June i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
861 
TEA CULTURE AND PREPARATION. 
FEW PRACTICAL INQUIRIES BY A PRACTICAL MAN. 
1. Is not Mr. Armstrong responsible for the state- 
ment that the quality of the tea is best when the bushes 
flash most freely ? 
2. Have you any information to indicate that the 
application of manure improves the flavour or strength 
of the tea ? 
3. A good deal is now being said about fine pluck- 
ing and high prices, but surely the men whose success 
we should emulate are those who combine quantity 
with quality ? 
(Ansioers to the above.) 
[Four answers, including " Peppercorn " 's, have 
already appeared— see pages 817, 824 and 840.] 
No. "V. 
Agrapatana, May 5th, 1889. 
1. I do not think quality so good in a heavy flush 
as in a moderate one. 
2. Cattle manure has nearly doubled the yield in 
one field, i.e. the manured field is giving nearly double 
an unmanured field adjoining. I notice no difference in 
quality. 
3. Where estates have little or no tea of their own 
and insist on their neighbours who sell them leaf, 
plucking fine, it pays undoubtedly. Personally I 
would rather get 400 lb. per acre and sell at lOd 
than 250 lb. and sell at Is Id. I do not believe in 
fine plucking. R. W. W. 
' VI. 
Hatale. May 5th, 1889. 
1. Where has Mr. Armstrong made this statement ? 
Your querist should give chapter and verse. I do 
not think that, as a rule, such good tea can be made 
from a free-growing sappy flush as from one of Ions 
vigorous growth. Apart from this, it is seldom 
possible to do full justice to the leaf during a rush. 
2. The effect of manure on quality of tea is pro- 
bably still a matter for experiment and investigation, 
though from the influence that various soils have on 
the quality of tea, it would appear probable that 
manure would have some effect. Manuring no doubt 
iucreases the quantity, but I much doubt its paying 
at present prices. 
3. Where are the men who can combine quantity 
with quality under all circumstances. I tear that 
the two are not compatible except in a few cases 
when good jat, soil, and climate combined give a 
specially fine character to the leaf, and by good 
management a high class tea is made from appa- 
rently ordinary leaf. Under all circumstances as 
quality is aimed at, cost of production is increased 
and quantity diminishes, and the skill and experi- 
ence of the manager must be directed to determin- 
ing what is the most profitable system of working 
under his particular circumstances. T. C. O. 
VII. 
May 5th, 1889. 
1. I am not aware that Mr. Armstrong made this 
statement. I am of opinion that better tea is made 
when the bushes are not flushing freely. 
2. Not having done any manuring I can give yon 
no information under this head. 
3. I believe in medium plucking, which should give 
quantity with quality. A Dimbula Planter. 
VIII. 
May 5th, 1889. 
1. My experience (limited) is the same as "Arm- 
strong": in fact I agree with him in most things. 
2. As to quality of tea after manuring, I am not 
in a position to give any information owing to hav- 
ing done only a few acres, but there is no question 
as to quantity. 
3. " Rather vague": a planter will not get quantity 
and quality if all circumstances are taken into con- 
sideration ; at same time I believe should hue pluck- 
ing bo systematically carried out quality will be 
improved and quantity will not be much reduced. 
I could give instances (.many) where fine plucking has 
been laughed at, but the laugh is on the other side at 
the end of the year. At present when our tea3 are 
at such low prices, for P. and P.S., all should endeavour 
to get the prices up by fine plucking ; by doing so 
your B. P. is not only better, but P. and P. S. and 
even your dust increases in price. 
Maskeliya Planter. 
IX. 
Hoolankande, Madulkele, 5th May 1889. 
l.In reply to your inquiries, I most decidedly agree 
with your correspondent, that the quality of the tea 
is best when the bushes are not flushing freely. I 
find my own tea produces best quality during the 
coldest period of the North-Bast monsoon : — December, 
January, and February (the two former invariably) are 
my best quality months. 
2. My experience in manuring tea is very limited ; I 
have treated a few acres to farmyard compost, cow- 
shed, and stable manure mixed with line sweepings 
and old thatch, forked in, one basket between 4 trees ; 
some backward tea so treated 2 J years aijo still flushes 
about 2 days in advance of the surrounding tea. Actual 
results I have not been able to asoertain, either as 
regards increase of yield or development of quality. 
It would be natural to suppose that manuring would 
show some result in quality favourable or otherwise, 
though probably only a very temporary result. 
3. 1 imagine your correspondent when speaking ( f men 
who are successful in combining quantity and quality, 
means moderate quantity and moderate quality. If 
there are men who attain a maximum yield and a 
maximum value, these results do not appear to the 
public ; but if it can be done I have no doubt the 
Ceylon planter will do it. I am at issue with your 
correspondent on this particular point of plucking, and 
think it would be well for each proprietor to study his 
own circumstances: — given a low elevation, rich soil, 
and even rainfall, let him consider well whether 
quantity alone would not pay him best. Given a me- 
dium elevation, the case becomes more complex, the 
jat, soil, climate must be considered and besides this 
any peculiarity of flavour which it may be worth while 
to stretch a point to still further develope : a medium 
plucking will probably be the best for the medium eleva- 
tion. At the highest elevations the jat principally will 
decide the case ; if good all round it will probably pay to 
pluck fine ; if a mixed or poor jat the cost of fine pluck- 
ing would be prohibitive. There are 4 qualities in tea, — 
strength, flavour, appearance and '■ keeping ;" and per- 
haps the greatest of these is the "keeping." The 
first three may be gained by fine plucking ; when- 
ever the flavour is naturally present, and manufacture 
properly attended to; but alas, no system of plucking will 
cause Ceylon tea to keep, and it is useless and unprofit- 
able to make fine teas which lose half their flavour on 
the voyage and the rest within another 3 months. The 
London dealer requires a tea of a certain character, viz. 
a tea that will keep for a year or even two years, and 
surely it will be profitable to estate proprietors to con- 
sider the requirements of the dealer to a greater extent. 
It has been the fashion of late to abuse the brokers, 
but all things considered, it is probable the broker 
knows best what is wanted ; and concealed in those 
apparently dry and formal circulars, there is every now 
and again a hint well worth paying attention to, and 
moreover, worth having enforced in the factory. 
E. G. R. 
X. 
(From Matale.) 
I cousider in answer to the first query, that tea is 
best when the bushes flush most freely, if the flush is 
taken in time, but the general experience is the flush 
runs away ahead of the pluckers, and the quality of 
course under these circumstances will be poor, com- 
pared with tea plucked, when one is up with his flush, 
say in the months when the bushes don't flush so freely. 
Another cause of bad results in manufacture in the 
freely flushing months, is the invariable want of with- 
ering space to get a good wither. Then you get your 
leaf placed into the roller, over-withered, withered, and 
under-withered, making it impoesible to make a first 
class tea. I oonsider tne reason such u large concern as 
