September 2, 1889.] THE TROPICAL 
neath the concrete of the old barbecue lay p^rhap 8 
the only sample of the original vegetable mould and 
humus, on old Hantane, all else being washed away 
years ago. A gentleman present, observed that on a 
group of estates which he had managed, the best tea 
was growing on an ancient barbecue site. Be com- 
forted G. P. I don't think Peppercorn need fear a 
stirring of the dry bones against him, should he say 
anything he knows about cotton. After each discharges 
I have noticed a certain volcano lies quiet for a year 
or two. I think those who have any information it 
give may speak out fearlessly, there is now no lion on 
the path. 
The experiment being made by my friends and me, 
has been disappointing so far ; but not discouraging, 
as circumstances have probably been against it. We 
intend to persevere. But uniess as an annual, planted 
that the pods may open in February, the Kelani Valley 
Is too wet for cotton. Even then the chances in its 
favour, and profits if successful, are not such as to 
induce men to inour the risk of failure. I have had 
verbal accounts of several experiments in the drier 
planting districts, and am promised them in writing, 
when you may again hear from me. It would be a 
great pity if the " damning with faint praise " of 
its advocate, should tend to check attempts to grow the 
bantling. I cannot help hoping, nay believing that 
there is a wide field for it in Ceylon, though perhaps 
not in the tea districts. An experiment on a large 
scale is to be made in Dumbara, by a man who will 
give it every justice. I truly hope he may succeed. 
W. McK. 
[In regard to the personal part of this letter 
we had certainly hoped that the " battle-royal " 
was closed with the last very brief letter from 
the other side, and we said as much in answer 
to complaints. We had previously intimated our 
opinion to both gentlemen that the controversy 
had already gone too far and that he would act 
the more dignified part who would not insist on 
" the last word." — We are glad to see what is said 
above of further experiments with cotton and trust 
to hear of successful results not only in Dumbara 
but in Matale and elsewhere. — Ed.] 
TEA CULTURE AND PREPARATION: 
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY " B." — No. I. 
Sra, — So varied are the conditions under which tea is 
cultivated in Ceylon, that only the most general princi- 
ples can adequately be applied, or proved. Before 
therefore, discussing the questions asked by your cor- 
respondent, it is necessary to mention a few character- 
istics more or less local and controlling the aptness of 
the answers. The estate is situated from 2,000 to 
4,400 feet above the sea level, tbe land is precipitous 
and exposed to fierce wind during the South- West 
monsoon. The rainfall is about 180 inches, well dis- 
tributed but heaviest in July and December. The 
best flushing months are February, March, April, and 
October, comparatively little leaf being got in July 
August, December and January. The tea is all in full 
bearing) and the jat medium and poor. 
Pruning. — The best time to prune is when the 
bushes are doing best, provided, if pruned then, 
thoy will not suffer from drought before they have 
had time to form, or from wind while the primary 
shoots are green. As pruning the total acreage at 
one time would incur serious labour difficulties and 
uause an abnormal rush of crop, necessitating an un- 
necessary outlay in stores and machinery, and con- 
sequent increase in cost of production, it is advis- 
able to prune only a third or thereby of the acreage 
at one time. Under ordinary circumstances tea will 
Hush fairly well for 18 mouths ; aud by pruning a 
third in July, and a third in December, a species 
of rotation would be established whereby any ad- 
vantages one season might have over another would 
be equally distributed over the whole estate. How 
to prune, like everything else in the cultivation 
of tea, depends largely on circumstances. Here where 
wind is a serious drawbaok, I have found pruning 
down to 10, and 12 inohea most successful ; the bush 
AGRICULTURIST. 183 
thus formed has certainly not the broad surface 
of one pruned at say 20 inches, but on the other hand, 
the former is far and away more compact than the 
latter, and is therefore not only better able to withstand 
wind but gives a much heavier yield per acre. The tea 
made from low pruning requires longer to attain its 
best than by the other system — small " coutchiss " 
should be cut back to within an inch of the stem, else 
they will bud more shoots than they can develop. 
Plucking.— I have tried leaving four, three and two 
full leaves on primary shoots, and find that the last 
is ample except in the case of shoots from the lower 
part of the bush when three leaves are not too many ; 
on secondary and subsequent shoots, I leave only one 
leaf ; while after the bush has become fully formed, an 
occasional plucking down to the abortive leaf is an 
advantage. If more than three Reaves are left on prime- 
ary shoots the chances are a large proportion of the 
eyes will never develop, and the bush runs up ; the 
same argument applies to secondary and subsequent 
flushes if more than one leaf is left, the result being 
the formation of unnecessary wood which might other- 
wise have gone to the factory in the form of leaf. Ow- 
ing to the "washy" nature of tea made during the 
first three or four months after pruning it is hardly 
worth while plucking other than fine during that time. 
Withering. — Only where rolliDg power is abundant 
can tea be made to the best advantage. The con- 
ditions for the best possible "wither" are the mini- 
mum amount of moisture in the leaf, and the maxi- 
mum amount of flexibility ; usually this requires the 
absorbing of 40 per cent of the original moisture. 
Generally speaking, it requires 3 horsepower to mani- 
pulate a roll of 120 lb. of properly withered leaf. 
Where rolling power is deficient it is advisable to 
under-wither proportionally. If, as occasionally hap- 
pens, the leaf becomes over-withered, I have found 
it an advantage to put only half the usual quantity 
of leaf into tbe roller, and thus materially increase 
the power available and preserve the quality of the 
tea by quickening the process of rolling, reducing 
friction and thereby temperature. 
Firing. — Teas allowed to retain from 5 to 7 per 
cent of moisture, keep better, have a better flavour 
and outturn, than if fully fired. The temperature 
should be about 240° Fahr. until oxidation has ceased, 
after which it should be reduced to about 200 ° Fahr, 
Where practicable, I should say sifting while firing 
would be an advantage. A. T. 
[It will be well if our correspondents kindly give 
the name of district and approximate altitude from which 
they write. — Ed.] 
TEA FOR LOCAL SALES AND AUSTRA- 
LIAN MARKET : GOOD ADVICE TO 
PLANTERS; 
Colombo, 20th July 1889. 
Deae Sib, — Allow me to suggest through the 
medium of your columns, to planters who sell 
their teas in the local market that they pack 
more of their teas in half-chests, aa chests are 
not suitable for the Australian trade, or at least 
only to a small extent. 
I am sure, if the teas are suitable, that Austra- 
lian buyers will pay a price which will much 
more than cover the extra expense of the smaller 
packages and one higher than the tea would realize 
in chests when only London buyers compete for 
the tea. 
The classes of tea most wanted by Australian 
buyers are leafy broken pekoes, good, well made 
pekoes and useful pekoe souohongs, the thicker 
and more sappy the liquor the better. As to 
weights I would suggest 50 lb. net as the most 
suitable and that the teas be "factory bulked." 
Brokers would do well to print this in their 
catalogues as they used to do formerly, saving 
intending buyers the trouble of going round to 
the various godowns prior to the sale, a trouble- 
some job when teas are lying out of Colombo, 
