672 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[March 2, i88s_ 



THE YIELD OF TEA FROM AND AVERAGE 



PRICE OBTAINED BY TEA ESTATES. 



(From the local "Times.") 

 The publication of the yield of certain estates has natur- 

 ally aroused a feeling of curiosity, not easily allayed, ex- 

 cept by the affirmation or denial of the superintendent 

 concerned. On the whole, however, a knowledge of what 

 different estates have actually yielded cannot but be of 

 benefit to all interested in the enterprize. The manager 

 of Aberdeen estate has been called upon a number of 

 times to inform the public of the truth or otherwise of the 

 enormous yield attributed originally to that estate during 

 the past year, but as yet without drawing any statement 

 from hiin, though we are not without hopes that he will 

 come forward shortly with full particulars of the yield of 

 the estate of which he has charge. The question of quan- 

 tity per acre is so bound up (as we have often remarked 

 before) in that of the average price obtained, that it is im- 

 possible to dissociate them. A statement, therefore, of the 

 amount obtained per acre from a given estate is practically 

 useless unless the average price obtained is also given. In 

 two notable instances these particulars have been given in 

 a perfectly straightforward manner, namely, in the cases 

 of Mariawatte and Abbotsford. The value of these statis- 

 tics is more than ever apparent when we remember the 

 widely-different conditions obtaining with each — the one 

 situated at an altitude of some 1,600 feet, the other at 

 nearly 4,000 feet higher elevation. In both cases the 

 average was good last year, Mariawatte obtaining Is 2Jd, 

 we believe, and Abbotsford Is 2d. 



TEA ESTATE YIELDS IN CEYLON. 



After deducting freight, insurance and selling charges 

 from the price realized for Aberdeen, 1,100 packages we 

 are left with a net result of 45 cents in Ceylon. I think 

 I will be close on the mark if I take 35 cents, as the 

 price at which it is put f.o.b. Colombo, but the Superin- 

 tendent can put this right if it is too low a figure. This 

 would give a profit of 10 cts. per lb. or R100 per acre on 

 a crop of 1,000 lb. per acre. Now, if a planter is satis- 

 fied with R100 per acre, would it not be better to pluck 

 finer at the rate of 330 lb. per acre and get the "Ceylon 

 average " of Is 3d ? This would give him R100 per acre 

 profit, and I need not point out whether it would be advis- 

 able to pluck 330 or 1,000 lb. if you knew you were 

 to get the same profit at the end. 



Mariawatte, another heavy yielding estate, of over 1,000 

 lb. an acre, certainly shows a different picture. I find its 

 average nett in Ceylon from Messrs. G. White's figures, 

 after deducting !) cents for the usual charges to be 05 

 cents, and I am informed on good authority that its teas 

 are placed f.o.b. Colombo at 30 cents per lb., thus giving 

 a profit of 35 cents per lb. or 11350 per acre. 



Abbotsford, from the statement made public by its pro- 

 prietor the other day, shows a yield of 50G lb. per acre, 

 and Messrs. G. White's circular shows sales for 4G7 pack- 

 ages for the year averaging Is 2d which gives 61 cents 

 nett in Ceylon, and assuming the tea costs 35 cents f.o.b. 

 Colombo, we have a profit of 26 cents per lb or R131 

 per acre. 



I write this to point out to those who merely look on 

 the surface of statements th:>t two estates giving each 

 at the rate of 1,0001b. per acre may show quitedifferent 

 results in the wayof profits. In fact, I think it is pretty 

 evident from the figures I have given above, that Maria- 

 watte gives 3 times the profit per acre that Aberdeen 

 docs, notwithstanding the similarity in yield. I would 

 also note the fact which makes the difference more as- 

 tounding that Mariawatte has only half the number of 

 plants per acre that Aberdeen has. Hum ko Malum. 



The "Tropical Agriculturist."— An Indian planter 

 writes regarding the T. A. :—" No planter should 

 be without tbe magazine : certainly I can't do with- 

 out it. Only yesterday I was puzzling over a question, 

 but, as soon as I opened the pages of the Tropical, 

 I found my answer." 



Cinchona and the Devala Moyar Company.— The ac- 

 counts of this Company show a profit on the year's work- 

 ing of £591. The cultivation expenses of coffee and cin- 

 chona amount to £2,735. The proceeds of the coffee crop 

 were £1,766, of cinchona £1,113. Dividends on investments 

 and interest were £2,476. The report states that the time 

 had not yet come when they could arrive at a decision 

 as to the real value of the Company's mining property. The 

 Directors cannot advise aa yet abandoning the mining 

 enterprize, involving, as it would, the total loss of the 

 capital expended; and they propose continuing to push 

 on the works with vigour. The cinchona trees were being 

 increased in number; the nurseries also were in a flourish- 

 ing condition. The possibility of profitably cultivating rhea 

 and other grasses is continuing to have the Directors' 

 attention; but the time has not yet arrived, in their opinion, 

 for taking positive action. The proposed agreement with 

 the Rhodes Reef Gold Mining Company has been made, 

 and the liquidation of that Company is proceeding in the 

 manner contemplated. — Madras Mail. 



Ceylon Teas in London. — A gentleman of some 

 experience in the tea trade writes to us by this 

 mail:— " I have read the Nov. and Dee. numbers of 

 the Tropical Agriculturist with much interest, and beg 

 to thank you for affording me the opportunity of 

 becoming acquainted with the valuable information 

 contained in them. The description of the new Tea 

 Factory on the KAW estate (although this estate 

 has not produced any exceptionally fine teas) would 

 appear to indicate that everything is there provided 

 which could possibly contribute to success in the manu- 

 facture of good and useful teas. A fair quantity of 

 Ceylon tea has been offered during this week, and has 

 scld readily at firm rate3, some good invoices from 

 he Rookwood, Blackstone and Ardross estates com- 

 manding very good prices. A friend of mine, a large 

 tea dealer here, gives me his opinion that the teas 

 from the following estates are mostly liked by the 

 trade :— Gallebodde, Loolcondura, Rookwood, Adam's 

 Peak and Yellangowry ; the teas from Mariawatte 

 fairly ; those from Loolcondura and Abbotsford being 

 much appreciated by the dealers." 



Closk Planting of Tea in the Lowcountry was 

 recently thus advocated in the local " Times " :— " A great 

 change seems to have come over local ideas regarding the 

 best distance to plant tea in the low-country. AVhen the 

 enterprize was in its infancy of all sorts of planting was 

 gone in for, 5x6 and sometimes even wider being quite 

 usual. Now 3is x 3i or 3 x 3i is by common consent con- 

 sidered to be the best distance to adopt, the great object 

 to be aimed at being to cover the ground as quickly as 

 possible. As it would be impossible in the low-country to 

 allow the trees to run up to any height, as is done on 

 estates at a high altitude, it is very necessary that the trees 

 should bo planted as closely as possible without injuring 

 the healthy growth of each tree, in order that the burn- 

 ing rays of the sun may be kept as much .is possible 

 from the ground. Unless this is done it stands to reason 

 that years and years of sun and rain pouring down on the 

 soil must have a prejudicial effect upon it, particularly 

 when the altitude and heavy rainfall are both taken into 

 consideration. This being now thoroughly understood, al- 

 most all clearings are being planted at one or other of 

 the two distances mentioned above, 3 ft.x3£ or3ix3J, 

 while it is a- question whether as close a distance as 3x3 

 might not be adopted with safety."— On returning from a 

 visit to Darjiling in 1S76, we advocated so close planting 

 as 3x3 for very high estates, but the unexpected luxuri- 

 ance of growth at lofty altitudes has led us to modify 

 our opinion, and we would now recommend nothing closer 

 than 3 x 4 or perhaps better 4x4. Room must be left 

 for the pluckers and the forkers. No doubt, it is very 

 desirable on low-country estates to get the ground shaded 

 as speedily and as much as possible to prevent the de- 

 structive process of combustion of the soil. But on low- 

 country estates as on high, room must be allowed for 

 cultivating and harvesting coolies. Perhaps this Indian 

 discussion as to the merits of AllAzzia stipulata may help 

 to solve the difficulty. Let the tea plants be put in 4 x 4, 

 and Albizzias put out simultaneously at the rate of about 

 100 to the acre ? 



