JyLV I, 1885.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



47 



the thriving conditions supplied to them, just as happened 

 in the Straits Settlement to the spice cultivation, in Oey- 

 lonj to the coffee, in Ireland to the potatoes, in France.to 

 the vines, &c. 



" Quite to, and thi> ' particular form the tea-pests took 

 rendered their partial extermination extremely difficult ; 

 though special meteorological conditions varying in differ- 

 ent seasons, appear to affect, sometimes favourably, some- 

 times the reverse, the propagation of the pests. Coming 

 back to the question of the chemist, I think that it is 

 quite probable that he would be able, after discovering 

 the essentials upon which depend the manufacture of good 

 tea to point out how the weather affects the manufacture ; 

 and thus we might have indicated to us the means of 

 modifying atmospheric conditions where we could almost 

 say that tea manufacture' had been reduced to an exact 

 science, and independent, so far as the manufacture of good 

 cutcha leaf goes, of all conditions of weather. Tea com- 

 panies and estates would probably be found quite ready 

 to supply the necessary funds for such a very desirable 

 purpose. Tea planters need not be alarmed at the 

 prospect. A knowledge of chemistry would not be required 

 of them. General principles would merely have to be placed 

 on a basis of scientific fact in the first place, then rules 

 for guidance, to be followed according to the varying con- 

 ditions, based upon those principles, would prove as simple 

 as present rules, only they would be based on reason in the 

 place of rule of thumb." 

 " What are your views as to a return to panning ? " 

 *' Panning was a dirty, troublesome, dangerous jupocess, 

 but it is quite possible we may have to return to a modi- 

 fied form of panning, under which, by the assistance of 

 mechanical appliances, the old disadvantages of the process 

 may be overcome. In any case, I should very much like 

 to see 50 maunds of tea manufactured under the panning 

 system alongside of 50 maunds under the present system, 

 sent home as a trial ; as upon these, reports could be obtained 

 which would do much to assist us in forming, an initial 

 opinion as to the desirability of further experiments in 

 that direction. For myself I think that many advantages 

 resulted from panning, wbich we have lost by discontinu- 

 ing the process. The leaf was made more pliant, and the 

 essentials were more fixed — by a partial evaporation of the 

 moisture — before the rolling, and thus less of these were lost 

 by excessive expression of juice in the rolling ; further, the 

 dried half was blacker and more "'lossy, and many oth*: 

 advantages might be credited to the panning process. 



"Care would have to be taken to select an old planter to try 

 the above experiment, one who remembers all the details 

 of the obsolete process, as except those planters inDehra 

 Dun, and Kangra, for example, who manufacture green 

 tea for Afghanistan, and the two or three in Assam 

 who still occasionally make " Namouna," the present 

 generation of planters, as a rule, would regard a " caroi " 

 as a curiosity well qualified for a museum of antiquities. 

 " To what, if I may ask the question, do you attribute 

 the success of the .Torehaut Tea Company ? '' 



"That is a short question, but the answer to be| com- 

 plete would be voluminous. Briefly, we have experience, 

 and a system based upon experience, and we do not change 

 our managers if they happen to have had an occasional un- 

 satisfactory season. Then we select good men as managers, 

 provide them with every requisite and of the most im- 

 proved and perfect kind procurable, and treatthem well, 

 insisting in return upon their treating the Company to 

 the best of their abilities. We have a complete system 

 of printed forms, each a rejiort on some head in itself, 

 and these keep us at head-quarters thoroughly posted in 

 all that goes on or does not go on. We have all alo!ig seen 

 the economy of putting up comfortable, substantial build- 

 ings to start with, and thus the ciinstant drain for repairs 

 to cutcha buildings has been avoided, and our people have 

 healthy dwellings and proper weather-tight accommodation 

 for the {'manufacture of tea under the most favourable 

 conditions inconsequence. Even the coolies' tints are iron- 

 roofed and have brick walls. The mortality has, therefore, 

 naturally been immensely reduced. Every attention poss- 

 ible has been paid to sanitation on all hands. AVe have 

 supplied aerated water machinery, and an ice machine 

 driven by steam, thus adding greatly to the comfort of 

 our Europeans and hastening their convalescence from 

 fever. Large iron filters have also been supplied (or the 



coolies, and onr doctors have to report periodically upon 

 the quality of the water. Our managers' bungalows are 

 well built, commodious, and healthy. There are photo- 

 graphs of some of our buildings on that wall, you will 

 allow they are very superior. If the Europeans like to 

 come home to recruit their energies during the cold wea- 

 ther after October, they are permitted to do so occasion- 

 ally, and they receive full pay and their commission on 

 the previous season, as though they had remained on duty. 

 If they come home during the manufacturing season, the 

 man who does their duty receives the commission of the 

 season, as only fair. As regards cultivation, we insist upon 

 thisbeing thoroughly well done, overdone rather than under- 

 done. Then as to pluckings; each factor has to submit a 

 ten-day return to the superintendent, and if the leaf of 

 each " flush" is not shown as all gathered within that 

 limited period, enquiries as to the reason take place, as 

 it is one of our maxims that to make good tea the * flush ' 

 must be gathered at the right moment. As [we supply 

 suflQcient labour for that purpose this condition of good 

 tea-making is rendered possible, as well as essential. 

 Finally, we carry nothing to capital account, all charges 

 for buildings and even extensions, are met ont of revenue, 

 and notwithstanding this our Kevecue Fund is a largo 

 one." 



Truly an excellent example this of the happy results of 

 a correct realization of the responsibilities of capital towards 

 labour. — Home and Colonial Mail. 



NEW PRODUCTS IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 



Barks. — A most important bark is that of the Cassia 

 'auriculata. This shrub, which grows in great quantities 

 in certain districts, is extensively used both for tanning 

 purposes and for manure, and the rates at present in 

 force vary very considerably. The Board of Revenue 

 propose that the levy of seigniorage should be discontinued, 

 that the tracts on which the plant is found in abundance 

 should be taken up as reserved lands and worked depart- 

 mentally, and that on other tracts the cutting of the plant 

 should be permitted free of charge. If this course were 

 adopted, the tracts outside the reserves would speedily 

 be exhausted. As for the wants of the ryots for agricult- 

 ural purposes, the case is to a great extent met by recent 

 orders which will allow of their cutting the shrub for 

 manure within the limits of their own villages. The best 

 policy seems to be to impose a moderate seigniorage every- 

 where, and at the same time to form departmental re- 

 serves in places where the demand is unusually great. There 

 should ordinarily be two scales of seigniorage, based on 

 charges of 1^ and 3 rupees respectively per cart-load, and 

 it will be for the Collectors of the districts concerned to 

 adopt either the one or the other according to local cir- 

 cumstances of demand and supply. In tracts bordering on 

 Mysore it will be necessary to maintain a high rate as 

 heretofore. 



Fruits, Leaves, &c. — In some districts it is proposed t* 

 levy seignorage rates on fruits, gums, roots, medicinal 

 plants and leaves for manure. The levy of the.se rates 

 should be confined to areas under special protection and 

 reserved forests. Minerals also should be charged for 

 only in reserved areas. — Orders of Madras Government 



THE CHINA TE4 TRADE. 

 (From the North-China Herald, May 29th.) 



Twenty-five years ago, dating. I believe, from this 

 very month, Hankow was opened with " great expect- 

 ations " to foreign trade. Its history has been one 

 of a few successes and many bitter disappointments, 

 and the semi-jubilee ■we are celebrating at this time 

 gives little promise of better things to come. 



The future of the tea trade of this port is as difficult of 

 divination as ever, ami on the truo Iwuk a nnn lucendo 

 principle only those who know nothing of thearticle and 

 the conduct if riverine all'iirs, who watch in calm 

 ease at Shanghai our wearying labour here, are fit 

 to sit in judgment upon us. 



"Suave mari magiio turbantibiis icquora ventis 

 E terra magnuin alterius spectare laborem," 



