November r, 1883.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



371 



The quantity of fuel consumed in both machines practical 

 planters assure us is very much more than the prospectus 

 would lead one to heUcve, and we are assured that it is 

 nearly double, except in fine weather, and that the fuel must 

 be of the very best kind, but this is but a trifling thiujr \rith 

 machines that biuTi any fuel, and would not, we think, act 

 as a deterrent to any pui'chaser. The quantity of tea turned 

 out epr diem is a most miportant item, and we are assured 

 that ^i ]s only imder exceptional circumstances that the 

 Sirocco will tui'u out over 20 maunds of green leaf in an 

 ordinary day, and that the " Kinmond" fails in this re- 

 spect too. From Assam the reports of the Kinmond are good 

 and encouraging, but the Cachai' planters as a rule do not 

 approve of them, and prefer the Sirocco, even although they 

 compleain of the quauiity turned out for the cost. One un- 

 doubted advantage the Sirocco possesses over most other 

 machines, is the recognized flavor of Sii'occoed teas, and that 

 there must be something in it there can be no doubt, as it is 

 recognised by the Trade. AVe may then take the advant- 

 ages of the Sirocco as line flavor imparted to the tea, being 

 consti'ucted of ii-on there is no risk of fire, and no motive 

 power being required to work it ; and its disadvantages, 

 high cost compared to quantity turned out, necessitating 

 a large staff of men to fire and turn the tea, great con- 

 sumption of fuel and wear and tear of trays. In the 

 Kinmond the advantages are, that it gets thi'ough a larger 

 quantity of tea per diem, but has the same disadvantages 

 as the .Sirocco. If the patentees of these two machines 

 cordd be induced to lay their heads together and construct 

 a machine out of two, which had all the advantages of 

 the Cxibbs and Barry, -without any of its disadvantages, 

 then we should say we had got the machine of the ptoriod. 

 We do not see why the hot air wliich generates from the 

 Sii'occo should not be blown into a tunnel the same as 

 is used in the Gibbs and Bany, and which does away 

 with all the wear and tear of trays, cost of wii-e netting, 

 &c., the question only remains to be proved, whether this 

 would impart an equally good aroma \vith what is now 

 tui'ned out from the Sh-occc* In these days of economy 

 and advancement, the drying of tea at a cheap rate is 

 becoming one of* the most important items of expenditure. 

 Rolling has been brought to a good pitch of perfection, 

 but we are still a long way ofi' what may be done in 

 the way of drying, ^^^lat is wanted is a combin- 

 ation of aU the best machines, at such a rate that 

 tea properties can afford to go in for it. At 

 present we know of m.any small properties that are 

 prevented from going in for machin^.-ry, especially dryers, 

 simply and solely on account of their prices. In treating 

 only of Kinmond, Gibbs and Barry and the Sirocco dryers, 

 we consider that we have endjraced all those that are princip- 

 ally used. We do know that one or two others 

 exist, but in treating of the -above we consider we have 

 taken up all that, so far as we can learn, are of auy use 

 in large factories. The Typhoons are a thing of tlie past ; 

 Bicknell's wc have never seen in Assam or Cachar and 

 there may be one or two more small ones. Jackson's 

 we have heard spoken of, but consider that in dealing 

 ^vith the Sirocco wc have dealt with it.* "We trust 

 within a few years to be able to report upon a wiser and 

 better one than any yet out, and as we said before, poss- 

 essing all these good properties without the bad. 



CACAO CULTIVATION IN CEYLON. 



We cannot do more than call attention to the 

 very full and thoroughly practical paper pre- 

 pared by a wcllkiiowu planter on the subject of 

 cacao cultivation in Ceylon which will be found 

 below. The estimates for cacao are even more 

 encouraging than tliose of Mr. Hay for a tea plant- 

 ation. But the writer points out how limited is 

 the extent of really first-class land adapted to the 

 cultivation of cacao. For those ' fortunate enough 

 to possess blocks with the needful depth of good soil, 

 the shelter and the climate, the present paper cannot 



» We should like to hear Mr. Owen's oijiniou on this 

 point.— Ed. 



fail to be 

 operations 



appreciated as a valuable guide to the 

 required to open up a successful plautation. 



CACAO CULTIVATION IN CEYLON. 



Estimates and Remarks. 



{By a Practical Planter. ) 



Estimate for openinff and briiiffinf/ a Cocoa Estate of 200 

 acres into Iieiiring, including cost of land. 

 Frobable cost of 2U0 acres of land at K25 ... R5 000 



1st Yeae from January to30tli June of followiu 

 Felling and clearing 2C0 acres at K15 



Nur.sories: clearing sites ... ... 40 



80,000 baskets at R.5-50 ... ... 440 



5,000 cocoa pods at R55 ... ... 275 



Fdling baskets and sowing seed ... 250 



Erecting pandals for shade ... ... 120 



Watering and attending ... ... 125 



year. 



R3,aoo 



Lining at Rl per acre ... ... 200 



Holiug ; .%0 holes per acre 12 by 12 feet 

 apart, 2 feet deep by 18 inches wide (20 

 per man) ... ... ... 1,200 



Filling in 75 holes per man ... ... 30O 



Pl.auting, supplying and shading at R3-25... CoO 



Weeding for 16 months at III 



Roads: 10 miles with inside drain .at RI'.')0... 



Drains: every half-chain apart R 10 per acre 



Tools 



Buildings : temporary Imes ... ... 200 



Permanent lines ... ... ... 300 



Bungalow, outhouses and furnitm-e ... 50u 



Contingencies : medicines and ho.spital charges 400 

 Survey... ... ... .. 200 



Stationery, postages, etc. ... ... 50 



L'hetty's commission on cash... ... 100 



1,350 



2,350 

 3,200 

 l,.'iOO 

 2,000 

 500 



Superintendence and allowances . 

 Conductor for 6 months 



3.000 

 . 250 



1,000 



750 



3,250 

 l;i^,800 



2xD Year from 1st July to 30th June. 



Nurseries and supplying ... ... K350 



AA'eediug at Kl ... ... 2,400 



Roads: upkeep .and culverts ... .. 40O 



Drains upkeep ... ... ... 200 



Pruning and singling ... ... .. jyO 



Staking at R'l •-■ •■• ... SOO 



Buildhigs : bungalow and furniture ... 3,oou 



Contingencies ... ... ... 600 



Suporiutcndence and allowances ... ... ;{^000 



1; 10,750 



3iiD Yeak from 1st July to 30th .June. 

 Nurseries and supplying 

 Weeding at Rl 

 Roads : upkeep and widening out 3 miles 



into c;irt road width 10 feet 

 Drains iq)keep 

 Priming and tuckering 

 Staking, retyiug, etc... 

 Building: temporally curing-house with stores 



and fan ... ... ... -.• 500 



Permanent set of lines ... ... 700 



Gatliering, curing and dispatch of 200 cwt. at R() 

 Contingencies, including watchers 

 Supcriutendeucp, and allowances 



R150 

 2,400 



800 

 200 

 300 

 100 



1,200 



1,200 



800 



3,000 



R10,250 



» .Jackson's is professedly an improvement on 

 Sirocco. The main principle is the same.— Ed. 



the 



