Jan. 1, 1900.] 
THE TROPICAI. AGRICULTURIST. 
475 
Having lectured the kanganies and looked over 
the trees already plucked, and probably indulged 
in a little ehf.fi' at the expense of erring coolies, 
we proceed round the estate. About this time 
the manager usually makes his appearance on his 
morning's round before going lo the office, and if 
there is anything wrong it is as well to 
draw a veil over the meeting between the senior 
and junior superintendents, more especially if the 
aforesaid manager has had a late nigho with some 
friends, and is possessed of a liead, liver, &c. 
Coolies clearing up roads and drains — the latter 
most important in a mountainous country like 
Ceylon, where the rainfall is heavy and wash 
therefore very great — are seen, too, on our way 
to the ne.Kt work, where a gang of men are 
making a nursery for some seed. This is done 
by making beds of earth about 6in. high and 
putting very line soil on the top. A fence must 
be put lound if there is jungle near, or deer, pig, 
&c., will make short work of tiie young plants 
as tliey are coming up. On our way back to the 
pluckers we take the opportunity to see if tiie 
weeds are being kept down. This is done usually 
by giving the kanganis contracts about the estate 
of from ten to thirty acres, at about one rupee 
per acre : they are then entirely responsible for 
that piece of land as regards weeds and if many 
are found there tliey are liable to be lined; but, 
as they generally manage to make money out of 
the weeding, it dues not as a rule give much trouble. 
It is now 10-30 a.m., and time to weigh up the 
pluckers for the morning leaf. The conductor pro- 
duces pocket scales and a kangani's name is cal- 
led out. We open the 
PLUCKING BOOK, 
and find in it written the names of all the coolies 
belonging to his gang, as each kangani, before being 
taken on by the estate, has to bring so many coolies, 
for which he is paid what is called head money, 
at about 4 cents per day for every coolie that is 
working in his gang. On the coolie's name being 
called be or slie steps out, and tiie conductor weighs 
her basket and tells us how many pounds of leaf 
she has plucked tliis morning, which is put against 
her name. All the coolies of that kangani's gang 
liaving been weighed, we pass on to the next gang, 
and so on until it is finished, and the leaf, put in 
sacks, is carried to the factory by boys. The 
weighing up finished, we go to breakfast, and have 
two hours spell before tackling the afternoon's 
labours, which are mnch the same as the morning's, 
and about 4 p.m. a coolie blows a horn and we go to 
evening niuster, when all the coolies' names are 
taken down who have worked through the day and 
the pluckers' leaf weighed up a second time. 
If the work of anyone is unsatisfactoy, it is 
usual to give the offending party what is called 
half narhe, that is, make a mark in the name 
book (commonly known as the check roll) against 
that coolie, to signify that he is only to get 
half p.ay for the day's work. Very young assis- 
tants, and sometimes older ones too, are often 
much too apt to do this for trifling faults ; it should 
be only done when the offender really deserves it 
Or otherwise it only tends to dishearten coolies 
and make them careless. 
Having despatched the 
LEAF SACKS TO THE FACTORY 
and given any sick person medicine, and listened 
to any of the kanganis' complaints, as they gene- 
rally choose this time in the day to ventilate 
their grievances, we retrace our steps to the bun- 
galow, and, if tliere is a court near, play tenni.s, 
or cricket practice perhaps claims us. In some 
districts there are a number of things to do in the 
way of sport, cricket, football (both Rugby and 
Association), and hockey being played regularly, 
and as there are always plenty of young^men of 
the right sort, public school or 'Varsity niany of 
them, tliere is no dilficulty in getting good teams 
together. Some of the pleasantest days I have ever 
had have been when playing for my district against 
neiglibouring ones. 
The salary of an assistant superintendent is 
small, about 125'00 rupees, or £8, per month, 
but living is not expensive and this with perhaps 
a little help from home, shouirt be enough, as 
an assistant is not expected to entertain, and he 
will find the subscriptions, &c., to the various 
sports lie may go in for very small. The life, 
if a little monotonous, is, nevertheless, a very 
jolly one, as you are always out of doors, and. 
as most of the tea estates are in the hills, the 
climate is usually very good ; in fact, where I 
am, at an elevation of about 5,000ft., it is almost 
perfection, and fires are very often required in 
the evening. 
A young gentleman of good family, more es- 
pecially if he is a public school man, will have 
a very good time, as he >vill find plenty jf good 
fellows round him if he goes to a big planting 
district, such as Dimbula or Dikoya. After he 
has served his time of probation, known in the 
island as creeperdoni which is very often the 
hardest time he will have, and gets an assistant's 
billet, he will find the life on the whole a good 
one, though, without influence of some sort, it is 
not very easy to get on quickly, and for some 
time, he will require help from home as regards 
money matters. 
—Field, Dec. 9. Planter. 
THE CEYLOJN TEA CROP IN 1899. 
The total exports for 1899 (according to 
the Chamber of Commerce figures) show a 
greater jump forwai'd than for any of the 
past four years. The increase over 1898 is 
more than 10 million lb., and we have to go 
back to 1895-6 for a similar ratio of advance. 
We need scarcely say, too. that the outturn 
is decidedly in advance of the estimate of the 
Planters' Association as framed in the early- 
part of 1899, and confirmed in September 
last. The comparison between estimates and 
results may be seen from the following : — 
ESTIMATE. 
lb. 
P. A. Estimate of Total Crop (1899) . . 126,500,000 
Local Consumption ... 1,500,000 
Total shipments ... 125,000,000 
of which to United Kingdom .. 93,000,000 
Leaving for other Countries . . 32,000,000 
ACTUAL RESTJLT. 
Total Export 1899 (Chamber of Com- lb. 
merce) .. .. 129,894,156 
To United Kingdom ... 103,948,124 
Other Countries 
For 1898 Total 
To United Kingdom 
25,946,032 
119,769,071 
96,133,8:i3 
Other Countries ... 23,635,238 
Increase to other Countries ... 2,310,794 
It will be observed that the United Kingdom 
got well-nigh 11 million lb, more tea than 
