ee 
Plucking. 39 
to the Ist flush, when sometimes hundreds of 
maunds of leaf are left on the bushes, and the 
coolies are only doing unnecessary work. The 
reason that the leaf was left on being the average 
(sale price) which the Manager was afraid of bring- 
ing down. Many planters will say that leaving 4 
or 5 eyes, is a waste and the extra growth ought 
all to be in the tea boxes. But they will find that 
nothing is really lošt in the long run by a little ex” 
tra wood. After Heavy Pruning or cutting down, 
the bushes should be allowed to run up until the 
new shoots are nearly a foot long, when some care 
ful coolies should be sent round to tip the long 
shoots with a measure, If they are China bushes 
that have been cut down to the ground, 1 foot will 
be sufficient measuring from ground. If Hybrid, 
pruned back to 18 inches, pluck 27 inches from 
ground; or if unevenly pruned, with a 9 inch 
measure from centre of bush. Do not touch 
the sides until they have run slightly longere 
By this system one gets strong healthy wood 
to prune on. If a piece of tea has suffered 
badly from Red Spider or green fly, leave the 
