.Tl'ly 1, 1899.] THE TROPICAL AaEICULTURIST. 27 
gardens under one maiiafjeiiient. The nianas;e- 
nient that is called for under these conditions is 
expert and " it i.s liard to get." And yet oi e 
heard of large numbers of experienced tea planters 
who were to bo met in Calcutta last cold 
weather looking for woik in vain. That fact 
.scarcely benrs out Sir Ale.xanler's jietulant re- 
mark. Of course it is very annoying- to be a 
.sliaieholder in a company which does not pay 
a dividend u)jon the season because its maniiger 
has been dismissed, but, alter all, surely tiiatis 
a very small fact from which to arj,'ue the 
general laziness or stupidity of a large body of 
fjentiemen. Sir A ISIackenzie complains that the 
pampered tea planter picks up his experience 
" f.t the cost of the shareholders." There is a 
very geneial impression among tho.se who know 
that he picks it up too often at his own, — I'he 
Evglisliman. 
FACILITIES FOR MAKING GOOD TEA.— 
VII. 
Dealing with two replies dating from 
Dikoya, one from Agrapatana, and one from 
Kotagala, we find the drawbacks to making- 
better tea considered from different stand- 
points. One Dikoya planter, while holding 
the ignorance and carelessness of tea makers 
and coolies who try to hurry through their 
work, responsible for much, considers the 
teas now produced far superior in make to 
those turned out, say four years ago, and 
that it is only over-production and combina- 
tion among buyers -o'hich has stood in the 
way of better prices. The other is unable 
to detect any special cause, though jat, soil 
where previously under coffee, rush of leaf, 
and neglect of pruning followed by severe 
cutting down, play their part in keeping 
down the quality. Agrapatana thinks the 
faiUire of buyers to give value is the great 
drawback to making better tea, as the 
district possesses great advantages ; while 
Kotagala pleads tmseasonable weather, want 
of accommodation and machinery in some 
places, and want of attention in others, as 
hindrances to improvement. On jat there is 
nothing new to record, as there is the usual 
variety, though as a whole all the districts 
have fair working btishes varying from good 
and medium to inferior in the first planta- 
tions. In soil, Dikoya is content to claim 
medium, but generally good for tea ; while 
AgTapatana rejoices in decidedly good soil, 
and Kotagala regards its soil as not gene- 
rally poor, though parts of most estates are 
worn. Mr. John Hughes' letter should draw 
special attention to the impoverishment of 
soil which immediately attends heavy ancl 
continuous showers, and the necessity of pro- 
viding safeguards against avoidable loss, 
whether of soil or its more valuable consti- 
tuents. While one Dikoya planter unequi- 
vocally declares in favour of manuring, the 
other insists that a dose of manure which 
shows good results exhausts itself in two 
years, aiter which the bushes suffer if the 
dose be not repeated ; ancl with prices under 
8d. per lb. there is very little profit in 
manuring. Bat may not the profits disappear 
altogether without manuring ? From Agra- 
patana comes the warning that manuring, to 
do good, must be scientific, and in that 
ciescription is not included "the usual 
castor-cake and bones," on which, however 
those who have tried the combination 
generally report favourably. Kotagala 
adds its testimony in favour of manure, 
as both improving and profitable where 
the soil is not too much M^orn, and where 
neglect has not continued too long. Then it 
is a question of "Will it pay ? " 
In regard to factories, one Dikoya resident 
declares that most estates are deficient in 
withering space and that prices are seriously 
affected in consequence, through Visiting 
Agents, with no practical knowledge of the 
details of work, opposing extensions which 
the working Superintendent feels to be 
essential. The other Dikoya planter takes a 
different view, holding that most factories 
have ample room for nine months of the 
year, but the space is found insufficient 
generally during the rush in AjDril £ind May. 
The question is, we suppose, whether addi- 
tional expenditure will be justified by the 
saving of the loss that insufficient withering 
space leads to ; but the latest invention will, 
perhaps, effect a revolution, and those who 
saved in buildings may yet rejoice! In 
Agrapatana there is no clefi'ciency 'in wither- 
ing space ; and the sufficiency "is specially 
mentioned as an explanation of the hia-h 
average prices the District obtains; and 
Kotagala, too, finds that the want of space 
has been supplied in recent years. Dikoy^a is^ 
generally, well supplied with machinery (save 
in respect of sifters and roll-breaker's), and 
also with motive power, except during the 
dry season; and Agrapatana and Kotagala, 
too, are generally satisfied with the equip- 
ment of their factories. The labour force has 
been ample in all three districts— Kotagala 
experiencing that pleasure after five or six 
years. Dikoya holds two views of pruning^ 
one that it is neglected too long, and then 
the knife is applied with too great severity, 
the other that poor jats must be severely 
dealt with to yield paying flushes ; but V.A. s 
are said to worry the bushes with too early 
plucking, to ultimate injury of the estate. 
While Agrapatana has not suffered from 
severe pruning, Kotagala complains of 
much too severe handling after prolonged 
neglect. From Dikoya and Agrapatana the 
unannnous verdict is that both soil and 
climate are most suitable for tea, the only 
drawback being that many of the earlier 
plantations had to be pushed on without 
reference to jat, and with imdue regard to 
economy in consequence of the collapse of 
coffee. The results in sitch cases are sadly 
apparent now. This is a drawback from 
which Agrapatana evidently has not suffered ; 
but Kotagala is burdened with land which 
had been for long years under coffee, and 
such cannot be expected to yield large 
returns. 
Coconut Palm Cultivation.— Cultivatora 
of coconut palms in the Straits Settlements, 
who have been troubled by beetles and by 
"the effects of stigar estates on coconut 
plantations," will read with interest the 
letter of "W.J." elsewhere, as one of our 
most experienced Ceylon planters. In answOT 
to his enqtiiries as to nature of soil, multi- 
plicity of beetles, &c., we shall be glad to 
hear from any one having a knowledge of the 
conditions in Selangor and other divisions of 
the Straits Settlements. 
