.-tHppoiniing, fine teas 
h ing scarce thr.uchuut, as coaree plucking has 
been tio general. Mai.y of tbe Assama have been 
poor, ami those gardens which bavo picked 
11)0 eratvly fice have done well. Latir invoices 
trom many estates hivo shfW’n better quality, 
and V here antumo flavour has been combiiied with 
streug’h, some high averaces have rtsulted. Carhsrs 
and Sylhets, wi h few exceptiouB, have been of nu 
utidesiraVle cha’acter, the wea<her evidently having 
not favoured maciufacture, Durjetdings have shewn 
much irregularity, but, wlun fine as in tbe case of 
Bomo r cent shipmuils, verv SAti.^faotory prices have 
been secured. T- raie ^nd Dooars varied coosii.erably, 
but those ptHscFSed of full flavour, have sold sati*. 
factoriiy. Ti e crop fr"»n the Kaijg*a Val:iy has lackod 
the rich qunity diaccrniblo in torin* r ycirs, and these, 
t< getht^r with KoumaouH, have generally been below 
the average, 
From Trnvaucore and other parts of South 
India (here has alKo bcea a marked faMing off in 
tho special charaotori.stics which fcrmetlv brought 
there toss into favour, and whatever ma^ have bi eu 
the oaufe, it is to be hoped it will bo io.*niuded in tho 
coming Foasou, 
Ah i.^ usual with an excessive crop, tbo quality of 
Cc 5 lou*» has depreciated, uud a very low range has 
been rmclie l for common and ordinary kirids. The 
buKbe.*! must have snffered from the centiimous and 
aouicwhat sevoro plucking to wbuh they have been 
aubjectod, ro that, in ad probability, a different 
cour.-o will te foilowul on m< si gardens during tins 
year. Th »se estvies, wheb w'cro so circuinstimoed 
H8 U) heabhi to lU'^ko Hue Ten, have no doubt lenped 
tho full heutfit, tbc.su grades having been scarce. 
As n-.'ticed above dr aught has much interferod with 
llio .Tuva crop, and consequently the shipments 
this f< untrv have been ourtailo-l. The improicmeut 
noticeable in make and cup during th-’ lat-t few yours 
has hien maintained, so that, while the>^e Teas 
remain in favour with continental biiyore, they are 
ahont-fo largely used iu this country, especially by 
Illendors. 
* Smaller lots than these are Bold aflir tie auctou* 
