262 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



those from China ; and, as I said before, to machinery, far more than 

 to anything else, will that end be due. 



There is therefore no question of more importance to the Indian 

 planter to-day than Tea machinery. It is a difficult question too, 

 because so many machines, for each of the different necessary pro- 

 cesses, are vieing in competition for public favour. " Which is the best 

 machine to buy ? " is the question one hears asked daily. I propose, 

 with your leave, to write a series of articles on Tea machinery, 

 pointing out, as far as in me lies, the advantages and defects of those 

 which commend themselves most to me, for I wish to give planters, 

 through your paper, the advantage of my experience ; and as my 

 expressing an opinion in no way precludes others from doing the 

 same, and I know your columns are open to all, I would invite 

 discussion on rival merits, and thus certainly benefit the Tea industry. 



I will to-day describe what, I think, is the best Tea sifting and 

 fanning machine extant. It is true it is the last machine used in 

 manufacture, but that does not signify ; I will take all the others 

 in turn. 



The said machine is the invention of an able man and engineer, 

 Mr. C. W. Ansell, well known in the Darjeeling district for his 

 knowledge of Tea machinery. He has been for many years employed 

 as an engineer in Tea factories. I heard of his machine when I was 

 lately in England, and went down to Ipswich to the manufactory of 

 Messrs. Ransomes, Sims, and Head to see it. Though difficult to 

 judge of it, as there was no Tea wherewith to test it, I was so pleased 

 with the principle that I ordered one. The cost was 80. It has 

 now been working on one of my gardens some thirteen months, and 

 in every way it has proved a great success. But to describe it, as far 

 as I can, in a few words : 



Its length is 19 feet, its breadth 5 feet. The Tea, in bulk, is 

 delivered through a hopper from an upper floor, on what I will call 

 the A end of the machine, to distinguish it from the other end, which 

 I will name B. The principle of all other sifters (except Jackson's), as 

 far as I know, is, that the succeeding trays of differing wire mesh are 

 arranged one below the other, the slope all being the same way, that 

 is from A to B. This plan is objectionable in the following way : if 

 the Tea has been well rolled and clings together, a good deal of the 

 fine Teas that are in the mass or bulk often passes some distance 

 down, perhaps over half the tray or wire-mesh length, before falling 



