Nov. 2, 1903.) THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 313 
INTERESTING DISCOVERIES IN TEA 
MANUFACTURE, 
CHANGING GREEN DUST TO BLACK: 
WITHERING SPACE REDUCED 33 
PER CENT. 
LATTER PROCESS 1 CENT CnEAPER PER 8 LB, 
After but 10 days' experiments, Mr. Win. Hall, 
the trusty Manager of the Galaha Tea Factory, 
has had the felicity of alighting; upon two important 
discoveries which although in their infancy as yet 
have shown results that will be of the utmost 
interesn to both black and green tea manufac- 
turers. The latter is perhaps the most piofit- 
able process. When we enquired recently as to 
details, as far as he could give them yet (for the 
matter will not be advertised Just at once, and 
the taking out of a patent will be a still longer 
business), Mr Hall said ; 
" The process is one by which I can 
CHANGE GREEN TEA DUST AND FANNINGS INTO 
BLACK. 
Green dust and fannings do not fetch above 12 
cents in the local market whereas black dust has 
been fetching upwards of 34 cents. By the 
new process, which is not costly, an extra 22 
cents is gained by transforming the dust 
from green into black. Of course the black tea 
does not get the bonus ; but as the dust and 
fannings produced in green tea manufacture are 
more than double what is produced in black, 
while the better grades of green are getting 
their good prices, plus 3 cents bonus, the remnant 
may in future be treated so as to receive — say, an 
additional 20 cents, at least, minus the cost of the 
transforming process. 
Green tea manufacturers in Colombo are natur- 
ally exceedingly interested in the news of the 
discovery, and Mr Hall has had an interview 
with Mr A Fairlie, Manager of Messrs. Finlay 
Mnir&Co., and other tea men, upon the subject. 
That the stotement as regards value is not riiade 
without ground is seen from the following figures 
quoted in valuation by a leading Colombo broker 
for his sample of black tea dust (grepn, changed) 
—described as " Reddish dusfi thin licrht green" 
— 6£d (London) and 35 cents (f^oiombo)." 
HOW TO IMPROVE BLACK AND COPE WITH A 
" BUSY SEASON." 
Then as to black tea. Mr Hall tells us that his 
second process is of even greater importance in 
a sense, because it affects by far the greater 
bulk of tea producers in Ceylon. It is one by 
which the space in any factory necessary for 
withering can be reduced 33 per cent and qnalitv 
distinctly improved, Leaf that has to lie by til! 
there is sufficient withering space will now be 
handled far more rapidly. The same broker's re- 
port on samples of Broken Pekoe — A, "Brownish 
mixed irregular lenf. Good strength. Pun- 
gent. Fair quality," and B (the same, with 
" ffreen " ad,?ed)— gave the London and Colombo 
value of each, respectively as 8d and 42 CPnts 
and 8Jd and 45 cent», B (4-5 cent.o) being made by 
the new nroRe=s. Furthpr the renort snys:— -'In 
liquor we prefer the style of B. Tliey are, of 
course, very green; but they have more char- 
acter than the other." Another broker reported : — 
"In flavour we prefer B. But A has more 
strength, while B is slightly brighter." 
" It will be to lowcountry teas, especially, 
said Mr Hall, " thnt the process should be of the 
moat advantage, as planters are always anxious to 
improve the quality of these as much as possible. 
The cost, too, is not dearer: it is in fact, appreciably 
cheaper — J-tli of a cent per lb. In these hard 
times 12^ cents per 100 lb. is not a saving to be 
sneered at ; t.hough the fact that prices will be 
further improved by the use of the new process is 
the most important feature." 
Indulging in calculations as to the " green-to- 
biaek " dust transformation, we were interested to 
have our attention drawn to the fact that about 10 
per cent of green tea was dust : and that of the 
order of 1,000,000 lb. of greens which the Galaha 
Tea Co. are executing, this means 100,000 lb. A 
rise of 22 cents per 100,000 lb, is R22,000 clear, 
from whijh would be subtracted the doubtless 
comparatively small cost of the transformation 
process : and a handsome sum is still saved. 
Further particulars of Mr Hall's fortunate linds, 
which must be of great practical .service to 
Ceylon tea growers, will be awaited with intense 
interest, 
MERCANTILE CALCULATIONS, 
A Fort correspondent writes :— ''If green dusts 
can be made into blacks, it is fine business. An 
invoice of 10.000 lb tea will have 800 lb dust, as 
greens valued at 13 cents = R104, and as black valued 
at 30 cents = R240. The advantage of making, 
green dust into black dust is manifest. The 
difference on invoice of the above c[uantity, say 
10,000 lb all grades, is 4 per cent in favour of 
blacks. I don't see why it should not be possible 
to make black dusts out of green. Mr Hall 
deserve the thanks of the green tea community 
if he has solved the problem, " 
MATALE REVISITED. 
There is always something to be learned 
even daring an evening and morning in the 
train ! The wealth of vegetation, poten- 
tialities of production in cacao, tea, coco- 
nuts, kituls, arecas, plantain, &c.. strikes one 
anew and very forcibly as one runs down 
from Kandy, or rather climbs again next 
morning, the 400 feet which represent the 
difference between the Matale Valley and 
Wattegama which again is on the same 
level as Kandy. The district along the line 
should be hard to beat for the production 
of trees and leaf and, no doubt, of fruit in 
due season. Has 
27,000 LB, OP TEA LEAF 
plucked in one day on a Matale plantation 
ever been beaten in Ceylon? And on this 
side estimates do not seem to be short, at 
least not on the estate in question. 
As for cacao, 3 cwt per acre in Ceylon is 
a full and a profitable crop ; the average 
must be nearer 2 cwt. And yet from Dutch 
Guiana and Trinidad we used to henr of 10 
cwt. per acre, without much greater profit 
though, «o little care was taken in prepara- 
tion. What has been the largest harvest 
per acre of cocoa in Ceylon ? What has 
become of 
THE CACAO THIEVES COMMISSION 
— is it asleep, or dormant pending the arrival 
of anew Governor? That something more 
than ordinary is required must be admitted 
