Sept, x, i886,j 



"THE TROPIGAl, AGRICULTURIST, 



16$ 



mouufacturetl more than ou anything else, the fore- 

 noon's leat accordiug to the weather and leaf space 

 should be spread very thinly, and if possible not 

 touched again until removed to be rolled, the turned 

 abouo ami trampling the leaf while green bruises 

 the leaf, and causes redness, spread what evening's 

 leaf you can thin and the balance thick, short of 

 beating, but I think that medium system bad, the 

 thickly spread leaf would, of course, require to be 

 spread thinly next morning after the rolling com- 

 mences, or as soon as there is space for it. It is 

 impossible to over-wither leaf short of redness, and 

 you will kindly all remember that next cold weather 

 a quantity of those "hakes" for salonies will be 

 required, as many as you have space for, in fact 

 you can hardly have too many, and see they are 

 ready before they are required for next season, things 

 viust be ready for manufacturing in good time, let 

 anything else be behind rather than firing and wither- 

 ing arrangements. Seven days I do not think a bit 

 too soon for plucking, as the season draws to a 

 close it may be. 



Live Stock. — A little more care might, with ad- 

 vantage, be bestowed on the bullocks by feeding 

 them at some place where you can see they are 

 getting what they are supposed to get, and by applying 

 regularly medicines to any sores they may have 

 from time to time. 



MiDU'.re. — A great deal might be done to collect a 

 quantity of this by throwmg in old thatch, jungle, 

 &c., &c., to the cowhouse, this should be done im- 

 mediately where practicable, as too much time has 

 already been lost this season and there will always 

 be use for it in tbo cold weather for applying to 

 sickly plants, &c. More attention must be paid to 

 this in the future, as we all know, what good maimre 

 does to the tea-plant. 



Xtirseries. — Land for this purpose should be selected 

 without delay, as I want the jungle ou the land 

 cut in Si'ptember next, and the sted put in all 

 nurseries before the end of the year if at all practic- 

 able. A good nursery should be put in yearly 

 whether necessary or not ; it will always prove use- 

 ful. 



Rice Bags, — Hitherto these have not been looked 

 after as they should have been ; no bag of rico should 

 be given from the godown before tirst obtaining a 

 bag, those who have not a bag must buy one ; the 

 bags when euipty should be dispatched to the rice 

 supplier to be so filled, with the least possible delay, 

 carefully sewn up in bags or bouadles of 30 to 50 

 each, i.e., in sucli number as will make a convenient 

 parcel. 



Packing and iVeighing of Tea. — See the tea weighed 

 your.-ielf personally and immediately enter in a scroll 

 book for the purpose the weights ; see the boxes 

 are properly soldered before the tea is put in and 

 the tops of i\:<: boxes before the lids are nailed on; 

 there is room for improvement in this too much 

 confidence in the mohories often. 



Sorting of T,\i. — At no stage allow the tea to be 

 rubbed through the salonies ; if the tea be damp 

 put it over the dhools if necessary, or put it in 

 the sun till dry ; when the tea will not go through 

 the salonies freely collect in the hands and give 

 a sharp sqno^-zo and let go at once, repeating this 

 a.s often as necessary until all is passed through ; 

 when any class of tea is uneven you will find putting 

 it twice through the last sieve equahse it consider- 

 ably vjaste in the picking and sorting which might 

 be avoided by having sufficient cloth and more care- 

 in the spreading, those who have not enough of 

 cloth had bettt-r get enough at once, it is no loss 

 a few rupees spent for this purpose, it can be the 

 means of saving if properly used. 



Recruiters. — I have not yet made up my mind 

 about them quite, but will not send them away 

 before the end of September or beginning of October, 

 and think that other arrangements than those hither- 

 to in force must be made in the way of their 

 remuneration, which may result in our not getting 

 the men to go we would like, but doubtless we will 



bave pleuty to pick ivom, the more time-expired 



men who go the better, I think, is we are certain 

 of the new and by no, means certain of the old, 

 I think a plan somewhat like the following would 

 suit : their expenses, of course, and R3 per head 

 commission for every working cooly they bring and 

 rtturn within 6 months, it not back within six months 

 no pay at all ; it is ridiculous their staying away 

 nine months and a year, &c. 



Fermentation. — Where there are rolling machines 

 the rolled leaf should he put over the dhools im- 

 mediately the rolled leaf comes out of the machine, 

 and I think by the time the tea is made the fer- 

 mentation will be found sufficient. When rolling is 

 done by the hand the balls should ho the colour 

 of a new copper coin before being broken up and put 

 on the dhools. 



Eire Account.-~See that this account is properly 

 kept you are responsible for this as much as for the 

 cash i ou get, any loss should be pointed out to me on 

 my visits to the garden, when I will give the necessary 

 orders about it. 



Implements: — Great carelessness with regard to these 

 is displayed. I doubt if at any one garden there is 

 a proper account of these kept. I must now ask you 

 to send me an implement account monthly with your 

 accounts deducting any lost or useless monthly. I 

 feel sure that lots of these are stolen and lost and no 

 notice taken of them ; coolies or others losing imple- 

 ments must pay for them. 



Casualties among Coolies, — These should be notified 

 at once as they occur, this will save no end of bother 

 in making up the cooly returns, &c. 



Suggestions. — You would all greatly oblige by carrying 

 out mine when given and I would suggest a note book 

 for that and other purposes ; once I tell you a thing 

 I dismi.'-s the subject from my mind, but am often 

 disappointed* in fiuding things left undone which 

 ought to have been done. I do not think for a 

 moment that anything of the kind is done intentionally, 

 but simply from forgetfulness and you would all relieve 

 my somewhat heavy burden if yvu vould Just do 

 what you are told to do; you can hardly expect me 

 to remind you of every little thing all of you, 

 although 1 daresay you think that I am pretty 

 ready with my whi2)s !!!! Never mind, shoulder to 

 shoulder is the way to get on with our work and 

 you will all admit that the " whips " are often required 

 long before the question is put. 



In conclusion, — Be careful of your health ; the most 

 of you when wet might change a little sooner and 

 when not feeling very well take medicine to prevent 

 illness — prevention is better than cure. AVishiug you 

 all well, nothing would please me better than to see 

 you all prosperous and with all the " whips " believe 

 that you have a friend in the undersigned, — The 

 Old Boss. — Indian Planters' Gazette. 



THE TEA ENTEEPEIZE IN NATAL 

 is thus noticed in the London letter of the Indian 

 Planters' Gazette : — 



This week I am in a position to add to my remarks 

 of last week upon Natal tea, the following inform- 

 ation obtained at the Natal Court of the Colonial 

 and Indian Exhibition, through the courtesy of the 

 gentlemen in charge of the exhibits of that Court, 

 Mr. jMorton Green, who took great pains in supplying 

 me with the necessary details. It appears tnat tea- 

 planting has made greater progress in Natal than 

 might be supposed from my last letter, though it is 

 still in a very tentative coiulition with the exception 

 of Mr. Hulett's venture. Koughly speaking, tea-seed 

 was fir.st obtained some ten years or so ago, by a 

 Mr. J. Brickhill, an old resident, much interested in 

 trying various experiments. This seed he planted in 

 his gardeu and for years confined himself to the 

 cultivation on merely a garden scale, making sufficient 

 produce to supply his own domestic requirements. 

 Having the reputation of being a theorist, his little 

 experiment attracted but little attention at the line. 

 Gradually, however, as his guests became assured that 

 the tea he drank and lifltered them was really of 

 bis own growing, tbfi i<le(\ dawned upon one or two 



