230 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



as it works automatically. Now the greatest difficulty in the whole 

 matter will be best explained to the reader in Messrs. Howard's own 

 language in their letter to me. They say : 



"The obstacle to the use of steam-ploughs through rows of bushes 

 or trees is the practical difficulty of bringing the slack or following rope 

 into position for following the implement back on its return journey. 

 The rope cannot be lifted over the intervening row of bushes, and to 

 employ draught animals to take the rope up the next alley between the 

 bushes would add to the expense of the work, and would impede it.' 1 

 They continue: "If it is important that the land be broken up to a 

 depth of 9 inches, and the obstacles to effecting this by animal power 

 are practically insuperable, the steam plough worked on the single 

 system, with animals to convey the slack from end to end of the land, 

 would probably be the most effectual and economical method of 

 working." 



Now if this difficulty could be overcome (and I confess it is a 

 rather formidable one), I quite believe that on fairly straight land, even if 

 somewhat sloping, with straight rows of bushes, and the land clear of 

 stumps, steam cultivation would be easy. On hill gardens, or gardens 

 where the Tea is irregularly planted, on ground much traversed by 

 nullahs or having stumps left in, the steam cultivator could not work. 

 There may be some method of lifting the rope over the bushes. Coolies 

 might be stationed at intervals along the row, and with the aid of a 

 very light block and tackle might hoist long bights of the rope high 

 enough to clear the bushes. The block and tackle would be fastened 

 to the top of a light pole. One man would hold the pole while the 

 other hove up, and (the pole being midway between the two rows) 

 might incline it over till above the next row and then lower away. A 

 strong i oft. bamboo, a pair of light wooden blocks, and an inch and a 

 half Manilla rope, would be all that would be requisite. Other projects 

 for effecting this may strike some of your readers, and what I want is, 

 that those who may think the idea of steam-ploughing of any value 

 should co-operate together to work it out in a practical form : I will 

 give every assistance in my power. 



We can scarcely hope, in the present depressed state of the Tea 

 market, that proprietors will club together to subscribe to bring out a 

 set of steam cultivating apparatus in order to institute experiments on 

 the subject. Should 1883 bring better times, something of the sort 

 might be done, and it is as well to have the matter well thought out and 



