88 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [August rj 1888. 
Total solids and oil ... ... 11-00 
Water ... ... ... 89 00 
lOO'OO 
Solids free from oil ... . . 2-06 
Buffalo milk, coconut milk, the liquid from the 
drinking coconut, and water, if added to cow's 
milk, will thus reduce its specific gravity and the 
solids not fat. Buffalo milk will maintain and, 
as a rule, considerably increase the amount of fat. 
Coconut milk will increase the fat still more. If 
added of the same degree of consistency as the 
sample analysed, coconut milk would add non- 
fatty solids in about normal proportion ; but the 
great increase in the fat or oil would lead to its 
detection. Under the microscope the average size 
of the fat globules of buffaloe milk is somewhat 
larger than that of cows milk ; while the average 
size of the fat globules of coconut milk is much 
larger than either of the others. M. COCHRAN. 
[The results as to dilution do not surprise us, 
as the milkman when asked to bring pure milk 
told us candidly he would have to double his 
charge ! — Ed.] 
THE TEA MARKET AND PRICES. 
Kotmale, 28th June. 
Deae Sie, — Were there not some certainty that 
a reaction would shortly set in, the depressed state 
of the tea market would be serious and alarming, 
and make one wonder what the result would be 
were exchange to go up to Is 8d not to mention 
a higher figure. How much of all the tea planted 
at the present time could we afford to cultivate 
under such circumstances ? This is now the third 
year that prices have fallen to what may be called 
an unprofitable figure, and each year the fall has 
been greater than that preceding it. One might 
well ask what are the causes or reasons for this 
annual fall in the price of our staple ? Is there 
no means of checking this fall to some extent ? 
One of the principal causes is obviously the 
anticipated heavy arrivals from China. Another 
is the larger shipments from Ceylon in April, May, 
and June compared with the shipments of other 
months of the year. One more is deterioration in 
quality of tea made in the months, February to June. 
To obviate the first, we should make our finest 
teas only to meet and compete with the new tea 
from China till we compel the China tea dealers 
to curtail their shipments to such proportions as 
will not materially influence the market. To meet 
the second and third causes, we should endeavour to 
regulate our pruning in order that our largest 
shipments should arrive when high prices are 
ruling, and make our greatest quantities of tea to 
catch the best market. 
Our aim hitherto has been to prune with a 
view to having the bulk of our tea area in the 
finest possible flushing condition for the months of 
March, April, and May with the result that in most 
eases two-thirds of the crop has been made from 
young watery leaf — from newly pruned tea — in 
January and February, and later on from, want 
oc rain, tough, sapless leaf deficient in strength 
and flavor. 
Last November heavy pluckings in many instances 
equal to the best obtained in May were harvested 
from early pruned bushes and where pruning was 
allowed to lie over, and the tea from such pluckings 
arrived to a market, averaging 3d to 4d above the 
rates ruling when April and May, teas were sold. 
It would appear therefore that our object should 
be to make November and December our best 
months instead of April and May, and have a great 
poruon of our acreage pruned at a time when only 
poor loaf is grown and the market at its lowest. 
A. F. S. 
[But unfortunately, or fortunately, on account 
of labour, financial and even climate causes, many 
proprietors find it necessary to distribute their 
pruning, so as to do a portion nearly every month 
of the year and so keep on the plucking from 
one field after another. To have all pruned at 
once and no work then for some time for the labour 
force, would scarcely do ? — Ed ] 
MR. J. HOLLOWArs VIEWS ON THIS CAUSES 
OF POOR TEA IN THE DRY SEASON : 
INACTIVITY OF SURFACE ROOTS. 
4th July 1888. 
Dear Sir, — Mr. Thos. North Christie's letter of 
the 28th ultimo, Mr. Rutherford's letter, and your 
remarks in issue of yesterday, I have carefully 
read and seeing so much doubt expressed as regards 
the low price of our teas in London in May and 
June — Mr. Christie blaming brokers for doing what 
they are bound to do, report fair on the tea we 
send them — let Mr. Christie and others look nearer 
home for the cause, not in the factory, not in 
plucking, not in the bush, you may now well say 
what the deuce is it ? 
Well, I will tell you, the Bimple reason why our tea 
sells so low in London in May and June— (to do 
this we must go into the formation of the tea 
bush under ground, so simple and most planters 
must know it, but knowing, why do they not 
assist the tree at the proper. time instead of being 
down on brokers at Colombo and in London ?) — lies 
in the inactivity of our surface feeding roots during 
the dry weather. The heart of the tea bush as we 
now cultivate, lies in the stem a foot below and 
a foot above ground, we then have the taproot 
and other deep roots which give the most sap; this, 
however, is very poor ; we next come to the branch 
and surface roots: those give the richer sap. they both 
are then worked up together and send out to the 
branch leaves ; then we have the leaves doing 
their share by taking nourishment from the 
atmosphere and ammonia from the soil through 
the cells of under part of the leaf. Having taken 
into consideration the formation of the tree or bush, 
we will now come to account for the poor quality of 
the tea we make in February, March, and April, 
which reaches London in May or June. 
It is simply this : — 
During the dry months of January, February, and 
March the heat penetrates the soil (in different soils 
different depths) and makes the surface feeders 
inactive, the deeper the heat gets the more roots get 
inactive so to say roots are put to sleep. The earth 
at top is baked and gives out no ammonia, the 
atmosphere here is also clear and dry, so leaves also 
suffer, droop and cannot sustain themselves much 
less help the flushing ; night dew and slight showers 
will enable leaves to look healthy only. 
The tea tree and flushing as the dry Beason 
advances, get more and more dependent on the tap 
and lower roots which must bear all the strain in 
supporting the tree and give flushing, but the sap 
then given is very poor, unless the soil is rich at a 
great depth ; hence tea is weak in the cup. 
After the rain sets in the earth gets softened ; 
surface roots awaken from their dormant state and 
contribute their sap ; the atmosphere is again moist, 
there is more or less electricity, and the earth gives 
up some ammonia, so the leaves again look fresh, new 
healthy flushes come out, and good tea is made. 
The planter has it in his power to assist our trees 
during their most trying time to enable them to 
keep their vigour and give good flushes with full 
strength. We are now in the wet sason ; should I 
not see anyone else giving the way to get our bushes 
to give strong tea during the dry season, I will take 
up the matter later on.— Yours truly, 
J. HOLLQWAY. 
