jf'uLY I, 1886,] 



THE TROPICAL AGHlCULTURiST. 



ably be obsolete"" in a few months as improve- 

 ments and new inventions are announced, among 

 which may be mentioned Kerr's new roller and Fra- 

 ter's. In none of the papers is the Challenge referred 

 to, but we have heard it well spoken of. The price of all 

 rolling machines is still exorbitant, but we hope com- 

 petition will before long lead to considerable re- 

 duction. 



14. Hard rolling and plenty of it, is generally 

 recommended for giving strength and body to the 

 tea, but not for appearance, which, however, is 

 not so much considered at home at present. Hard- 

 rolled tea will show little tip : for a hard roll a 

 hard wither is necessary, and for a hard ^^^ther 

 a hard roll is necessary. As the object of rolling is 

 to break the sap cells of the leaf, the length and 

 hardness of the roll depends to a certain extent 

 upon the weather and the quality of the leaf. 

 It is advisable not to put great pressure on at the 

 commencement of the roll as it prevents an even 

 twist, but weight should be added later on. For 

 fancy teas light or hand rolling is preferable. 



1-5. Task for handroUing is 35 to 40 lb. green 

 leaf ; a plain table is generally recommended. 



10. Koll is generally sifted during fermentation 

 through a No. 4 ; some prefer to sift immediately 

 rolling is completed : some about one hour alter ; some 

 at the end of the fermentation. 



17. A second rolling of about 10 minutes or more, 

 and a hard one is generally recommended ; the 

 time when this rolling is done varies as the above- 

 mentioned sifting is always done first. Second roll- 

 ing is said to improve the twist. 



18. Fermentation is generally done by spreading 

 the roll about 3 inches deep on a table, turning it 

 every .J hour, temperature 75 to 90. 1^ to 4i hours 

 seems to be the minimum and maximum time 

 for leaving the ferment. In some cases baskets 

 arc used, and the roll is kept in a cool place. 

 Turning the roll prevents it heating and gives an 

 even ferment. The process is supposed by some 

 to be oxidization : only a few replied to this question. 

 In answer to No. 18, Mr. Taylor says: — "I do not 

 think that temperature at least within range of 

 climate here, has very much to do with it, though 

 I think it has a little. My time is usually two- 

 and-a-half hours, and three hours for first roll of 

 the day, I spread loosely to ferment in flat trays 

 about two or three inches deep for two hours, 

 turning it at the end of one hour ; at the end of 

 two hours I put it into a deep basket, still loosely, 

 to ferment the rest of the time. It gets a little 

 warm during the process, but my turning of it is 

 to let air get more evenly at it and to break small 



umps." 



20. It is considered advisable to avoid great 

 heat during fermentation as it dries the roll, also 

 cold draughts which blacken it. Eoll should not 

 be pressed down : free access to the atmosphere 

 should be allowed and all balls very carefully 

 broken up. Fermentation of fine leaf is quicker than 

 that of coarse. A hard even wither followed by 

 hard and long rolling of good leaf give a good 

 fermentation. A damp cloth spread over the roll 

 in dry weather is said to hasten the fermentation. 



21. A few say that light rolling improves flavor 

 at the expense of strength. Strength is obtained 

 by line plucking, hard withering and rolling. It 

 is mentioned that tea from a new clearing gives 

 stronger liquor than that from bushes on old land. 

 Slreugf -^nd flavour depend much on soil, thejat 

 and th^. tmuude, and brisk firing and as little 

 exposure to the air as possible is recommended. 

 Mr. Taylor deprecates long fermentation as he 

 considers it a sign of deficient rolling, and states 

 tbat for tea fermented for only one hour, he has 



obtained a 2s average, but he considers his present 

 ferment better. 



22-8. Average task for charcoal is 80 lb. or by 

 contract 75 lb. From colfee stumps 60 lb. 

 per cooly has been obtained. To one pound of tea, 

 one to three lb. charcoal is used, according as rolls 

 can be fired consecutively or not. 



24. Chulas 2 ft. 5 in. wide at top, 13 in. at 

 bottom, 2 ft. 6 in. or 3 ft. high are usual. Eeplenish- 

 ing from oven optional : without gratings preferred. 

 Brick is better material than stone for building 

 them. 



25. To each tray 3 to 4 lb. of roll is put which is 

 fired in from 35 to 45 minutes ; the former preferable. 

 Koll is generally fired quite crisp, some take it a 

 little sooner, some take it off wJien | dry, empty 

 contents of three trays into one, fire over milder fires 

 or leave over the embers at night. Unless care- 

 fully watched coolies are inclined to leave too 

 much to the dying embers to perform. Properly 

 carried out this systeju tends however to ensure the 

 drying being perfect and is said to develop aroma. 

 The trays should be covered to keep out rats or 

 anything falling on the tea. If roll is taken off 

 before it is quite crisp, thorough final firing is 

 required if not put over the embers as aforesaid. 



28. Final firing by Sirocco or Victoria is 

 done at 150 to 200" putting 5 to 6 lb. per tray. 

 Final firing over chulas is done over slow fires, 

 takfng |- to i hour to each tray, 5 to (5 lb. per 

 tray ; firing before bulking is perhajis preferable to 

 bulking before firing, as the latter is apt to falsify 

 the bulking; but in the majority of instances the 

 former system is adopted. A piece of cloth spread 

 over the tray and under the tea is a safeguard against 

 burning when chulas are used. 



29. The Sirocco is certainly the firing machine 

 generally preferred. Jackson's Venetian and Victoria 

 are well spoken of. No. 3 Sirocco fires at 240 to 

 280" F., 11 to 14 lb. roll, 20 to 25 min. per tray, 

 55 to fi5 lb. tea per hour. By using coffee stumps 

 carried when knocking off work, cost of fuel has 

 been reduced to less than 1-Oth cent per lb. tea 

 made. Jackson's Victoria at 280° F. has fired 240 

 lb. tea per hour, and cost of fuel for rolling, firing 

 and sorting was about ^ cent per lb. tea. No. 1 

 Sirocco at temperature 300° F. 4^- lb. per tray, has 

 fired 35 lb. tea per hour, 18 min. per tray, cost 

 of fuel l-5th cent per lb. tea. Since this information 

 was received great improvements have been made 

 to the Sirocco. 



31. Sifting by hand Nos. 14 or 12, 10 and 

 8 are used for 3 grades ; 12 and 7 for 2 grades 

 are recommended ; dust being taken out through 

 No. 30. Gore's Sifter with patent mesh for taking 

 out flat leaf. No. 8 and 12 sieves have sifted over 

 200 lb. bulk per hour. Bailey & Thomson's Sifters 

 and Jackson's Eureka are well spoken of. 



33. Machinery required for 200-acre garden yield- 

 ing 400 lb. tea per acre.— The following machinery 

 advised : — 



Jackson's Excelsior with hand Jackson in case 

 of accidents ; or 



Barber's Big Boiler with a Venetian Drier and 

 improved T Sirocco ; or 



Two Improved T Siroccos, price each £95 f.o.b. 

 Liverpool ; or 



A Victoria and No. 1 Sirocco, a Tea Sifter, a 

 a Jonas' or Jackson's Cutter. 



It is recommended to use the old pulper-sifter 

 for a roll- sifter and attach green leaf sifter for 

 the water-wheel. 



300 coolies will be required for an estate as above 

 described. 



31. Cost of manufacture per lb. made tea in- 

 cluding superintendcuce 5c ; plucking 12c ; manu- 



