THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [August i, 1887 
3. The forests are under the jurisdiction of Colonel 
Campbell Walker, Consertator of Forests, Southern 
Circle. I have not mentioned the subject of taking 
up a plot of ground iu these forests to him, but I 
am sure, if there is no forestry objection to be raised 
to doing so, he will willingly assist me in growing the 
ipecacuanha there. 
4. The Deputy Conservator of Forests stationed 
at Nilammir is Mr. H&dfield, who, I am quite sure, 
would also render every assistance in the matter. 
5. Dr. Bidie has not at all exaggerated the necessity 
of the case, if the reports from England of the 
scarcity of the drug are well founded, and I have 
no reason to believe that they are not. 
Read— the following letter frona Lieutenant-Colonel 
I. Campbell Walker, Conservator of Forests, Southern 
Circle, to the Secretary to Government, Revenue 
Deoartment, dated Ootacamund, 15th June 183T, 
No.' 64:— 
Referring to CO., of 30th ultimo, No. 3032, I have 
the honour to report that the only place where we 
have found the ipecacuanha thrive is Nilambur, which 
is in my opiuion due, not only to suitable condition 
of climate and soil, but to the presence of a com- 
petent resident agency which we have not got else- 
where. 
I refer to the matter in paragraph 54 of my Ad- 
ministration Report for 1885-86, and iu his report for 
1885-86, the District Forest-officer (Mr. Hadfield) states 
that " there are twenty plants doing very well. The one 
reported last year as dead has shot up again from the 
roots." 
2. Mr. Lawson has favored me with copy of his 
letter No. 102. of l4th instant, and I need scarcely 
say that there 'will not be the slightest objection to 
placing one-fourth of an acre at his disposal at 
Nilambur or a larger area if required, and giving 
the cultivation every atteution in accordance with 
his instructions. 
3. I think this will be far the best course to 
adop 1 ; in view to extending the propagation of the 
plant; when Government are prepared to supply 
plants in large numbers free or at cost price, private 
enterprise will doubtless step in and take up the 
cultivation. 
I would deprecata any attempt at planting on any 
scale by this department as being outside the legitimate 
sphere of its operations. 
I forward copy of this letter to the Board as 
directed. 
Onto— dated 24th June, 1887, No. 613, Revenue. 
The Government Botanist should arrange to plant 
tut at Nilambur all the ipecacuauha plants which 
are ready for removal. The Forest-officer stationed 
at Nilatubiic will give Mr. Lawson every assistance 
and will have charge of the cultural operations. 
2. His Excellency the G)veruor'in Council hopes 
that private enterprise will render it unnecessary 
for the Government to uudertake the cultivation of 
this valuable plant on any large scale. These papers 
will be laid upon the Editors' table ani will also be 
communicated to the Chamber of Commerce and 
the AVynand Planters' Association. The Government 
Botanist will furnish information regarding cultivation 
to any gentleman who may apply to him. 
HOW TO MAKE TEA PAY. 
(te</ one mho lias done it.) 
Manwactuuing. 
This is the most important, most onerous and most 
worrying part of a planter's work. It was with a 
full appreciation of this that the author of the clever 
parody on the "Policeman's Song" made his chorus 
run : — 
When the manufacturing season has begun 
A planter's life is not a happy one. 
Contrary to most of the divisions of operating on a 
Ma garden manufavturiug does not leave much scope 
for divergence ol working, well withered leaf is well 
withered leaf wkether Assam, China and whether 
for Lv't*, Jackson or Kiumrmd's machine; the same 
with firing, there is only one way for well fired tea, 
it is in colouring of fermentiug only that, as in 
pruning and plucking, a planter i3 a law unto him- 
self and in many cases a terror to his Directors and 
Agents. To begin however, at the beginning. 
WWiering. — For this, ample accomodation must be 
provided. It is the most important stage of manu- 
facturing. If leaf is not properly withered, really good 
tea cannot possibly be made. It is a matter of opinion 
whether to use changs or trays, the former are 
cheaper and I think equally good, but whichever you 
have have enough of them. Don't grudge expense 
in providing sufficient room for leaf. Don't boast 
that you do all your withering in one small house, as 
I have heard a planter do. Go and build another one 
twice as large and say nothing about it. You will 
get your reward when you draw your commission. 
Leaf is properly withered when it has lost all crispness 
and becomes sticky, if you take a handful up. Be 
careful not to overwither, better to be a little under- 
done. In the latter case you lose a few tips and get 
some broken tea, but you save the liquor, while in 
the former case all the strength has gone and you 
get a hard dry brassy liquor hardly better than toast 
and water, it will not inebriate certainly, but neither 
will it ckeer either the drinker or the maker. Do not 
let leaf be handled more than is absolutely necessary, 
do not let it get dirtied, and above all never let it 
heat, coolness is the one great desideratum for leaf 
while being withered, rolled and coloured.* 
Retting. — Any machine will roll soft leaf well withered. 
No machine will roll badly withered leaf, nor leaf that 
would make leather take a back seat for hardness. 
A« soon as leaf is withered it should be rolled off — 
rolling should be done as quickly as possible to prevent 
leaf heating on the table. It is best to roll twice, 
sieving out the fine leaf after first roll and then roll- 
ing the coarse leaf again, better to roll too hard than 
too light. Do not let leaf be accumulated iu great 
heaps near the rolliug table waiting to be rolled, nor 
should leaf be gathered on the changs till it is actually 
wanted. The withering men are very fond of collect- 
ing it beforehand in little heaps to put into baskets 
as soon as wanted, but this should not be allowed as 
it heats the leaf and turns it red. 
Colouring. — For this light trays, say 7' x3', are re- 
quired, a loose wet cloth should be spread on the 
tray and then the rolled leaf spread on it to about an 
inch depth and then another wet cloth be put on top, 
perfect coolness is a sine qua non. The leaf must not 
get the slightest suspicion of heating. A darkroom, 
with thatch roof, attached to the tea-house is the best 
for this purpose. There should be a good draught 
through the rooms ; the cloth should be washed daily 
and steamed onca a week, to prevent any sour smell, &c. 
Aud now as to the colouring itself. It should be 
done between the first aud second rolling. There are 
only two kiuds of tea which should be gone in for, 
the raw, under-fermented rasping light liquor, and 
the deep red, fully fermented, thick, dark liquor — these 
are the two kinds that are wanted on the market, 
the medium teas between these two kinds are not 
wanted. It is a great mistake to think that by some- 
times making one kind and sometimes auother they 
will mix well together, and that you'll get both flavour 
aud strength aud consequently a good price. If the 
tea were bought by consumers direct it might he so, 
but it is not, the people who buy ouc teas prefer to 
do their blending themselves, this should never be 
lost sight of. You are going out of your way wheu 
you attempt to blend teas. It is not your business ; 
your aim should be each to establish some special 
character foe your teis, let it be either the light rasp- 
ing liquor or the full thick fl woury liquor, so that 
the buyers of your tea can always depend upon get- 
ting oue particular kind from you. By having some 
special characteristic you obtain some standing for 
your tea, while without it there is nothing to save 
you from the ruck of comnon useful teas which are 
at such a discount in tne m irket. It is a matter for 
*So all experts told us, at one time, but recently 
withering has been clone largely by warm and even 
hob air, — Ed. 
