MANUAL OF THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 535 



nally contained in the soil have been either extirpated by these Cll. XX IX. 

 frequent clearings or have in all pi^obability lost their vitality, ij.~' 



and but little trouble or expense will be hereafter incurred in ■ 



keeping the land clean. Some weeds, such as the goat-weed 

 [Agemtum cordifoUum), exhaust the soil more than others, but as 

 it is far better to allow none at all to grow, I shall not enter into 

 further details regarding them. Grasses and ferns are, as a rule, 

 the most troublesome to extirpate, but a good forking ujd of the 

 roots will generally be found effectual. 



There are but few gardens which cannot spare a few acres for Culture of 

 the culture of green crops for stall feeding cattle and other stock. ^'''^^'" "''°^'''' 

 The number of profitable plants from which the planter can take 

 his choice is very considerable. Maize, Guinea, Mauritius, rye, 

 and other grasses, cabbages, turnips, mangold- wurtzel, swedes, 

 prickly comfrey, buckwheat, santung cabbage, lucerne, potatoes, 

 cum multis alils, offer a wide field for choice. 



It was originally my intention to enter into some detail with 

 regard to the various ills, insect and vegetable, to which the tea 

 plant is heir. I have however arrived at the conclusion that it will 

 be enough to point out the one unfailing panacea for all these 

 evils, and that is, good systematic cultivation. Do not overpick 

 your plants when young or overprune them ; do not let them 

 become choked by weeds, or fail to feed them when they need it. 

 There need be but little apprehension of disease if these principles 

 are carried out : healthy plants are rarely attacked. 



So far as the cultivation of the tea plant is concerned my task 

 is now done. A few paragraphs on the manufacture and on one 

 or two points of interest connected with tea planting in general 

 will bring this paper to a close. 



In the third year the planter will begin to gather a small On maim- 

 crop from his garden, and, although this cannot be expected ^^'^*'^^'^- 

 to pay his working expenses, it will be found to go some 

 considerable way towards doing so, and fully justify, at the end 

 of the second year, the erection of a tea-house. 



For an estate of 50 acres or less a building 50 feet long and 

 18 to 20 feet wide, the walls 1| feet thick and 9 feet high inside, 

 of burnt brick, should give ample accommodation. The roof 

 should be of corrugated or continuous iron. If a good pitch is 

 given to the roof, a loft laid on the tie-beams will materially 

 increase the accommodation. 



The furnaces and trays for drying black tea should be laid 

 along one end wall, their mouths facing outwards, and I most 

 strongly recommend that all the black and fancy teas should be 

 dried over iron pla.tes and not by the direct action of charcoal, 

 as so universally practised in our leading tea districts. Charcoal 



