THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Tulv I, 1889. 
from leaf plucked medium coarse. This class of tea, 
good enough as a self tea for retail at Is 9d per lb., is 
what we should ship to oust China teas. M. 
XLI. 
Bogawantalawa, May 14th, 1889. 
1. I think the best tea is made from bushes that 
have run 6 to 12 months from pruning; after the twelfth 
month the teas — in dry weather— get poorer, but with 
showery weather the good character remains, until the 
18th month on good jat, and 15th month on poorer jat. 
After these periods the teas are decidedly inferior in 
flavour, although possessing fair strength. 
2. Bulky manure improved the appearance and 
flush of the small piece to which it was applied ; I 
noticed no difference iu character of teas from the 
manure. 
3. Medium plucking, i.e. tip with 2 leaves attached 
and half the next leaf, if suitable, gives the best 
results ; but if the half leaf is hard it should certainly 
be thrown away. On banjy shoots the top leaf only, 
and half the next leaf if not hard. Careful plucking, 
with an absence of hard leaf, gives better results than 
fine plucking. W. P. M. 
XLII. 
Matale, 5th May 1889. 
I am not an authority on tea, and therefore my 
Opinion is not of much value : 
1. I doubt if Mr. Armstrong ever made such a state- 
ment, "that the quality of the tea is best when the 
bushes flush most freely," and I can hardly imagine 
that the bushes can give a better quality of leaf during 
their heaviest flushes. 
2. I know of none, beyond the opinion that a 
tree kept in a healthy condition is better able to 
produce a healthy foliage than a tree is likely to 
produce, growing in exhausted or worn-out soil. 
Take the bushes round an old cattle-shed ■ even the 
same jat of tea looks better than it does on the un- 
manured or worn-out portions of the estate. 
3. Medium plucking is, in my opinion, what will 
pay best in the end. Fine plucking, before the flush is 
ready to pluck, will, it is said, " ruin bushes without 
a doubt ;" and to quote from the same writer, " the 
teas are not so full of good flavour, though they 
have the flavour of fineness, the proportions are finer, 
but the quantity is greatly lessened ;" and I believe 
he is right too when he goes into say "the greater 
average value of the tea per lb. does not make up 
for the loss in quantity, neither for the injury done to 
the plant especially if carried on from year to year." 
What is medium plucking ? Opinions vary so on 
this point, that, young tea planter that I am, I give 
my opinion, that two leaves and the bud, only, leaving 
one fully developed leaf on the young shoot, may be 
considered medium plucking. Old Coffee Hand. 
XLIII. 
16th May 1889. 
1. I agree with this view. 
2. I am of opinion that the quality deteriorates 
in proportion to the extra quantity obtained by 
manuring (artificial). 
3. With the present low range of prices, fine, i.e. 
expensive, plucking does not give such good returns 
as medium plucking. G. A. T. 
XLIV. 
Sembawatte Estate, Nawalapitiya, 17th May 1889. 
1. Mr. 0. H. Armstrong may be responsible for 
this statement or not. If he is", he is perfectly cor- 
rect : as a rule, bushes flush more freely before and for 
some days after full moon, ilnring which period a 
better quality of tea is manufactured. 
2. Application of manure does not, in my opinion, 
improve flavor; it may add a little to strength, and of 
conrse gives an increased yield. 
No fine plucking in those rlavH, or rather pluck- 
ing on the Cameron system (24 leaves and round in 
8 dayh) will procure us the prices ruling from '82 to 
'86. Quantity and quality combined equal a medium, 
and this I consider the best mode to tide over this 
dopremjion. J). F. 
XLV. 
Mahatenne, Elkaduwa. 
V. I do not know what Mr. Armstrong may have 
said on the subject of the best tea from the heaviest 
flushes. 
2. I believe that a suitable manure can improve 
the yield per acre and the strength of the tea in 
the cup, but flavour is a matter of soil and elevation. 
I do not think that artificial manures alone of a 
stimulating character give any permanent strength 
to the plant, although the yield may be increased 
for the time beiug. A stimulating chemical msDure 
without bulk of some Bort to back it up, when the 
soil is poor, is not advisable, except perhaps in very 
small quantities as a tonic to the plant. 
3. A medium style of manufacture, as regards leaf, 
is, I believe, the most suitable in the end for both 
the producer and the market. W. H. A. 
XLVI. 
Central Province. 
1. I think the best tea is made in fine weather 
when there is not a big flush on. In showery or 
wet weather, when the bushes flush freely, the leaf is 
wet both outside and in, and poorer tea is the result. 
I consider the best tea is made three or four months 
previous to pruning, and that is not a time when the 
flush comes too freely. 
2. I cannot speak from personal experience as 
to improved quality of manured tea, but if Indian 
teas are improved by the application of manure, why 
not our teas ? Colonel Money, who is, or at any rate 
who was, acknowledged as au authority in these matters, 
says that manuring doubled his yield, and improved 
the quality. Mr. F. Carter of Ohandpore tea estate 
in Chittagong goes further and gives figures, which 
I have no doubt are trustworthy. Writing of the 
application of bones aud castor cake he says, that 
when the ground is adequately manured the value 
of the tea is enhanced 2 pies per lb." 
3. Medium plucking by all means. I have never 
been in the position of being able to pluck fine ; it is 
no doubt a delightful sensation, but few there be that 
find and experience it, but even as good policy I 
doubt very much if it would pay. Pluck regularly, pluck 
carefully and wither with plenty of light and air, aud 
a good tea will be the result. T. 
XLVlT 
Dolosbage. 
1. I am not aware that Mr. Armstrong made 
the statement, that the quantity of the tea is best 
when the bushes flush freely. My experience is that 
the best tea is made from a strong flush (if taken 
in tune) when the leaf is full of sap, but not till 
about six months after pruning. I think September, 
October and November the best months, and January 
aud February the worst, for making good tea. 
2. I cannot say whether tea if manured Mould 
give extra strength and flavour, but I expect it would 
improve in strength. 
3. In answer to this question I agree with every 
word your correspondent from Dikoya " W. F. L." 
has written. The price of pekoe souchoLg has only 
gone down lid per lb. while broken pekoe has gone 
down 6d during the same period. J. A. 
XLVIII. 
Upper Maskeliya. 
1. I think so ; and I agree, if the first few flushes 
after pruning are not taken into account. 
2. I have done no manuring, but on an adjoining 
estate tea has been manured, and the property in 
question is head and shoulders n iove the majority 
of Ceylon estates in the price th>; tea fetches. I am 
unable to say what proportion of the estate has beeu 
manured. 
3. Certainly when the man is found ; as yet I 
have n't heard of the combination having been realized. 
The nearest approach I have any knowledge of is 
200 lb. an acre, and about Is 4d per lb., which should 
show a fair margin of profit, but still this cannot be 
called quantity and quality ; it is none the less, 
however, a state into which many of us would be pleased 
to be called. M. 
