Aug. 1, 1902. J 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
125 
Again, if your unusually low cost of pluck- 
iug is capable of such a simple explanation 
as your correspondent would have one 
believe, it is to say the least of it remarkable 
that the system should he in such general 
deniard by the lending firms in Colombo and 
by the majority of the most experienced and 
practical planters in the island. 
Those who have the best opportunity to 
judge of the value of our results— that is 
to say the agents of the estate, Messrs. Geo. 
Steuart & Co., and Mr. Joseph Fraser, who 
visits the property— have been'among the fore- 
most to accord me a full meafcure of support. 
Further proof of the utility of the methods 
advocated, if such were needed, is to be 
fouiul in the fact that estates aggregating 
over 75,000 acres in tea have already applied 
for particulars of my "system of plucking."— 
I am, sir, etc , 
HENRY M. ALLEYN. 
TEA SALES -LOCAL AND LONDON— 
AND THE "AVERAGES" 
AS REPORTED. 
July L 
Dear Sir,— In looking over last week's 
Sale list and your paragraph showing the 
highest averages secured in the previous 
week's local sale, I notice that some estates' 
tea averages were mentioned, that I am 
rather inclined to think should not have 
been, for the following reasons :— I see 
(omitting names) A. was mentioned with 
36 cts. average for four grades sold ; B. was 
mentioned with 45 cts. average with three 
grades; C, H cts. with three grades; D., 
41 cts. with two grades ; E., not mentioned 
with five grades and 40 cts. I think you 
will agree with me on consideration of this 
point that it would be well in future to start 
something quite new with regard to men- 
tioning estates' averages weekly, i.e. to 
mention the Estate Name, No. of Grades in 
the Tua Sale, and the Average Price of the 
Invoice sold calculated on the number of 
grades in, which would then be seen at a 
glance by the public. It would not as now lead 
to the conclusion often jumped at that such or 
such an estate has a good average without 
looking into the matter to see whether that 
estate or this has more grades or less than 
the other ; which is not quite as it should be 
in ray opinion. I should, therefore, be pleased 
if you could see your way to effect this 
alteration in future from this week forVard, 
as I think it would be a capital arrangement 
and quite fair to all : which in my humble 
opinion is not the case with the London 
announcements. 
It would be well if London Brokers could 
have this matter suggested to them by the 
local press. Often an estate is criticised on 
the fact that they are not on the " line" of 
prices in averages, because on the oiie hand 
an estate sends all grades, whereas another 
estate sends its best grades for sale and is 
mentioned as having secured such tine prices. 
This report is a misleading account of the 
true state of the average for that estate, 
properly speaking, and oth^:v estates should, 
be mentioned that are not, for the reasons 
stated. The Superintendents again are often 
questioned as to why they cannot secure such 
fine prices as so and so. I think you will 
readily see the force of my arguments, that 
all should share on their true merits and 
not calculations based on artificial averages. 
— I am, Dear Sir, yours truly, 
A PLANTER. 
[We made a reference back in connection 
with the foregoing letter, and "Planter" 
writes further : — 
" The inclination is to crack up an estate or 
its Manager, because his estate is on the "line" 
of averages, whereas that same estate might sell 
only its best grades in order to be mentioned and 
its Worst grades under an assumed name or 
another time. Many estates sell what is termed, 
I believe, regular sampling breaks with every- 
thing in, and if their average was weighed on its 
merits, in all probability would be found a much 
better criterion as to what an estate, only selling 
its upper grades, is accomplishing. To put 
the matter in a nutshell, tl;e present system is 
misleading in the majority of cases and therefore 
serves no good purpose in my humble opinion ; 
but merely shows up at a glance those on the 
board, while you constantly hear so-and-so is 
on the gallery this week, whereas probably 
someone else should have been there instead. 
Many do not take the trouble in these inirried. 
days to look through the number of grades and 
therefore jump at the conclusion that as such or 
such an estate is on the board, it is necessarily 
the best sale. The inside often reveals otherwise. 
If the mentioning of estate averages is not con- 
ducted on sound principles, do not you agree with 
me that it would be best to discontinue the 
mentioning of any estate on the outside leaf of 
either London or local sales? The Pi ess or the 
Brokers, I feel sure, only wish to play fair to all 
and not to a select few, — which is not transacting 
business in the impartial way — v hicli the press 
have the character of doing. I hope you agree 
with my view, for I feel rather strongly on the 
matter— not for myself, but I have so frequently 
heard estates and its Managers criticised on the 
merit of being mentioned, with perhaps three 
grades in, and another with double the number, 
or say two more, a half-penny less in averagCi 
passed over." 
—Ed. T.A.] 
OVERPRODUCTION AND MANURES. 
July 7th. 
Sir, — It seems to me absurd and irrational 
to advocate at this time of day — as a 
corresjcndent to your contemporary does — 
the exclusion from the island of so-called 
" forcing manures." How are they to be 
defined as contrasted with the sustaining 
manures which are to be admitted /reel I 
suppose rotten fish, castor cake and bones 
are forcing as well as suitnitiinq manures ; 
but they are simply indispensable to the 
maintenance of our industry. I doubt if 
there is any manure imported that " Science," 
as represented by Mr. Kelway Bamber, 
would condemn as injurious to the tea 
bush.-- Yours truly, 
PROPRIETOR NO. 2, 
