JANUARY I, .89..] THE TROPICAL AQRIOULTURIS 1 
515 
LEAF AVITHERING. 
(By THE “Peripatetic Planter.”) 
I have been asked roceuUy what is the 
rature at which to wither leaf, ibis ^ . 
tion than appears at 6rst glance, and a reply s^uld not 
bo given didactically, without being supported by a 
statement of, at least, general 
detailed reasons might be, perhaps, 
should prefer to devote a special article to the question, 
so that each point might receive its P^^buma e 
share of attention, hut this I cannot find ^ 
week It would involve a consideration of the other 
Question, Why do we wither? and that goes into 
chemical as well as mere physical changes which we 
seek to bring about. Suffice it for the present that 
1 think I could show good grounds lor never witheiiug 
at a temperature much above 94 deg.— 100 deg., «u'^s 
a current of air passing over the leaf, by reason of the 
druvess and veloeity of that air, produces a degree of uc- 
pid evaporation which by cooling the leaf when ‘t <mmes 
in wet neutralizes the extremely viiurious effect of the 
Excessive temperature, and. this latter 
depends eo much upon the air being of a low relative 
humidity” (i. e., being very dry) and a.so so much 
up“n the leaf being wet not .dry and 
attention on the part of those in charge of the opera- 
tion, that if a perfect degree of wither can be accom- 
plished in say 5 hours, in the worst weather with the 
wettest leaf, with no higher temperature than between 
86 deg. and 94 deg. without risks from careless lack of 
attention, then, as the room will be vacant for the 
evening’s pluck— the morning s being withered and 
removed, in the 5 hours-there seems to be no sufficient 
reason for preferring the more risky higher tem- 
peratures. Of course in competent, careful hands a 
high temperature (with a high velocity dry air current) 
may be fairly safe-it has yet to be proved so, and 
is against accepted views— but the additional anxiety 
and attention required would be a drawback to many, 
who would rather be not so tied to watching the 
progress of the wither. I was asked the question, as 
with a higher temperature than the Blackman system 
is at present worked at, four or five times the quantity 
of leaf might, of course, be withered in the same space 
and with the same appliances — provided the tempera- 
ture could be maintained, at a reasonable cost m extra 
fuel and provided the quality of the Tea were cot 
damaged. Why run the risk and incur the extra ex- 
panse iu fuel? AVhereis the suffic ent reason for doing 
soV With a temperature between 80 deg. and 94 deg., 
each “Blackman” in a room has, 111 dry weather, 
withered 66 maiinds of leaf m 3| to 4 hours: and 111 
wot weather has, in the same room, done 33 mauuds 
in tlie same time between those svfe temperatures. 
Surely those quantities are good enough when the 
absence of risk aud certainty of perfect quality m the 
“wither” are considered. AVhilat speaking of this 
point I would correct a miatak- n impression or two 
which I have met with. Trays are by 1,0 means 
mec'ssary with the system referred to. In many fac- 
tories no trav^ are used. The racks are fixtures ; 
in some cases made of tiers of Hessian c.oth, in qthers, 
of open fabric woven like wire mesh, but made of 
hemp In others they aie of woven wire mesh; but 
in fich case 'the fabric is stretched from end 
to end of the rac/o— and the leaf is siyept oft, 
or ierked off by tapping the under side, In 
some cases the fabric is stretohed on rollers, 
and wound uo, the leaf being spread at one end, and 
tha (abrie rolled out ns II 19 leaf is spread, ^iiy leaf 
in like manner is taken ott by again rolling the fabric, 
which drops the leaf into baskets t\ie end. 
Next a factory liaviiig no loft above the Manufac- 
turing ’uoom, ill many cases employs a good deal of 
its yaffiablo spac', for work such as boxiunkiiig, &cu, 
which can Just a i well be done in an adjoining build- 
ing If this space ’H ihns cleared, and if racks aro 
then erected tb.otein for witheiiug, and the necessary 
CHtcha bailies cregteu in their proper positioim. die 
v-u a u,or is ai good for wilhetmg by wmin air our- 
as any loft would be-aud it is surprising how 
much leaf can ije withered in a small space thus won 
for the purpose from an employment which can bo 
just as well oonduoted elesewhere. Some factories 
are already ao planned to wither all tlieir leaf in 
spaces thus saved. When biieikiug jnst now of one 
propeller having withered 66 mauuds of leaf inSito 
4 hours, I should have added, bat in th's case the 
racks were withered and emptied an 1 re -filled from 
a storo of leaf. Usually, suflioieiit space aud 
rack area is provided to make one spread do for the 
morning’s leaf, and one spread for the evening’s as 
usual. 
Another mistaken notion I have come across is, 
that all the leaf will get withered at the same time, 
and that the rollers won’t then be able to work it off 
fast enough ! This I fancy comes of the use made 
of the words “uniform wither” in the literature 
of the system. This notion is far from the ca.se. Each 
rack should wither uniformly, so rdiat the boys will 
not have to pick and choose different tiers of the 
same rack in removing the leal. 'That would leave 
too much to the boys, aud cutcha leaf might got 
mixed with withered leaf and spoil the “ roll,” &o. 
Each rack can bo made to wither uiiifoinily from 
top tier to bottom tier, by attention to details in 
erecting the “chut” and baffles. But the racks will 
wither one after another (by no means all at once) 
in their order as they .stand near the warm air inlet, 
or distant therefrom — and thus there is no fear of 
withering too fast fer the “ rollers,” — and the current 
can, of course, be stopped at any time if there is 
any sign of this in dry weather . — Indian Planters' 
Qazette. 
CEYLON TEA IN AMERICA: THE TEA 
COMPANY. 
The following correspondence has been sent ua 
for publication : — 
New York, Nov. 7th, 1890. 
Messrs. Darley, Butler & Oo., Agents & Ssoretaries. 
Colombo. 
Dear Sirs, — Since writing you on the 25lh ultimo, wo 
have your estevmed favour, 2nd ultimo, contents duly 
noted, also copies of the “ Times ” paper, containing 
the copy of Mr. Arthur’s letter, aud the remarks of the 
editor, &c. We find that Mr. Arthur, who has been 
the agent here of a man named Davidson, has gone 
bflck to England, an 1 his “ Sirocco Tea shop ” is said 
to be closed, and i.s reported to have been a failnre. Wn 
are quite averse to going into lawsuits, but it aeems 
rather provoking, that we should besabjeoted to the at- 
tacks of a lot of people who teem to have nq ©special re- 
putation at stake, aud are backed np by [by a nortion of! 
your press. We have taken up the tea business in good 
faith, but if your press aiii people intend to spend 
their time in vilifying U3, the quicker we get out the 
belter, as wo are not at all dependent upon the 
matter, eithpr financially or in any other way. It 
might be well to state to your people, that the 'only 
sa'ary paiJ to anyone in this country, is to Mr 
Pinoo, and that only epough to keen' him in fJ.) 
COMPARATIVE poMfORT. If tli0 Company is a success 
we expect to make some mouey; it a failure, we will 
lose time as well as money. Mr. Griniiufou will no 
doubt ere this roaches you have explu;, nod his views 
about all Eqattevs here fully, aud -.ve trust to the 
safisfsiCtiou of all concerned, and. we trust no time 
will be lost in advising us, as to all the matters re- 
lating to the filial sottloiaents with your Co.— Yours 
very truly. (Signed) Wattson ife Farr. 
F. A.— Enclosed we hand you copy of our last letter 
to Messrs. Darluy & Butler, which will give you some 
points as regards the stock, &o., Ac. 
(Extract from Messrs. U'attson J\y,-Es letter to 
Messrs. Parley if JJut/er). 
T, , . Y. • New York, Nov. 7th. 
Messr.s. D.irlcy^A Rutler, Ljiulon, 
_Dcar Sire.--\oiir oate-oiuod favors 17tb, 22nd, aud 
2 oth fti'.j 29th ult. duly to hand and eoutenta noted, 
