importing certain enemies of the plant with the seed. Latterly 

 the cultivation has expanded more rapidly, seed being obtained 

 from the plants first put in ; there are now from 80 to 90 acres 

 with plants of various ages. 



" After demonstrating that the plant would grow in St. Ann, it 

 was necessary to experiment in manufacturing the tea from the 

 leaf to judge whether its quality would justify a heavy expenditure 

 on machinery for curing it. This test having been passed, 

 machinery was procured and tea prepared for market, the first 

 occasion being at the Thickets Show, in August, 1903. Since that 

 time additional and improved machinery has been set up, and 

 with the experience gained by practice in the manufacture, a good 

 class of tea is being turned out. 



" Tea is essentially a factory crop; it requires a large initial 

 outlay for buildings and machinery ; and there must be a consider- 

 able expenditure for keeping the ground clean while the plants are 

 growing, about five years. In Jamaica this item constitutes a 

 serious handicap on the planter, as compared with India, where 

 the rate of wages is very much lower. For these reasons, tea cultiva- 

 tion requires a much longer period of waiting, before it can be 

 remunerative, than some other cultivations, such as the banana ; 

 but on the other hand, it is not subject to any great risk from 

 hurricanes, and it is a crop with many advantages for the settler 

 who lives within reach of a factory. He can grow the plant in 

 his provision ground without stopping his other cultivation, and 

 when the plants are large enough he will have at the factory at 

 all times a market for his leaf." 



The Gleaner Newspaper published an interview with Sir D. 

 Morris, Commissioner for the Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 in the course of which reference was made to Mr. Cox's tea planta- 

 tion, as follows : — 



" Amongst the newer industries, I am glad to find that the Hon. 

 H. E. Cox has extended his tea cultivation at Ramble, St. Ann, to 

 90 acres. This area is beautifully kept and the trees are in 

 excellent health. The quality of the tea has greatly improved 

 since my last visit to Jamaica, and when the new machinery which 

 Mr. Cox has imported is in full working order, the tea of the 

 coming season should all be of first-class quality. The tea is 

 entirely made by machinery, and does not come in contact with 

 the hands of the working people during the process of manufacture. 

 This is the only tea cultivation in the West Indies and the 

 prospects for the industry are very favourable." 



