■Supplement to the Tropical '^Agriculturist: 
FUEL FOR TEA MANUFACTURE, &c. 
PRACTICAL INFORMATIOM FROM PRACTICAL WEN- 
There has been a good deal of discussion 
of late in reference to the cost of oil, or 
rather of the working of oil engines, and 
some exceedingly satisfactory results have 
been reported respecting more than one 
well-known engine, while a new favourite 
is now coming to the front. But our pur- 
pose is not to discuss oil engines, but "fuel" 
at this time; for, some months ago, before 
we had heard much about oil, we issued — 
at the instance of a planting friend — the 
following "Circular" with questions to be 
answered : — 
FUEL FOR TEA MANUFACTURE. 
Questions. 
1. Which fuel do you consider to be best for Tea 
Manufacture : — Wood, Coal or Coke ? 
2. What is the relative cost, aud is it capable of 
begin reduced ? 
3. With regard to Wood fuel, is the supply equal 
to the demand ? 
4. Is the supply dependent on Government, or is 
it in private hands ? 
5. Is the planting up of Fuel trees receiving 
attention ? 
6. Do yon consider that it would be any economy 
to have Fuel plantations ? 
7. If so what kind or kinds would you recommend '? 
8. Apart from Fuel, would you plant Timber trees, 
t.e,, for Building aud Tea Chests ? 
In response we got some fifty replies from 
j-esponsible Managers in different districts of 
the country, and these we will now proceed 
to lay before our readers, according to the 
several divisions from which thej^ are dated. 
But before doing so, we have two more 
elaborate replies to our enquiries, which de- 
serve precedence. One is from a well-known 
Visiting Agent of wide experience aud runs 
as follows : — 
"I have not had very much experience of 
coal in connection with tea factories, but 
even on estates close to the railway, with 
cheap freights and other transport facilities, 
wood fuel will require to be very scarce and 
'expensive before coal can witli advantage 
be substituted. 'Jlie latter must always be 
costly, and if one had to pay as much as 
R2 per yard for good wood fuel, it would 
probably pay better to do this than to get 
up coal from Colombo. The best fuel is that 
which is obtained from well-grown forest. 
Grevilleas, even when fully matured, burn 
quickly, and it is, therefore, better to use 
them in conjunction with forest fuel if it 
can be so arranged. Gums burn well, and 
grow again freely after being coppiced ; but 
the odour they emit is considered an objec- 
tion by some. 
"Speaking in a general way, the supply 
of fuel in private hands is, I should say, 
sufficient for present needs, and should con- 
tinue so for many years to come if the 
planting of trees is kept up as it should be. 
Personally I know of very few estates which 
get their supplies regularly from the Govern- 
ment depots. 
"To shew what can be accomplished on a 
carefully-managed concern, I may mention 
that on an estate of about 280 acres in one 
of the young districts, where there is abso- 
lutely no fuel whatever beyond what is pro- 
vided by gums and grevilleas, &c., growing 
in the ravines and amongst the tea, the 
Superintendent manages to keep his factory 
going, there being two driers to feed besides 
an engine. This estate, which is situated 
at an elevation of about 4,000 feet, gives an 
average of lioo lb. of made tea per acre, 
shewing that well-regulated shade need not 
necessarily affect the productiveness of the 
bushes, and there is, moreover, nothing much 
to complain of in the quality of the teas. 
Besides the coppices most of which survive, 
there is always a succession of young trees 
coming on, so there really is no reason why 
the supply of fuel should fail. 
"Where there is a reserve of forest, plant- 
ers will find it better, instead of felling 
trees indiscriminately, to make a clean sweep 
of a few acres at a time, stack the firewood, 
and replant the land with useful trees. 
"Perhaps I cannot see far enough ahead, 
but I am no believer in planting trees for 
tea- boxes. I think we may safely look to 
the outside world to supply us with all we 
want under this head. — X.Y.Z." 
The useful information and practical hints 
here imparted will, we feel sure, be valued 
by many proprietors and superintendents. 
