May 1, 1903.] 
THE TROPICAL AaRIGULTURiST. 
749 
To the Editor. 
TEA PRODUCTION AND MANURE : 
PATANA SOIL GIVING UP TO 
8001b PER ACRE AFTER 15 
YEARS WITHOUT MANURE ! 
Dear Sib, — The figures given in the 
Observer (see page 697) certainly leave the im- 
pression that the production of tea has not 
been keeping pace with the increased area 
under cultivation and yet speaking from juy 
own observation I cannot say I liave noticed 
much falling-off in the returns of the alder 
fields. No doubt in some instances the yield 
might have suffered, if the land had not been 
manured, but speaking generally of tea grow- 
ing in soil which had been to some extent 
impoverished by crops of coffee and cinchona 
in older days, I find the yield, notwith- 
standing the age of the bushes, is being 
on the Avhole well maintained. To institute 
correct comparisons and arrive at accurate 
conclusions one must of course take the 
I'etiu'ns, not of a particular season only, but 
over a period of two years, from pruning to 
pruning and if a shortfall is experienced after 
one pruning, it may be made up for after the 
next. Much depends on the style of pruning, 
whether it is light or heavy, and still more 
on the plucking afterwards. The latter 
naturally varies according to the class of tea 
it is intended to produce, and labour con- 
siderations are also an important factor. 
Even should a jiarticular field shew 
a diminished return, therefore, the chances 
are that it maj' have been the 
result of one of the many causes which go 
to influence the yield and not to the dimi- 
nished vitality of the bush itself. As to any 
serious falling-off in the yield of our old 
tea, I cannot see it, nor do our estate re- 
turns which are accurately kept, afford ground 
for such a conclusion. 
People speak of patna tea as giving a 
record yield after a few years, but I have 
to do with a large acreage of tea-growing 
in land of this description and my experi- 
ence does not agree with those who take 
that view. As an illustration of what a com- 
paratively poor field of patana (the soil is 
quartz) will do, it may interest your readers 
to know that in BaduUa district there is 
a field of tea 15 years old which has given, 
without the aid of manure, crops ranging 
from 420 lb. to 670 lb. per acre ever since 
it came into bearing, and this year tiie man- 
ager is expecting to beat previous records 
with a yield of 800 lb. to SoO lb. per acr;- 
all round ! ! 
If common grass land can pi'oduce a result 
such as this, tifter fifteen years' cropping, 
unassisted by manure, it cuts away the 
ground from the feet of those who con- 
tend that cultivation is necessary to 
ma.intain the productiveness of patna soils. 
Still your figures go to prove that there is a 
falling-off someichere and if it is not in the 
old tea, where is it? I regret to say my 
personal experience and observation do not 
provide the material for any satisfactory 
i-eply to this question. Turning to estates 
with whieh I am connected, it is only in a 
very few cases that a systematic falling-ofi 
in the yield can be detected and in such fields 
the returns were never good. This is import- 
ant. In parts of the lowcountry I am told 
there is a very distinct deterioration in the 
condition of some of the older fields and I 
may observe that it is here whei'e I have 
myself noticed that returns have diminished in 
individual fields ; but there has been nothing so 
far .IS I am aware to approach a general falling- 
Oif in the yield, such as your figures seem to 
indicate and you may, I am sure, search in 
vaia for any convincing evidence upcountry. 
My fear is and always has been, not that 
there will be any difficulty in groiving leaf 
in Ceylon, but that we may not be able to 
dispose of what we produce, and I think my- 
self that all this heavy manuring which we 
now hear so much about is a mistake. Indi- 
viduals who are first in the field may score ; 
but the industry as a whole must suffer, and 
yet if we do not go ahead in keeping with 
the times, we shall be left behind,— si> what 
is to be done ? 
If a certain gentleman who has been very 
successful with mjinuring had kept the infor- 
mation to himself, the prospects of the island 
generally wovdd have been brighter and be 
none the poorer. But the ball has been set 
rolling no^\• and where will it stop? 
VIATOR. 
I Oh, no earthly good trying to keep back - 
information — and such a policy would be 
worse than useless in the end ; for 
rumour would, as usual, magnify results 
grefitly.— Ed. 2\A.] 
BEET-ROOT SUGAR. 
Dear Sir,— Do you not think the sugar-beet 
wouUl grow iu Ceylon ami have you any idea 
where seeds could be lia:l for an experimental 
))atch? Given suc;ar in the island, our guava 
jelly, loquat and other jams might be a profitable 
ind ustry. — Youis t rn ly, 
HOUSEKEEPER. 
[lias •'Housekeeper" thouf;ht of asking for 
tlse wholesale price of his No. 1 and No. 2 quality 
^utiar from the Manager of Baddegama estate, 
Guile?— Ed. T A.] 
GUM OFl^^ A TREE. 
Anuradhapuro, 1st March. 
DiiAR Sir,— I enclose a specimen of gum picked 
off a tree, of whioh I am told many are to be 
found in the jun;,'les up here. 
Please let me know if it indicates in your 
opinion that Ituliarubber nny |)rove an export 
from these regions when transport is availahle. 
Wiien this tree grows, may not better qualities 
be cultivated ?— Yours faithfully, G. 
— [The gum is the ordinary ' ca.shew,' not lit 
for rubber purposes, but il melted very useful for 
I gumming,' &e.— Ed. T.A.] 
