^Edible Products. 



66 



basis. The bushes have been collar pruned and heavy pruned until there is 

 no opportunity for further work in this direction. Manure has been applied, 

 but the result has not been profitable. Under these conditions what is to be 

 done '? Until recently the only answer has been to abandon the tea altogether. 

 Objectionable as this may be, in some cases it is perhaps still the only policy, 

 but experiments have been initiated in another direction during the last three 

 or four years which will perhaps result in bringing back tea to a profitable 

 condition which would otherwise fall out altogether. 



Essentially the process is this. The bush is heavy pruned again, cutting 

 wherever reasonably good wood can be obtained, the block is manured with 

 say fifteen maunds of oil cake per acre or an equivalent amom.t of cattle manure, 

 and then the whole is left absolutely unplucked either throughout the whole 

 season or until August, September or even October, receiving its full share of 

 cultivation, however, the whole time. 



Under these circumstances bushes often produce thicker wood than they 

 have done for many years, which can form a basis for future growth. Whether 

 the rejuvenation of the bushes will be permanent is a matter of time to decide. 

 The whole question is still in the experimental stage, but there seems a likeli- 

 hood that by this means tea, which would otherwise have to be abandoned, may 

 be again made useful and profitable. 



CONCLUSION. 



We have now dealt with the signs of deterioration, its causes, and the 

 methods which seem best adapted for bringing back to a profitable condition 

 much of the tea in India which has now declined from its former value. While 

 much of the deterioration which has taken place in the past has been natural 

 and ^the result of age, very much more has been the result of unwise treat- 

 ment of either the soil or the plants. In conclusion it must be urged very 

 strongly that in the matter of dealing with tea, prevention of deterioration is 

 very much better than any cure. A little money spent in draining, in manuring, 

 in cultivation, in more careful pruning or a little less feverish anxiety to take 

 the last farthing out of the bushes in the way of yield (more especially in 

 the earlier part of the season), will often prevent a crisis such as has frequently 

 occurred in the] history of so many tea concerns, To this aspect of the question 

 I would most earnestly draw the attention of those gardens now in a flourish- 

 ing condition, while the methods I have here suggested may well be applied 

 by those in;? the less happy position of holding in their properties already 

 deteriorated tea.— Agricultural Journal of India, April 12th. 



THE CEYLON IMPORT DUTY ON TEA. 



OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE. 



Kandy, May 16. 



Sir,— I hereto annex copy of correspondence with Government regarding the 

 Ceylon Import Duty on Tea, and would ask you to kindly give it a place in 

 the columns of your Journal for the information of those interested. 



EDGAR TURNER, 



Secretary, Planters' Association of Ceylon. 



