July i, 18S5.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



67 



the surface. With regard to s'nading for tbe beds 5 

 recomended ferns, 5 mana grass, 3 jangle shading, 

 dan 1 dried pulp. 



PLA>'TINCi. 



In 7 papers 4 x 4 is considered the best distance 

 apart to plant in a new clearing, 3 considered -1x3 

 best, and 3 say 5 x 3 or 4. .So in eoU'ee, recom- 

 mend 4x4. Four by four is therefore the most 

 popular distance to plant in Dimbula. Holing is con- 

 sidered by nearly all as the best means of preparing 

 to ground. Some consider forking to answer in free 

 or cultivated land. Plants, except iu one case, are 

 universally prepared to stake planting for old land. 

 In 2 cases only is germinated seed at stake preferred 

 to plants, far new clearings. There .".ppears to be no 

 doubt that the early part of the south-west monsoon 

 is the best season for planting in, and plants from 

 S to 10 inches high are most popular. Most are in 

 favour of cutting the thin end of the taproot before 

 planting, though some would not do so unless the 

 roots are long. 



In only one case are cuttings favourably reported on. 



Topping. 



The majority are iu favour of topping at from 15 

 to IS inches at IS months old, aud of plucking 8 

 inches above the topping-level, though nearly as many 

 say G inches. Six have found grub attack thei\ 

 nurseries, while 4 have not. The majority have not 

 found this pest injure the plants in the held. 



Part 2.— J.\T, &c. 



Beginning with the all-important question of jat, 

 the experienced tea planters who have been good 

 enough to give us their opinion are almost all in 

 favour of a high-class hybrid, closely approaching 

 indigenous, i.e., either one or two remove^ from in- 

 digenous, for elevations up to 3,000 and 4,000 feet. 

 The maji rity (amongst whom are Messrs. Scovell 

 and Armstrong) rtcomniend a medium hybrid, for 

 yield from 4,(JC0 to «,000 feet. 



For strength, a high-class hybiil is universally 

 considered the best. 



As to distances, at which tea should be plcnted, 

 3x3i or 4 is said to be the best for stofp lai.d, 

 while 4x3i or 4 is the best for tiit land and high 

 elevation, 4 x 3 or 4 beiog recomineuded generally 

 for low elevations, 



The m&jonty rec.^mmend 15" as the height to top, 

 gome saying " when the plant has reached 4 'to 5 

 feet high," and some, "when it is a year old.' Mr, i 

 , Armstrong says "when the gnatcst diameter is at \ 

 Is inches in red wood." He also recommends that i 

 single stem plants should be slumped to in ohea \ 

 before thi?. j 



Nearly all say the first pluckings should be done 

 with a stick 5 to G inches above the topping level, 

 provided that 2A leaves are left oa the shoot above 

 topping level. 



With re^ia'd to pruning most rfcommecil the S, W, 

 monsoon, that ie from Jui e to August, as the beat 

 geasop, thouth a few say Ojtobir and November, and 

 gome say all the year round chiefly on acconpt of 

 their labour force. JJigging young tea is generally 

 approved if, espeoiallj' wbeu the prunings can be 

 buried. By ^ome it is thought unnecessary (especiiUy 

 in free soil) until the bushes are 4 years oM. P.uik'ng 

 tbe sides of young bushes below tbe topping Uvel 

 is not approv: d of. Some reonmmenrl ploeking be- 

 low that level for tbe lust two mui.ths before prun- 

 1113. 



G. A. Taluot ; J. A. C'AJtpBELl, ; W. B. .Jackson! 

 JoHS Cl.\kk ; TiiOMA* Mackie ; J.vo. Map.tin ; G. H. D, 

 Elphi.v.stose ; W. SAhUVs Tho.mas ; Wm, Camekom ; 

 Geo. BECK. 



I Questions A. 



I. — What class of plaut do you consider most suitable for 

 Dimbula ':* aud give your reasons. 



II. — Do you prefer local-grown seed or Indian ? Give 

 reasons. 



III.— With regard to imported seed,what method of pack- 

 ing has aswered best with you ? 



IV. — Do you prefer to germinate your seed before sowing 

 it, to putting straight out ': If the former, what mode of 

 germinating do you Hud answer best ? 



y. — Give your ideas as to the best style of nursery. 



VI. — If you .shade your nurseries, what mode of coveriug 

 do you consider best ? 



PLiNTINO. 



VII. — AVhat do you consider tlie best distance for plant 

 ing tea ? 



(a) In the new clearing. (//) In the new coffee. 



VI U. — Which of the many methods now in vogue do you 

 cou.sider best for preparing the ground for- plautiug, holirrg, 

 forking, alavanga planting, ices' and give particulars. 



IX.— Do you prefer plauting at stake germinated or un- 

 germinated seed or plants ? 



X. — What .sized plant do you prefer? and what do you 

 consider the best season of the year for planting y 



XI. — Do you consider it advantageous or the reverse to 

 cut the taproot before platrtinL; out r 



XII. — Have you tried cuttings 'f and with what result ? 



TOPPINO. 

 XIII.— Do you prefer to top by cutting down, and it so at 

 what age and to what height from thegroimd ? Or do you 

 prefer to form your bush by plucking ? and it so at what 

 height '/ 



XIV.— What growth do you give to your bushes after top- 

 ping before you commence plucking ? 



XV. — Ha\ e you fouud your tea plants eaten by grub ? 

 (rt) In the nurseries, (i) In the field. 



Qiiesiioiis B. 



1. — What do you consider the best jat of tea (ff) for yield 

 and (4) for strength at the following elevations :— :3,UU0feet; 

 3,000 feet; 4,000 feet ; 6,000? 



2. — What do you consider the best distance to plant at the 

 above elevations V 



{a) In steep laud. (/)) In flat land. 



3.— At what height aud age do you consider it best 

 to top ? 



4.— Does, in yoiir opinion, delaying the topping benefit the 

 bush eventually 't 



5. — Should the first pluckings be done with a mtii.suring 

 stick? and, if so, at what height above the topping. 



0. — What season or .--easons do you cou.sider best for prun- 

 ing (at the above elevations), having regard to exposiue ? 



7. — Do you consider it advantageous to dig young tea ? 

 If .so, at what age aud seasnu 'f 



8. — Uo you consider it advisable to pluck the .sulcs of 

 young bushes i' If bo, at what period alter topping ? 



Mining OpEKAiloh'.^ in China do not seem to lavo been 

 nmch affected by an unsettled erudition of affairs in 

 that country, for we learn that during 1 he recent Franco- 

 Chinese war, the opening of th" Tamchow silver mines 

 in Kwaugtung «ent on iiaitterrup'edly. Tie iiiinrs 

 are undtr English management, < nd the remits obtained 

 are Very satisfcctnry. Altogether, theie would fueni 

 to be a bright future for tt)e last cuttome of Anglo- 

 Cliiuese enterprize. — Indian Aijriculturist, 



" The TfEW Tea No. 3 Sirocco," writes au up-country 

 correspondent, " has been much inipt'OVcd by Mr. IJentley, 

 He has shortened the height of the horizontal .Trm ab< ut 11 

 foot, thus bringing it practically nearer llu> lire, and with 

 an alteration in th<3 plates, has'vastly improved the mach- 

 ine in every respect. To prevent the spilling complained 

 of a large hopper should be constructed into which the 

 coolies can shnkc tlio trays, so that not ore pound of 

 tea is lost. With these iiiiproveineuts, to my mind, the 

 No. '6 (Sirocco is i\\nU) ecpial to any other drier.— Local 



« Ximee," 



