734 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[April i, 1885. 



ous profit from this article, sometimes as much as a 

 hundredfold: but at the present time (we find) that not 

 only arc foreign merchants unable to make any profit, but 

 the Chinese teamen and growers also are unable to derive 

 any advantage. Looking at the matter from a commercial 

 point of view, we cannot say that the trade suits the 

 times, and, in fact, it is a matter void of harmonious ar- 

 rangement. If no change be made (we are afraid) the 

 trade in this article, as it goes on, will not be much es- 

 teemed, and in future will not be worth mention. 

 It appears that on its arrival in Englaud iu 



It is a well-known fact that if a comparison were made 

 of the (different) prices (of Foochow teas) with those of 

 the other provinces from 1870 up to the present time, 

 a period of not more than ten years, it would be found 

 that such prices (owing to the iuferiority of the tea leaves) 

 were actually lessened every year. You may argue that 

 times in foreign countries have lately been different (lit. 

 recently changed), and finest tea is now sold with diffic- 

 ulty ; hut as a matter of fact, the finest teas produced 

 in Hunan and Hupeh provinces were largely consumed, 

 so that you cannot say it is not much in demand. 



You must bear in mind that the price of Hunan and 

 Hupeh tea has been somewhat better in recent years, un- 

 like that of Fuhkien, which has been much lessened in 

 past years. You may again argue that India has, owing 

 to its yearly increase iu the growth of teas, taken the 

 place of China. 



It having been ascertained that India had, iu the year 

 1S70, produced but 13,477,000 catties, and at the end of 

 May 1884, yielded 60,469,000 catties; therefore, you can 

 plainly see that, during the period of a little more than 

 ten years, India made a steady increase in the growth of 

 this article. The cause of this iucrease is proper manage- 

 ment on the part of the growers, who, in fact, have made 

 some radical changes as to the growth of the article. Now, 

 comparing the tea produced yearly in Fuhkieu with that 

 of India, you will find that the former gives only a 

 small proportion ; that is to say, not exceeding one-tenth of 

 a ten-thousandth part. 



We have to impress this upon your mind, that Russian 

 merchants used formerly to procure much of the fiuest tea 

 from Bohea, whereas they have since changed the- system 

 and are obtaining same from the two Hu provinces, Hunan 

 and Hupeh. They are merely procuring Brick tea in 

 Fuhkien now ; so, you can see that Fuhkien tea cannot com- 

 pete with that of the two provinces named until some change 

 is made. Should there be men among you who know enough 

 of the evil arising from the deterioration of the tea trade, 

 they must devise 6ome measures and arrange that the tall 

 trees may be pruned down and reduced to low stature, as 

 also to cut away annually 5 to 10 per cent, of the old trees, 

 and replace them with new ones; also to manure the trees 

 well ; and in picking the tea leaves a distinction must be 

 made between the old and young. If such care were be- 

 stowed upon the cultivation and manuring of the trees, we 

 have no doubt that the finest tea could be produced. 

 Anyone when going round the plantations can see 

 that the hill is afresh with thrifty branches. If 

 once developed, the leaves would be Healthy and the 

 roots strong. Were good labour and manure bestowed 

 upon the trees the colour and taste of the leaves would 

 be perfect, and the plantation wsuld successfully 

 flourish. When such is done, we have no doubt the 

 tea trade will be iu the ascendant. If no measure be 

 taken, so as to make some change in the trade, we 

 are afraid that all the finest tea will become coarser, and 

 its price lower; and in such case, it will not only be 

 difficult for the merchants to make any profit, but the 

 tea growers will also find difficulty in amassing wealth. 

 Consequently we take the trouble to lay the above de- j 

 tailed circumstances before those concerned in the trade | 



for their consideration, with a request that they will use 

 their best endeavour to comply with the spirit of the 

 times (lit. the proper management of the trade). Having 

 a kuowledgs of the evil arising from the present state of 

 things, they must plainly see that if proper measures be 

 takeu, the price for the best tea will be daily increased 

 and the wish of the merchants concerned will be fully 

 attained. 



Compliance with the above request is the ardent hope 

 of the Foreign Tea Merchants. 



The following is the mode suggested for planting tea and 

 picking the leaves. 



The plan adopted by the tea growers in the Kwang- 

 tung province is to plentifully manure the trees with bean 

 cake every year. On a plantation with an area of one 

 mow a dollar's worth of labour and manure was spent, 

 and before using manure, the old earth was carried away 

 and replaced by new earth. The tree, of course, produced 

 sturdy branches and leaves, the colour and taste of which 

 will be perfect; in which case, they will be considered 

 just as good as those of India, aud on their arrival in 

 London they will fetch higher prices, and the merchants 

 and growers will be much benefited. Consequently it is to 

 be hoped that the many growers will adopt this mode (of 

 cultivation.) 



As to the mode of picking. It is requested that the 

 picking of the leaves will be promply made according 

 to the time, aud that the growers will by no means 

 allow the time to pass without picking them. At the 

 present moment, tea leaves in the Fuhkien province are 

 usually picked after a lapse of three or four days be- 

 yond the proper time. This practice has an injurious 

 effect, as the leaves caunot stand the temperature, hence 

 the finest leaves become coarser, and those who wish 

 their tea trees to produce the finest leaves will do well 

 to pick them according to the proper time. This a 

 matter of vital importance. At the time of pick- 

 ing, it is proper for you to divide the leaves into first, 

 second, and middling qualities; when this is done, they 

 should be placed in separate Imskets so that the same 

 should not be mixed up. We are informed that this was 

 the practice in former times, and now why cannot they 

 be stored in separate places ? The leaves must be sieved 

 several times, after which they should be divided into 

 first, secoud and middling qualities. 



Sieving will not injure the fine quality leaves; therefore 

 wo hope that the growers will at the time of picking 

 store the same in different places. 



Dated the auspicious day of the Winter moon in the 

 10th year of the reign of Kwang Su. (January, 1885.) 



The soy bean manure is that generally employed 

 in. China. Several years ago we'used a small quant- 

 ity to manure a field near Ahbotsford bungalow. 

 Trenches were dug between the rows, nilu 

 twigs were placed in the trenches, the manure 

 scattered over them, and then the earth was drawn 

 iu. The superintendent states that the portion thus 

 manured shows the good effects to this day. 



PLANTING IN JAMAICA. 



PREJUDICE AGAINST CURING OF COFFEE AT SEA LEVEL IN 

 JAMAICA — THE OLD RATTLETRAP POLPER STILL USED — 

 THE NEGRO CHARACTER — TOOLS NOT SUPPLIED BY ESTATES 



THE CREOLES AS LABORERS — LOW STATE OF MORALITY — 



THE CLIMATE OF JAMAICA — BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEE — 

 "TUBS" AND "TIERCES" — WOOD FOB COFFEE CASKS — 

 CINCHONA: METHOD OF GROWING. 



Blue Mountain District, January 1885. 



Dear Sir, — To continue my letter No. 2, about 

 Coff e Planting in Jamaica, among?t other peculiar- 

 ities tins planter is dead against having his coffee cured 

 at the sea-levtl, as in Ceylon. He believes it would 

 take away from its color aud damage its weight, 

 he avers the mountain air gives Blue Mountain coffee 

 its present fame in the Liverpool Maiket, and will 

 not credit the fact that some of the high mountain 



