June i, 1889.] 
TH^ TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
843 
the soil ; and in heavy soils, without thorough and 
deep draining the advantage of manuring are nulli- 
fied. Then all these operations so necessarily to a 
soil continually growing the same crop, must be 
regularly and systematically carried out, not in patch- 
work style. No experimenting is required to prove 
their necessity. Results must be waited for : it will 
take time to undo the effects of previous ill-treatment. 
An outlay of capital is of course necessary, but the 
increased returns, and the resultant vigour of the tree, 
enabling it to withstand attack, will more than repay 
this outlay. (Signed) C. Drieberg. 
LOSS IN TEA IN WEIGHT IN LONDON 
WAREHOUSES. 
Planters' Association of Oeylon, Kandy, 2nd March 
1889. 
The Honorary Secretary, Association of Chambers 
of Commerce of the United Kingdom, London. 
Sib, — I have the honor to invite your attention to 
the annexed copy of an important resolution unani- 
mously passed at a recent general meeting of the 
Planters' Association of Ceylon on the subject of the 
loss in weight of tea at the London docks and 
warehouses and to request that you will lay it before 
your Association of Chambers of Commerce with a 
view to whatever action may be deemed desirable. — 
I am, &c, (Signed) A. PHILIP, Secretary. 
Resolution referred to : 
" That this Association views with alarm the 
serious losses sustained by Oeylon planters through 
bulking, weighing, or sampling of teas at the London 
docks or warehouses. That the Chamber of Com- 
merce, and especially the London Committee of the 
Ceylon Association, be nsked to co-operate with this 
Association with the object of gaining the fullest 
information as to the practices in vogue, for bulking, 
weighing, and sampling teas in London, and, if possi- 
ble, checking auy undue waste." 
Association of Chambers of Commerce of the United 
Kingdom, 1, Great College Street, Westminster, S. W., 
13th April 1889. 
Sir,— Your letter was duly communicated to the 
London and India Docks Joint Committee, and I now 
beg to enclose the raport of their tea superintendent 
thereon. — I am, yours, truly, 
(Signed) James Hole. 
The Secretary, Planters' Association, Kandy, Ceylon. 
The Managers. — With reference to the allegation 
contained in the resolution of the Oeylon Planters' 
Association, that losses in tea occur in the operation 
of bulking, weighing, and sampling in the London 
bonded warehouses, I have to state that no losses 
arise through balking or sampling. Both these oper- 
ations take place after weighing which is carried out 
by the Customs and dock officers immediately on 
receipt of the goods, and the weights then taken are 
those on which the sale is made. 
The loss complained of is no doubt that which 
cannot but occur in weighing and taring to the pound 
according to the London general practice, together 
with the trade allowance to the buyer of 1 lb per 
package weighing over 28 lb. gross. The attached 
statement shews in detail that the average net outturn 
will be 2 per cent in chests and 4 per cent in half- 
chests less than the country weight. 
A few years ago some of the principal importers of 
Indian tea in the ea n of parcels not requiring bulking, 
obtained permission I rom the Customs to ascertain the 
net weight of tea without taring, by weighing the 
contents of 10 per cent of the packages of each break 
ns an average so as to lessen the loss of the fractions 
which occurs as shewn in the statement ttached- 
This plan reduces the loss from an average of lib 
to J lb per pickage, but the buyers of ten regard the 
system with m*lavour, and it is not likely to continue. 
(Siguod) A. Oiiamp, 9th April 1889. 
Ceylon Tea. 
Chests 
Actual 
weight. 
Recorded weight. 
Gross 
Tare 
Net 
Gross 
Tare. Net 
cwt 
qr lb oz 
lb oz 
lb oz 
cwt qr lb 
lb lb 
1 
0 8 10 
24 9 
96 1 
10 8 
25 95 
1 
0 8 6 
25 14 
94 8 
10 8 
26 94 
1 
0 7 5 
25 3 
94 2 
10 7 
26 93 
1 
0 9 12 
24 6 
97 6 
10 9 
25 96 
382 1 
378 
Draft 1 lb per chest 4 
374 
LOSS 2 PER CENT. 
Half Chests 
Actual weight 
Recorded 
weight 
Tare 
Net 
Tare. Net 
cwt qr lb oz 
lb oz 
lb oz 
cwt qr lb 
lb lb 
0 2 16 8 
17 7 
55 1 
0 2 16 
18 54 
0 2 15 4 
17 12 
53 8 
0 2 15 
18 53 
0 2 15 10 
17 4 
54 6 
0 2 15 
18 53 
0 2 15 7 
17 6 
54 1 
0 2 15 
18 53 
217 0 
213 
Draft 1 lb per half-chest 4 
209 
LOSS 4 PER CENT. 
In the case of Teas netted without taring the 
average loss would be 1§ and 3 per cent for chests and 
half-cnests respectively. (Signed) A. Champ. 
3rd April 1889. 
" MOMI " WOOD TEA BOXES. 
In sending us replies to the " practical enquiries" 
about tea, — in a note which will appear further on — 
Mr. C. S. Armstrong adds the following : — 
" With regard to Japan boxes, I have used no 
other since their first introduction by Mr. Deane. All 
of " momi," if I except an invoice or two. I have 
never had a complaint. I consider a " momi " wood 
package the best we have in Ceylon at this date. 
Tares run even, chest is strong and neat-looking." 
+ 
HIGH-CLASS CEYLON CINCHONA BARK : 
BEATING THE RECORD. 
The other day we were enabled to record the 
splendid analysis received for Cannavarella bark, a 
parcel of as much as 15,000 lb. being tested by 
sample up to 5 -87 per cent, of sulphate of quinine. 
This high rate is beaten by a return with which we 
have been favoured today. It runs as follows: — 
Analysis of Alnwick bark : s c. 
74 bales say 18,000 lb. renewed Crown chips, 6'73 p. c. 
44 bales say 10,900 lb. renewed Crown shavings 7'40 p. c. 
The analyst in this case is the well-known Dr. 
Paul of London. The bark has not yet been sold. 
We suppose these analyses have never before been 
equalled in Ceylon — at any rate for large quantities 
of bark ? To Udapusselawa district and Alnwick 
estate will therefore belong the honor, so far, of 
producing the richest cinchona bark yet seen in 
Ceylon. 
BULKING TEA. 
(From a Planting Correspondent.) 
I note that Mr. Street says— to turn over the 
tea with spades on the floor is not sufficient to 
entitle the tea to be called bulked. I fancy, how- 
ever, that is the usual method in Ceylon. Throw- 
ing the tea into a high bin and taking the same 
out again for packing through a narrow door in 
the bottom goes a long way to mix up all together. 
If in addition to this the tea be turned over twice 
with the spades the same way as ooffee used to 
be turned over and the bulking be not accepted 
