JuLV I, iS86.]. THE TROPICAL AGklCULTURlS'I^. 



BH rtin ijB 



cunistances as regards climate, soil, jat of tea, 

 &c., in Ceylon, ought to turn out their tea at 

 not more tlian 24 cents per lb. This is enough 

 to warn our Indian and even China competitors 

 of what they have to expect. " No more plant- 

 ing" — ought to be the cry in both Northern and 

 Southern India — " until we are better able to 

 judge what the 150,000 to 250,000 acres of lea in 

 Ceylon are really going to do." But, whoever yet 

 took warning after this fashion ? Nevertheless, 

 we may, with the Maskeliya Keport before us, well 

 believe that in the coming tea struggle, Ceylon 

 will hold her own, and that if we are to see 

 the " survival of the fittest," the position of our 

 little island ought to be well in front. 



TEA PREPAHATION IN CEYLON. 



UEsujyr OF unquiky by sub-committej<; of juskeliya 



planters' association. 



answers to questions by some 10 i'kactical 



PL.\NTEHS. 

 I'APER BY ME. BAEDEK. 



QCESTIONS ON TEA CULTIVATION. 



Wc have seen the questions on tea manufacture seat 

 out by the Maskeliya Planters' Association, and we 

 would ask any of our readers who receive them to 

 reply to them, as we feel that the answers of the 100 

 tea manufacturers to whom the questions have been 

 sent, carefully collated, will be an extremely im- 

 portant addition to our information on tea, and 

 will probably be a means of still further improv- 

 ing manufacture and raising the repute of Ceylon 

 produce in the Loudon Market. As the report will 

 be published, each of those who reply will benefit 

 by the information obtained from the replies of the 

 others. So we hope no one will refuse to assist as 

 far as he is able. Every effort has been made by 

 the Committee to save those applied to trouble, even 

 to supplying stamped directed wrappers for the re- 

 turn of the pa.pev. It is by such means as this that 

 District Associ.itious really do good, and the Maskeliya 

 Association hae. always been well to the front. These 

 questions are >: contmuation of the work commenced 

 by the Dimimli Association, and we hope the Dikoya 

 Association will not be behind in this kmd of work. 



The questions are as follows: — 



PLXJCKT^l.. 



1. — De.^ning fme plucking — weaving the bud loaf 

 and i of the nt^xt leaf and plucking including the tip 

 25 leaves — a".d coarse plucking — leaving 1 proper leaf, 

 h the second and -]■ of the next, i.r., plucking iuchiding 

 the tip 2-] and a half leaf — which do you consider most 

 trying to the tea tree ? 



2. — If by the latter method 500 lb. tea per aoe was 

 obtained, about how much per acre do you think- could 

 be obtained by the former — other circumstances being- 

 equal — aud w'lat would be probable difference per lb» 

 in value of the tea made ? 



3.^ — Off old and young bushes should bangy be- 

 low pruning level be plucked, should the tlowcr lie 

 pulled off ■.' 



4. — How do you pluck first four rounds after prun- 

 ing'.' — and do you pluck high class and inferior jat 

 the same way ? 



5. — Do you me cutty sacks or baskets for pluckera? 



WiTHEKlNG. 



fi.— Do yon sift green leaf ?— What kind of sifter 

 do you use '! 



7.— Do you take oft' water from wet leaf before put- 

 ting it out' to V ither '.'—and if so, how ? 



S. — Do you advise hard withering or if anything 

 slightly under vithering ? 



9. — Is natural withering better than sun or artificial 

 withering ? — nud of the latter which do you prefer '? 



10. — Is a draught of air and much light good for 

 W -'Ug? 



11. — What kind of withering tats are best ? — For 1 lb 

 leaf bow much roow is required ? 



KOLLING. 



12.— What roller do you recommend for a small 

 garden ? — How nuiny lb. withered leaf will it do per 

 hour and how nuich at a fill'? — what horsepower is re- 

 quired to drive it and what is cost? 



13.— (Same question for large gardens.) 



14. — Do you recommend hard or light rolling ?— 

 and your reasons ■" 



15. — If hand-rolling what is task per cooly'? — and 

 do you prefer plain or grooved table ? 



1''. — Do you sift rolled leaf'? — when and through 

 what sieve '? 



17.— Do you roll twice ?— if so how long :' — aud hard 

 or lightly '.' 



Fek.mentation. 



18. — What is best temperature for fermenting :' — 

 how do you ferment aud how long ? Do you encourage 

 or by turning stop heating during fermentation? 



l.t.— Does roll ferment or oxidize ? — how do you 

 accoimt for change of color '.' 



20.— Cun you advise any plan to assist fermentation 

 or mention anything that should be avoided? 



21. — How can flavor or strength be increased ? 



FllUNCi. 



'I'l.—Vliiiliis — Wood supply being near what is task 

 of charcoal per diem from dry wood ? — from green 

 \vood ? 



23. — To 1 lb. tea how much charcoal is used ? 



24.— What kind of chula do you use, and have you 

 a grating? — do you replenish charcoal from sin oveii ? 



■25. — To each tray how much roll is put and how long 

 taken to fire off ? 



20. — Do you fire tea quite crisp or take olf a little 

 sooner ? 



27. — What effect has leaving tea in tray all night 

 over embers ? 



28. — Before packing do you finaly fire ? — and how ? 

 and do you bulk after or Ijefore this ? — If by machine, 

 at what temperature ? 



29. — FiriiKj 3/udiines — Which one do you prefer? — 

 can you suggest any improvement ? 



30. — At what temperature do you fire ? — Hovf" nmcli 

 roll to a tray and how much tea per hour ? — how long 

 do you take firing each tray?— what does fuel cost 

 per lb. tea ? 



Sifting. 



31. — What sieves do you use ? — How do you sift 

 or what machine is best ? — What grades of teas do 

 you make ? 



Cost of Worktni;. 

 32. — Where are tea requisites of best quality obtained 

 cheapest ? 



33. — What machinery, what number of coolies are 

 required for an estate of 200 acres gi\ing 100 Jb. tea 

 per acre ? 



34. — Wliat should be cost per lb. made ten, on this 

 estate thus distributed : — 

 Superintendence 

 I'luckmg 



Manufacture — withering, firing, sifting 

 Packing (final for " boxes lead " ) 

 Transport to Colombo 



Cultivation, weeding, pruning, manufacturing, 

 field, A'c. :' ' 



3,1. — ^\ hat would be approximate cost of erecting 

 factory and machinery for the above estate ? 



Cni.TlVATION. 



3ti. — Would you use water-wheel, turbine or en- 

 gine? — what is cost of fuel per lb. made tea for the 

 last ■' 



37.— Fo)' witliPring-shcd should you put iron or w^ood 

 roof ? 



3S.— What effects have you seen from manuring, 

 digging, burying prunings, and would you do it before 

 or after pruning ? 



39. — What month do you prune ? — or how do you 

 prune ? — and do you treat high-class and inferior jat 

 the same? — do you prune whole estate at once or half 

 at one time and the rest months later? 

 General. 



40. — Do you know any invention not generally used? 

 that if used would save labor, such as utilizing coft'ee 

 uiachiuery for tea gifting, breaking, &c.,— and can you 



