864 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [JtfNE i, 1889. 
many factors at work that it is hard to say what is 
best. I am very fond of a good wither, but even this 
gives weak tea with the first rains after February's 
dry weather. I think districts which flush the most 
evenly all the year round as a rule make the most 
even teas, all things considered. 
2. I have not had sufficient experience in manuring, 
to answer this question, to my own satisfaction. 
3. Upon plucfciog I am convinced as follows : — Fine 
plucking, pure and simple, if generally adopted would 
be providing pabulum for the China tea market ; it 
would be simply an incentive to induce our London 
friends to mix as much China tea with it as it would 
stand. We cannot, to please these gentlemen, give 
them too much fine tea : "Give ! give ! give !" is their 
cry. The only way to shut out China is to pluck in 
our ordinary way; then their cheap teas have the 
smallest possible chance of competition, and there is a 
chance of our pekoes and souchongs again coming into 
demand. Increase our fine teas and we only make a 
channel to let in China. Also, inasmuch as we have 
to go over our estate plucking twice a month at least, 
the extra cost of what we pluck a little coarser is 
nothing compared to what we pay for trailing over 
the estate. So if we can oppose China so cheaply, I do 
not think the opportunity should be lost. Another 
view is, provided we acquiesced with the demand for 
fine teas, has anyone any idea to what limit it would 
extend ? Our only ultimate chance is to crush in our- 
selves now and crush out others, and the strongest will 
survive. W. F. L. 
XXIII. 
1. February to July is generally accepted as the 
best flushing time for tea bushes ; if one may judge 
by ruling market rates for tea, the quality ia cer- 
tainly not so good then, as later on in the year. 
Pruning is also one of our principal factors for pro- 
ducing heavy flushes, and it is a well-established fact, 
that weak liquor and poor teas are the result for some 
months atterwards. 
2. I should certainly expect an " all rouDd " im- 
provement^ tea that had been " manured and highly 
cultivated." Iam not, however, in a position to offer 
a decided opinion as to whether the application of 
manure gives extra flavour and strength to tea and 
I doubt if Ceylon planters have yet given the matter 
a reliable test, or that anyone will be found bold 
enough to say yea or nay to this query. 
3. My experience of fine plucking and high prices 
are not so satisfactory, as quantity combined with 
a certain amount of quality. I mean by quautity 
400 to 500 lb. of made tea per acre ; and quality, an 
average of Is sterling per lb. in London. The differ- 
ence between fine plucking and quantity I take it to be 
100 to 120 lb. per acre 
vs. 
400 to 500 lb. „ 
This is too great for fine plucking to pay. I quite 
agree with " A Practical Man :" those who can com- 
bine quantity with quality are the men one should 
emulate. g_ ^ 
XXIV. 
Haputale, 7th May: 
1. 1 think the best teas are made in dry weather 
when the bushes are not flushing freely. 
2. No. 
3. Certainly. 
XXV. 
Bogawantalawa. 
1. My experience is, quality is best when the tea 
bash has plenty of moisture, whether it be the N.-E. 
or S.-W. When jaiiis are. on, the leaf is full of sap 
and liquor is good ; in dry weather I find it next to 
imposbible to make a good thick liquoring tea. 
2. None ; but I am inclined to think it does improve 
quality. Manure adds to yield of tea bushes largoly. 
The mere iorkingup of the soil does so, when no man- 
ure is added, to a certain extent. 
3. I advocate medium plucking, never omitting to 
pluok round 3 times a month sometimes oftcner. 
I think these last months of March-April and so 
far of May have been perfect for tea, both for quality 
and quantity. A. 
XXVI. 
Kandapola, 7th May 1889. 
1. I cannot say whether Mr. Armstrong is or is not 
responsible for the statemeat that the quality of the 
tea is best when the bushes flush most freely ; but 
personally I am of opinion that euch is the case. 
2. I am strongly inclined to think that it will be 
found that the efficiency of either natural or artificial 
manures will stop short at increased yield. I have 
certainly never beard it advanced that strength or 
flavour was improved, nor have I known of an estate's 
prices running up after the application of manure. 
3. I think there can be no doubt that on the great 
majority of estates in Ceylon finer plucking will have 
to be adopted, than rules at present. But again I think 
there is the happy medium between so-called ' fine' 
and ' coarse ' plucking to be discovered, and the 
medium will vary according to altitude and climate- 
For instance, on Kandapolla estate I formerly plucked 
around every 13 days. This was changed to 12 days, 
but no difference in quantity of leaf was noticeable. 
I then changed to 10 days, or plucking round the 
estate thricea month. Still, I noticed no difference 
in quantity, theugh a material difference in quality. 
To pluck around in 9 days I find my quantity dimini- 
shes a good deal in the month. So I have deter- 
mined that to pluck over every ten days (no matter 
hew the flush looks) is my happy medium. In Upper 
Ramboda it is 9 days, and so on. By allowing the 
bud and two leaves to remain on the bush longer than 
every 10 days, I find I gain nothing in weight (unless 
a third leaf is taken which reduces quality), while by 
taking same bud and two leaves at the 10 days, they 
are still young and tender, and make a tea of much 
finer quality and flavour than if taken when tougher 
and older. 
If attention were paid to this, I believe many men 
would find, as I have done, that by hitting off the right 
time (according to altitude and climate), within 
which to take in their flush, they would increase theii 
quality without decreasing their quantity to any 
great extent. I am of opinion that this style of medium 
plucking, leaning towards fine perhaps rather than 
coarse, i. e,, a day earlier rather than later in the 
round of plucking, will be found to give the 
best returns as regards an estate's annual profit.— T. 
XXVII. 
Dikoya. 
1. I think very rapid flushing detracts from both 
strength and flavour. Look at quality of tea most 
commonly made in April and May, when flushing is 
particularly rapid, and how it improves when the 
colder weather oi June and July has slightly checked 
the luxuriance of the flush. 
2. I believe manure if anything rather detracts 
from strength and flavour, but if it does the differ- 
ence it makes is slight and is amply made up for by 
increase in quantity with tea at say lOd per lb.; but 
it is a matter I have not yet gone into. How will it 
pay shortly with manure going up and tea as steadily 
falling in price ! 
3. This is a matter that could only be satisfac- 
torily decided by production of accounts from repre- 
sentative estates, and I think it would not be a bad 
idea if the Committee of the Planters' Association 
were to persuade Colon bo agents and managers of 
Companies to show them in confidence accounts of two 
or three such estates from each firm or company 
when they could at once give an authoritative opinion 
that would be of use to planters and proprietors at 
large and save us all from a lot of gratuitous advice 
from people, who know very little about the subject. 
For myself I believe in medium plucking and making 
it as well as I can. This district will always give 
fully average rates and in quantity from 350 to lb.500 lb, 
per acre according to the estate. — W. T. 
