568 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICUL  l URIST. 
[Feb.  r,  1897. 
best  artificial  oaly  showing  about  f,rd  increase 
over  tlie  vuiniaimre«l.  Hut  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  cattle  manure  is  the  most  costly. 
I hope  that  the  painstaking  and  itulefaligable 
manager  of  this  line  property  will  let  you  liave 
full  details  of  his  interesting  experiments  pro  bono 
publico.  L. 
No.  XXVI. 
Dikoya,  Jan.  3. 
Manuring  in  both  old  and  new  districts  is 
vretty  general  ; but  the  searcity  of  laboiu  pie- 
sents  many  from  going  in  for  it  on  a large 
pcale^here  uttle  bulky  manner  used,  as 
few  keep  cattle  in  these  days.  In  my  opinion 
artificial  manure  when  properly  applied  gives 
quicker  returns,  and  compares  favourably  with 
bulk  in  every  way.  , 
3.  StCcinied  Bones  and  Castor  Cake,  in  tlie 
proportion  of  1 part  of  the  former  to  4 of  the 
latter  finds  most  favour,  though  some  add  lish 
to  this  mixture  with  advantage. 
4.  I do  not  think  any  harm  is  being  done  by 
the  use  of  artificial  manures  ; at  all  events,  I 
know  several  estates  that  hav'c  been  systemati- 
cally manured  with  Bones  and  (,'astor  (Jake  for 
the'  past  8 or  9 years,  the  appearance  of  the 
tea  now,  is  decidedly  finer,  than  on  tlie  a<l join- 
ing estates  of  the  same  age  and  the  yield  is 
certainly  not  less  than  200  lb.  made  tea,  per 
acre,  better.  There  is  a well  known  estate  in 
Dikoya  where  manuring  wuth  artificial  was  car- 
ried out  on  a liberal  scale  for  several  years  ; 
some  four  years  ago  manuring  was  discontinued, 
and  at  present  the  tea  is  looking  superb,  and  I 
am  assured  by  the  manager,  that  the  yield  is 
ouite  as  good  as  it  was  before  manuring  Wc^ 
commenced.  This  proves  that  tea  does  not  sniler 
from  the  discontinuance  of  manuring  up  country, 
Okam, 
No.  XXVII. 
Kotmale,  Jan.  4. 
In  this  district  manuring  is  systematically  car- 
ried out  on  two  or  three  est  ates  and  with  the 
best  results  as  regards  yield  and  improvement  of 
the  bushes.  , . ,1  a 1 t-n 
Cattle  manure  does  not  tell  on  the  Hush  till 
six  or  eiv'ht  months  after  application,  ncr  does 
it  »ive  the  heavy  yields  obtained  from  artificial 
manures  in  the  first  year;  but  has  a more  lasting 
pflect  on  the  bushes  and  need  not  be  repeated 
till  four  years  have  elapsed  from  the  lust  a]ip  1- 
cation  If  practicable  the  best  results  would  be  ob- 
wined  by  ‘dving  a light  dose  of  artificial  two 
vpars  after  the  cattle  manure  was  applied  or  mix- 
ing some  stimulating  manure  with  the  cattle  man- 
ure when  applied.  i 1 r-i  (. 
So  tar  tlie  best  mixture  appears  to  be  Castor 
Pakp  Fish  and  Nitrate  of  Potash  in  the  ))io[)oi- 
ti^s'  of  about  6.  J.  1.  applied  in  semi-circular 
boles  and  10  ewt.  to  the  acie.  >■  1 
Tea  to  wliicli  Castor  Oal^e  (only)  was  aj^pliecl 
in  1892  and  not  since  manured  is  now  yielding 
Hushes  equal  to  the  same  tea  vyhich  has  never 
ad  manure  and  shows  no  injurious  ellects  from 
manuriiK'.  1 do  not,  however,  approve  of  etting 
the  tea"run  more  than  three  years  without  a 
second  application  and  should  say  when  once 
bcmin,  it  should  be  followed  out  systematically  as 
a means  ol  keeping  u))  the  condition  of  the  bushes 
an.l  maintaining  the  increased  profits  resulting 
from  careful  and  judicious  manuring  of  fields  which 
^yill  respond  to  the  manuio. 
It  is  (juestionabic  if  it  pays  to  manure  tea  which 
without  it  only  yields  2,11)  lb.  per  acre.  Prefer- 
ence ought  to  be  given  to  fields  from  which  a 
higher  yield  is  got. 
It  is  dillicult  to  say  whether  on  the  whole, 
quality  is  imp, aired  or  improved  by  manuring  ; 
careful  comparisons  for  two  years  showed  little 
difference,  but  was  slightly  in  favor  of  manured 
tea. 
Manured  tea  does  not  feel  the  effects  of  a 
long  drought  to  the  same  extent  as  unmaiiured 
tea  and  unless  the  drought  is  prolonged  for  several 
weeks  no  material  diflerence  is  noticed  in  the  yield 
of  leaf.  A.  F.  S. 
No.  XXVIII. 
Bogawantalawa,  Jan.  2. 
The  manuring  of  tea  is  carried  on  a good  deal 
on  many  estates  throughout  the  tea  districts 
■whose  transport  facilities  are  easy,  where,  long 
cultivation  or  poor  soil  makes  it  more  or  less  ne- 
cessary to  reajt  the  full  .advantage.  Some  pro- 
prietors however  do  not  believe  in  the  efficacy  of 
artificial  manuring  considering  it  too  stimiil.iting 
and  not  sufficiently  lasting  in  its  results.  But  I 
think  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  fact  that 
planters  generally  are  ap|dying  large  quantities 
of  artificial  manure  on  many  estates  with  very 
good  results  both  in  the  low  country  and  on  the 
hills.  And  where  this  is  applied  with  care, 
systematically  good  results  in  increased  yield  and 
stronger  growth  of  wood  are  generally  apparent.  I 
have  never  used  Nitrates  nor  have  I known  any 
one  who  has  done  so  recently.  Bones  and  Castor 
Cake  seems  to  be  the  favourite  mixture  in  propor- 
tions suited  to  the  elevation,  soil,  climate  and 
other  conditions. 
Bulk  manure  w'hich  was  so  much  used  in  the 
coffee  days  seems  to  have  now  become  confined 
to  what  is  made  by  a few  bungalow  cattle  or 
from  cart  bullocks  and  roadside  cattle  sheds.  Fish 
manure  is  applied  by  some— and  I have  heard  of 
it  beinL'  made  into  a compost  heap  with  layers 
of  the  succulent  portion  of  jungle  growth,  fish 
manure  and  jungle  soil,  but  1 do  not  know  of  any 
being  applied  straight  to  the  tea  trees. 
“ TEA  BUSH.'’ 
No.  XXIX. 
Agrapatana,  Jan.  4. 
Dear,  Sir, — In  response  to  your  letter  I send 
the  following  replies  to  your  questions  re-manuring: 
No.  1.  In  old  districts  1 believe  the  best  pay- 
ing estates  generally  manure  their  tea.  In  this 
district  it  is  not  general,  but  only  the  few  man- 
ure, or  at  any  rate  to  any  extent. 
No.  2.  There  are  very  few  estates  that  are 
able  to  do  bulky  manuring  other  than  burying 
primings,  any  attenijit  at  cattle  manuring  for 
tea,  means  a large  acreage  of  good  land  being  used 
for  grass  and  at  the  present  value  of  land  this 
means  very  much.  Anything  less  than  thorough 
])rovision  for  up-keep  of  sufficient  cattle,  to  do  this 
work  efficiently,  is  simply  phaying  at  manuring. 
No.  J.  The  artificial  manure  most  used  is  Cas- 
tor Cake  anil  Bone-dust  with  a little  Nitrate,  X'C. 
mixed  in  suitable  jiroportions. 
No.  4.  No,  certainly  not.  If  jiroperly  applied 
and  xvell  mixed  with  earth  in  the  hole  I liave 
only  found  good  results,  and  very  much  so,  in  most 
cases.  Extendeil  over  .‘I  or  4 manurings  (4  to 
years)  I have  seen  the  yield  doubled  in  some  in 
stances,  and  alw.ays  after  first  ye.ar  or  so,  the  ap 
pearance  improveil,  ,and  yield  considerably  in- 
creased ; and  1 h.ave  not  found  that  the  made  tea 
Joses  quality  or  flavor  through  this  manuring. 
