March 2, 1891.] 
THf TROPiCA!.. 
ULTUfP.ST, 
665 
f-^\y ‘ \ ' *.j 
TEA CUI/nVATION AND RESULTS IN 
LITER AMDAGAMUWA. 
Our tabulo,r staL ment 'of the results of Tea 
Cultivation in East Matale, has brought us another 
paper from tho other side of the country, namely 
Upper Ambagamuwa, and the figures there given 
will surely asionisli old planters of coffLe in that 
region, i’ho comparison, too, with even the most 
favoured districts of the country is very favoural le, 
both fi.r heavy outturn of crop, and economy in 
working. It will be observed that the Ambagamuwa 
estate has a splendid rainfall, no less than 210 
inches in 1890. The infor.maiion given in regard to 
manuring will be carefully considered. Similar 
statements for typical estates in other districts 
would be very interesting and useful to men anxious 
to compare expenditure and receipts. Our corrs- 
Bpondeut writes : — 
It may interest your readers to compare results 
from the quartz and clay of Ambagamuwa v/ith those 
from the alluvial depo.sits of the Matale district in 
which our friends seem to delight on that side of the 
country. The following are the figures of crop and 
expenditure of this estate for 1890, viz ' 
Cost per lb. of made teal, o. b. on — Upper Amba- 
gamuvva~38'l acres at lb. .SGG per acre, equal to 
140,742 lb., at 2G-35 cents, equal to E37, 094-80 ; plus 
new clearings- 97, equal to El, 366 29, at 27 32 cents, 
equal to E38, 461-09 total expenditure on estate. 
GENEEii. Expenditure. 
Cents 
R 
c 
Salarioa and Allo-wanoes 140,742 
lb. at 
3-89 
5,481 
60 
Contingenoies 
do 
do 
-il3 
.'87 
76 
Tools 
do 
do 
•08 
109 
22 
Grass fields .... 
do 
do 
-oti 
91 
21 
Fire Insurance .... 
do 
do 
•21 
300 
00 
do 
do 
4-G7 
G 572 
79 
Upkeep of Buildings. 
Machinery 
do 
do 
•20 
287 
95 
Tea Factory 
do 
do 
•10 
128 
85 
Bungalow 
do 
do 
•3.3 
482 
03 
Supplying 
do 
do 
•UI 
26 
39 
Maiiuriug 
do 
do 
•01 
9 
91 
Lines 
do 
do 
•06 
9.3 
50 
do 
do 
•73 
1,028 
03 
Tea Cultivation 
Eoads and Brains 
do 
do 
•37 
52.3 
51 
Weeding 
do 
do 
3-2S 
4,008 
CO 
Pruning 
do 
do 
*80 
1,214 
7/ 
do 
do 
4-51 
6,349 
28 
Tea Manufactuee 
Plucking 
do 
do 
9-29 
13,077 
98 
Firewood 
do 
do 
-13 
d8G 
19 
Factory Labour 
do 
do 
1-32 
1,869 
51 
i’actory Sundries 
do 
do 
•15 
207 
41 
Packing Materi-als 
do 
do 
3-.5 7 
5,026 
78 
Transports 
do 
do 
1-C8 
2,376 
20 
Tea Manufactnro 
do 
do 
16-44 
2.3,144 
10 
Tea Cultivation 
do 
do 
4*0 L 
6,319 
28 
Upkeep of IluiMiugs 
do 
do 
•73 
1,013 
63 
Goner 1 Expeudilnro 
do 
do 
4-67 
6.57‘2 
79 
Cost against Crop 
do 
do 
26-35 
37,094 
80 
Now Tea Clearings 
do 
do 
•97 
1,.366 
29 
do 
' Ct. 27-32 
R38,46l 
09 
The following figures show the yield per acre, from 
a field Mookalam grown jungle) planted in 1880 
and all dug over (forked) at end 1883, with the result 
that it gave 1,001 lb. made tea per acre in 1884. 
It gave 
lb. 
lb. 
In 16, S2.. 
. 450 per 
• acre 
1887.. 
..C70 
per aero 
'83.. 
..672 
do 
'88.. 
..581 
do 
'81 . 
1C04 
do 
■89.. 
..8‘'6 
do 
’85. . 
. .CO') 
do 
’00. . 
..1162 
do 
’86.. 
..530 
do 
— 
9 yG:irs’ average lb. per acre fi7U equal, to 0,04.i lb. 
Notwithstanding tho big yield of 1,00 1 lb. ]>er 
acre tho year after it was dug, 1 am of opinion 
that the field would have shown bettu- rosults 
during the 9 years hud it not been dug. 1 believe 
in digging whe 
n the soil 
can ba thatched irnme- 
diately after, oroa flau land 
MatalOj or Kurunegala. 
, such asDuinbara, Lower 
Eainpall 
FOB 1890. 
inch. 
iich. 
January 
•68 
July 22-58 
February 
G'6l 
August 1G-4G 
M arclr 
3-47 
September 32-12 
April 
IG’52 
October 26-04 
]\Lay 
18-98 
November 16-58 
J une 
35-3S 
December 5-57 
81-64 
1 19-35 
81-64 
ToLl 200-99 inch. 

WYNAAD PLANTING NOTES: COEEEE. 
Planting has, I regiot to say, become of late such 
a truly d smal subject, that 1 have positively shied at 
the uloa of discjs-iug it. At present, the tiniest rim 
ot silver comes to ed^:c our c'ou l, for tbe weatliei- has 
been unusually propitious, and ihe spike Jook-i exoeed- 
iusiy proaiising. It is very' dry and hut with U3 row. 
The regiiUr old fashion wiutcr euitabla for hardeniog 
wood and spike, is fo far very desirable. But of course 
sucli parching heat is very trying to new clearings, 
and our tattle are suffering terribly already. Tatre las 
btea a tolerably severe outl-ieak of foi.u and un uth 
disease, and this niovnmg 1 hear of some cases ct 
rinderpest on a leighbouiiag edate. 
I can bn'o give yru a wuelul account of our past crop 
seaeon. With the exc-iption of one or two estates, the 
oriip has been past all the experience of tho “ oldest 
inUabilant,” for badness. Properties which might rea- 
sonably have expected 100 ton=, have only given 14 
and mosii of us bumble oureelvc.s to the level of from 1 
to 3 toil crop — Biid this icarcity has not been alone 
confiatd to coffee; nepp- r has alio failed, and the 
cinchona di.sense has ravag. d splendid fields, in a 
heart-breaking mamior. i^addy has al«o been very 
poor and the nativrs, like oui’slIvcs, suffer keenly 
trom the general badness ot the times. There is, 
however, C-uisideruble trust still in Ledgoriaua 
cinchona. Formsi-ly it was considered the most 
d-licaie variety, but it has proved the contrary and 
remiims healthy in si. nations where the succiruhra has 
died out whslesule. Unfortunately, tbe bark market 
is anything but cheering at present. lo fact, Mark 
Tapley would bo in his element in Wynaad just now, 
and I do think we deserve credit for being as jolly as 
v.-e nre under vti-y decidedly discouraging circumstances. 
It .seems to me that pepper, Liberian coffee, and 
Ledger are our principal supports ; but even more than 
these, undoubtedly, thrives tea. There are very many 
of us whose thoughts are turning seriously to this 
product. It has been proved beyond a doubt that tea 
grows .splendidly ill Wj naad and yields infinitely more 
freely than on the Nilgiri bills. The difficulties put 
forward regarding- it, are the labour or the capital 
necer-sai-y lor slarliug a now industry', and building 
factories for the jH-eparation of the leaf. There is a 
great difference of opinion on the labour question, some 
poiutiag out the difficulty we already find in obtaining 
suflioient hands for -working our estates during three- 
quarters of the year, whilst tea rsquiros a continual 
and regnhu- supply ; others taying that a little extra pay 
will bring in what wo requiro. — Cor., Madras Times, 
Fob. IGtl'.. 

Nilgiei Tea. — It is expected that there will be a 
grand harvest for Nilgiri tea planters this year. 
A correspondent writes: — “That va-y good tea 
(equal to the produce of Ceylon and Assam) can 
be produced on these hills has lately been proved 
by several of cur planters, JSilgiri planters require 
to carefully prune their bu-hes ; to pluok quickly 
and line, and to provide ample wiiliering aocom- 
modation. 500 pounds per acre is possiblo on these 
hills to tho careful agrioulturist.” — E. Mail, 
