Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-22
INDIA Tea INDUSTRY
Enormous Growth From
Small Beginnings.
IN FL0UR1SHING STATE
GOVERNMENT DOING IT'S BEST TO
ENCOURAGE COFFEE PLANTERS.
Decline Of the Sugar, Indigo and
Quinins Trade-Royal Botani-
cal Gardens.

cal Gardens.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star and
chicago Record Herald
CALCUTTA. March u, 1904.
India will be well represented at the st.
Louis exposition. The exhibit will be made
under the auspices Of the chamber of COM
merce OF Calcutta, the Indian Tea Associa-
ton of Northern India and the United
Planters Association Of Southern India. Sir
Denzll lDbettson, member of the council
OF state, has had supervision as the repre-
sentative of the government; Mr.. E. Cable,
president OF the chamber of commerce Of
calcutta, has been the representative of the
citizens, and Mr.. Blenchynden, commits
sloner OF the Indian Tea Association In Lon
oon' mas been at st. Louis several times
making preparations, and will have charge
of the exhibit there. The imperial govern
ment OF India has appropriated 10, 600 ru-
PEGS toward the expenses of the exhibit.
which will be limited to tea, spices. indigo
and other agricultural products, although
number of merchants, manufacturers and
count. Wv" az
The Ceylon exhibit will also be chiefly tea.
because OF the great advantages realized by
the tea growers of that island from their
participation In the Columbian exposition at
Ehicago. Until then Ceylon tea was very
little used In the United States, and was
almost unknown, but the picturesque tea
houses, attended by natives In their own
costume, attracted much attention and in
troduced the tea to the entire country This
introduction was followed I'D by ca refuI
and regular efforts to cultivate and extend
the trade, which were remarkably success
iul The United States Is now one of the
largest consumers Of Ceylon tea.
Inc Seylon commissioner reports that he
mas completed his building at St. Louis. and
is very proud of it, and that the display
Chicago. ~
There is very active rivalry in the tea
trade just now, and it will develop at st.
LOUIS. China formerly supplied the world.
ih1rty years ago very little was exported
from any other country. Then Japan came
~ DIS an energetic competitor, and sent its
Tea around everywhere, but the consumn-
tlon Increased as rapidly as the cultiya ton.
SO that China kept her share of the trade
and about fifteen years ago India came into
me tme market ana then Ceylon. Their export
IEaue mas been managed very skillfully
Ihere has been an enormous increase in the
acreage planted, and 90 per cent of their
Product has been sent to the united king
uoin, where II has gradually ousted the tea
OF emma and Japan. Australia has also he
come large consumer of India tea aud
the loyalty with which the two great colo
mes OF Great Britain have stood together
IS commendable. In India alone the con-
sumption of India tea has Increased naarIy
f." per cent within the last ten years.
Tea Growing in India.
This is the result of careful and intelli-
gent efforts on the part of the government
While wild tea is found in Assam, ara in
several Oh the states adjoining the Hima-
lasas tea growing is practically a new
thlng In India compared with China and
Japan. 1t was not until 1880. when Lord
NHliam Benthinck was viceroy that any
considerable amount of tea was produced
In ~ lnola. ne introduced the plant from
Shlna ana brought men from that country
at the expense of the East India Company
TO teach the Htndus how to cultivate it.
FOR many years the results were doubtful
ana aia,' me enorts OF the government were
ridieuled: but for the great faith of two
or three patriotic officials the scheme
would have been abandoned. 1t was re-
narkably successful, however, until now
the area Under tea includes more than half
a million acres. the number of persons en-
ployed In the industry exceeds 1000, the
capital invested in plantations is more than
siCooo,Ooo and the approximate average
yield is about 2O,OO0,O0O pounds Last
year 600 pounds were exported to
England alone, and the total exports were
lS2,o4OO0 pounds The remainder is con-
sumed in India, and more than a million
OF the army. Among other consumers the
United States bought 1850, 600 and China
1000 pounds. Russia, which is the larg-
est consumer of tea of all the nations.
bought 1625.OOO pounds, and this was
considerable increase, showing that India
tea is becoming popular there.
There is considerable feeling against ia
pan among the India tea growers and you
need not be surprised if it crops out at the
exposition, where, according to the under
standing over here, the Japanese are to
make the biggest display of their lives.
Their exhibit is in the hands of a trust,
which controls the japanese trade and is
said to be one of the Shrewdest and most
progressive monopolies ever organized. 1t
has been able to advance the price of ordi
nary tea several cents pound and still
compete successfully with the India and
Ceylon products The United States takes
the bulk of the Japanese product, and nat
urally the tea trust wants to hold the
trade, but it will require all its ability to
do so against the enterprise now being dis
played by India and Ceylon. The trust has
the open encouragement and assistance of
the Japanese government, hence the India
tea growers appealing for official CO.
operation.
The Industry Flourishing.
The industry, however. is in d fiourishng
condition, the area under cultivation has
expanded S5 per cent and the product has
Increased 1877 per cent during the last If
teen years. The cultivation is limited to
sections where there is a heavy rainfall
and humid climate. because tea requires
water while 1T is growing as well while
1t is being consumed. Where these condi-
items exist 1t is a profitable crop In the
valleys of Assam the yield often reaches
45O pounds to the acre
The quality of the tea depends upon the
mar ner of cultivation, the character of the
soil the amount of moisture and sunshine
and the age of the leaf at the time of pick
ing Young, tender leaves have the finest
flavor, and bring the highest prices but
shrink enormously in curing, and many
growers consider it n ore profitable to leave
them until they are well matured. 1t re-
quires about four poards of fresh leaves to
make one pound of dry leaves, and black
bush. II the leaf is, completely dried i'm
mediately after piekingiit retains its green
color. but if it is allowed to stand and
sweat for several hours kind of fermen-
alton takes place which turns it black.
r,.1A;,-o fso,, iof Goffea