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care in the preparation of their teas, and some even adulterated their goods. A relapse in the trade resulting, the merchants still further adulterated their teas in order to recoup some of their losses. In this year an attempt was made to grow black tea, and the following year Chinese workmen were employed by the Government to this end. In 1875 a Government Commission went to China to study the preparation of green and black tea. In 1876 one went to India for the same purpose; on its return in 1877 it was sent to the Ken of Kochi to manufacture tea on the Indian plan. This tea, when submitted to foreign experts, won undivided applause for its excellence. The year 1878 saw a fall in the export of tea, and in 1879 a special congress was held in Yokohama to encourage the tea industry. In this year the tea harvest was so excellent that there was a great demand in America. All the available stock was exhausted, and, to satisfy the ever-increasing demand, many merchants adulterated their teas. This gradually brought about the inevitable result: the price of tea went down and the reputation of the merchants was lost. Seeing that something must be done, the tea-growers endeavoured in 1883 to form a syndicate, but failed. The Government then stepped in, and united them in a syndicate. The result of this wise measure was soon seen. In 1885 there was a considerable rise in the export of tea. In 1886 regulations for the punishment of wrongdoers were adopted. The tea-merchants also formed themselves into an association to control the growers and prevent any further chance of fraud.

Finally, in 1896, the State granted a subsidy of 70,000 yen to the central organization, in order to establish, under the control of the Government, offices in New York, Chicago, and Vladivostock. This tea-merchants’ and planters’ association contained the tea-merchants of each Prefecture, and had as an object the control and supervision of the producers in their various districts. In connection with these various tea-traders’ associations in each Prefecture there was organized a central board of the association in Tokyo to direct the local associations, and also to enable their representatives to meet together once a year to decide upon the best methods of manufacture and production. All the members of these associations bound themselves to continue along these methods of insuring excellence of quality in the tea for export during a period of twenty years. This association is an example of the desire of an exporting country to promote the good understanding and meet the wishes of the importing country. The statistics would seem to show that this care for the keeping up of the standard of excellence has not been without its result.

In 1897 the United States passed a law legislating against