o<[ MONTHLY. 
xxir. 
COLOMBO, JANUARY 1st, 1903 
No. 7. 
JOTTINGS FROM A PLANTER'S 
NOTE BOOK* 
TEA planter without a pocket 
notebook would almost cease 
to be a planter, so consistent 
is the practice of carrying ore. 
Verily, was the man who in- 
vented tliem sensible, for many 
interesting items hnd space 
therein which would otherwise 
escape from a fleeting memory- 
After a few years' absence from the country one of 
. the most striking features noticeable is the damage 
done by wash, more especially in the older and steeper 
districts. Though the harm done so far has scarcely 
been feU, I feel the gravity of it is worthy of more 
consider.ition than is given it. On every hand on 
sees the roots of grevilleas and tea exposed in a way 
that ought to cause alarm. The feeding roots of the 
bush are often to be seen, whereas they ought to be 
hidden just under the surface soil. This is cot due to 
the growth of the ti-ees, because the general tendency 
of roots is to keep under the soil. Then again we 
see the wa?h instanced on what were once good 
smooth roads. The earth around stones has been 
gradually carried away and roots have become exposed 
which are now traps for unwary pedestrians. As each 
year goes by more earth is swept away, so little that 
residents scarcely notice it and pay no heed. But this 
in the sum of years amounts to a very great deal, for 
it is in this manner that the physical features of a 
country are changed, through the slow process of 
conntlesa years which are unnumbered by eternity. 
The working expenses and profits of most tea 
estates will not admit of terracing, which was resjrted 
to in the old coffee days. Something might he done 
in the way of coppicing with mana grass, but this is not 
always feasible. Trees have been very generally 
planted through the tea, not so much with the idea 
of preventing wash, but they do eg to no Email extent. 
For this purpose grevilleas appear to be the most 
snitable, when other important matters, such as 
* Specially written for the Tropical Ayrkidlimst. 
nutrition taken out of the soil, are considered. They 
provide a more plentiful, but not so fine a litter as 
toonas or albizzias. 
In clearing out drains a litHe help can be given by 
throwing the silt upwards into the tea, instead of 
downwards as the general custom is. I feel safe in 
prognosticating that in a decade or two the question 
will become very acute in some places. Capital will 
be required that the difficulty may be met by re- 
planting — as is found neoepsary in most tea countries, 
or by terracing or other expensive methods that may 
be advanced for alleviating the situation. AVhere new 
land is availab le the point will arise, whether it is 
not better to open it up and to abandon the old. 
On many estates too little attention is given to 
PRUNING and there is a general tendency to reduce 
the cost below a figure at which good pruning can be 
done. In fruit-growing countries the importance of 
this item is fully realized, it having been found that 
if the work is not well done, the trees cease to fruit 
proportionately. It is the same with tea. Where 
knots and old unproductive branches are not taken 
out of the bush, the sap has not a free course and is 
hindered if not stayed. This inevitably results in a 
smaller yield than would have otherwise been ob- 
tained. Non-payint; estates would do well not to re- 
duce the cost of pruning indiscriminately, for it 
stands to reason that if crop cannot be secured, pro- 
fits will be all the rao' e hardly obtained. 
Manuring seems to me to be being carried too far. 
In a few years the present forcing manures will 
cease to affect tea as they do now and still more 
invigorating stimulants will be required. When 
these are no longer forthcoming a reaction must 
set in and a serious crisis will arrive on all highly 
manured properties. Then will come the turn of 
those, who, without injuring the industry bv inordi- 
nate yields, apply a mild manure and are content 
with reasonablj results It will probably be futile 
to sound a word of warning to the owners of estates 
of medium elevation as well as to those who are 
extensivi ly planting up the low country with rubber. 
Still it is well to di-aw their attention to the fact 
'hat rubber will be obtainable, as soon as it 
