540 
THE TROPICAL AGraCULTURIST. 
[Feb. 1, 1899. 
subject to tlio omission in clause 3 of the words 
in the second line " on and after tho 1st March, 1899." 
The draft circular as Eubrnittcl to the comiuittee 
was approver! of witli the addition proposed by tlie 
ecretary 
DUTy ON TKA. 
R?ad letter irom the Ceylon Association of the 
8th inst.. with copy of resolution on this subject 
passed in Ceylon, viz.: "That the committee is 
)iot yet sufficiently convinced of the desirability of 
reduction in the tea duty in Ennlaud to induce the 
committee to take up an agitation on the matter 
at the present time." 
It was noted that a duty of live cents per lb. of 
tea is e.xpected to be imposed in Canada, whore 
British Indian products enjoy a preference of 25 
per cent. 
Copy of the Government publication cn " The 
Cultivation of Tea in India" and copy of the pro- 
ceedings of the meeting of the Calcutta Association 
of November 7, copies of which had been ciroulaied 
to members, were laid upon the table. 
EiiNEST 'I'te, Secretary. 
—H. mil C. Mail, Dec. 16. 
IIECENT IMPROVEMENT IN MR. W. 
JACKSON S TEA MACHINERY. 
Several improvements which cannot f lil to com- 
mend themselves to planters have recently been niitile 
in Mr. Jackson's tea machinery. 
In briefly referring to these we n)ay point out 
that the 4'2-in and 72-in Veaetian dryers, 1898 pattern, 
are from new designs and patterns throughout. These 
dryers are specially made when required with a cover- 
ing to the trays to adapt the machines for the final 
filing of the finest of assorted teas. The adop- 
tion of this system does not to any material extent 
detract from tho capacity of the dryer as a dryer 
of fermented leaf. These machines are speciiiUy 
adapted as auxiliary dryers in large factories for the 
final firing of small or light teas, or for finishing teaa 
three-qnartor dried in larger machines. 
The patent Paragon tea-dryer machine, medium 
size, has been upeoially designed as an automatic 
dryer " f -r small estates," where the employment of 
a larger p.ir;\t;ori wouM not prove remunerative. It 
has been desii^ued on similar lines to the well-known 
paragon dryer, ai.d embodies a number of improve- 
ments, bringing it up to date in every way. This 
particular machine, however, has no mechanical 
feeder, the leaf being simply scattered l)y hand on to 
the small endless feeding web with solid gill plates 
which f'elivers it on to the large perforated trays. 
An adjustable abutter, which can be instantly raised 
or lowered to admit a larger or smaller quantity of 
leaf as may be desired is provided to regulate the 
thickness of the feed. The endless webs are six in 
number, and are arranged to turn the tea over five 
times during the drying process, thus thoroughly 
exposing the leaf to the current of air — a very im- 
portant matter in drying all classes of leaf. There 
are five speeds on the driving belt cone pulleys, which 
bring the treatmput of the leaf under jjerfec; con- 
trol. The gear wheels are made from machine-cut 
iron patterns, and are protected by strong guards. 
There are also a number of improvements in con- 
nection with the exhaust fan and the air heater 
which will doubtless commend this machine to the 
practical tea maker. The approximate capacity of the 
machine is rSO lb to 220 lb, but this naturally de- 
pends on the nature of the leaf, the weather, and the 
temperature. The machine, when required, can be 
equipped with perforated trays specially adapted for 
final firing. Wlien used as a final firing machine 
alone, the patentee recommends differential speed 
gear for driving the fan. The details of the machine 
generally have been carefully worked out, and the 
machine will doubtless give as good satisfaction to 
the tea maker as the larger machines have done. 
We have recently had an opportunity of inspecting 
one of Mr. .Jaoksom's rotary tea breakers, which haTe 
been specially designed by him for the purpose of 
reducing or "breaking down" laige tea previone to 
sifting, or the larger leaves after assortmi-nt. Jnthii 
nnclann the tea is forced llirougli mesh-wire of any 
required size. The me.-h.wiie is fixed in the under 
table, and can be quickly changed when desired. The 
tea IS placed inside the upper moving ehell, which has 
a grating m the bottom of it, the iiiovemeut of which 
automatically forces the leaves ihrongh the fixed 
mesh-wire. An adjustable dost sieve is placed 
underneath, and is suspended from the moving shell 
by four hangers. This machine is calculated to reduce 
or break from about a201b t> 4«oib of tea per hour 
according to the qualitv and conditioifof the leaf fed 
III-"}'' nomiuftl power is required to dri»e 
this little machine, which is calculated to render tood 
service to the lea maker. 
Mr. Jackson has recently introduced a new tea 
packer, wliich he claiirs possestes seine remarkable 
and unique features It is simple in construction, 
very substantial, and the working parts are reduced 
to a miuiinum. The macbiue platen on which ibe 
chest 18 placed is mounted on angular bracket-shaped 
Rleel springs without any joints or links, and to the 
platen is imparted a very fast vibrating motion. This 
motion being in a true plane, it impiirls a like motion 
to the tea in the chest, right up to the top, until 
the chest is full, without any risk of shaking the tea 
over the top edges of the chest. No pressure of any 
duscnpoon is put on the tea during the process of 
packing, hence immunity from breaking or cru'-hiDK 
the leaf or making dust, Samoles taken from the top. 
middle, or bottom of the chest are all even, showing 
perfect regularity of packing. The machine is fitted 
?Mth fast and loose pulleys, 8in. diameter, and the 
t-peed 18 /50 revolutions per minute. Sire of belt 
required, 2jin. The power required to drive the 
machine is nominal.— 7/ 4; C. Mail, Dec 16 
TEA C'HE.STS. 
A NEW AND UP-TO-DATE PACKAGE. 
{Fiorn a Casual Corrtspondcnt ) 
Ever since the soft sheen of the coffee leaf irav« 
place to tlie harsh and dark green leaf of ?h/?I! 
bush, the Ceylon tea planter has'bee" eir .edin' 
bis mind as to how and where to fiud tea chests 
As a matter of fact, the bulk of the forest treea 
were lying about, as it were, the coflfee clear ^/s 
before the n^war product came into being jTraduallv 
Kekun, Mangowood - and other baser kinds 
ha. the tea planter been using up his supply ' 
It IS odd to think that the vast re.-erves o virgin 
forest, spread in countless acres at his feet as h 
were, is yet far out of his reach. It cannot 'nav to 
ransport the timber along jungle paths from ^ihe 
hoart of the vast lowcountry j. ingles; and bo it came 
about that the Ceylon planter, who ' ever comes up 
smilmg from his every difficulty, was obCd m 
time, to depend upon other countries for the suo 
p y of his tea chests. The wild peach tree of Japa^n 
Momi wood of commerce) has been for many ye^ars 
Ins best friend, but the Japanese have lately become 
alive to the fact that their supplies are not S 
less. The annexation of Formosa necessitated 
importatian of thoi^sands of standards of this soft and 
aromatic timber, and so the planter received due warn 
mg by increased prices and irregular supply tharthis 
reserve too was becoming a closed one to him. Sweden 
and Noiwav who for many generations have senTover 
"caseboards" to theBritish Islands was now drawn upon 
very largely, but it is a curious fact that, with perhap" 
two exceptions, the great Saw Mills of th?s vast 
Penmsula did not rise to the occasion, and in my 
opinion, the white-wood tea chest, as turned cut a^ 
Christiania and the Baltic Mills,' are not en t°reW 
suitable for the carriage of tea, ^hich is after all 
green vegetable stuff 1 
I pass by the metal packages, which have been 
of many types, and which, though " backed • ht 
wealthy combinations, have never V^ite satisfied t£ 
