702 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST.  [April  i,  1897. 
(4)  With  more  commoiUous  factory  ami  greater 
knowledge,  1 tliink  the  work  in  factories  generally 
is  more  carefully  done  today  than  ever  it  was. 
(5)  When  an  estate  linds  itself  short  of  lahonr 
part  is  gem  rally  ahandoned  and  the  rest  plucked 
as  usual,  so  1 do  not  think  that  this  aliects  the 
average, 
(7)  Overproduction  is,  I think,  the  only  cause 
that  is  worth  considering,  and  that  this  e.vists,  so 
far  as  the  London  market  is  concerned,  is  proved 
by  our  having  to  lind  fresh  outlets  for  our  produce 
every  year. 
Of  course  individual  e.xceptions  go  to  prove  the 
general  rule. — Yours  truly, 
OIMBULDANOAOYA. 
Mo  TV. 
High  District. 
(1)  Not  much;  iducking  is  about  same  as  it  used 
to  be. 
(2)  Not  manuring  certainly  ; witness  (Hautville) 
prices  in  Agrapatna;  Dewetnrai  in  Low  Country.) 
(3)  limning  could  be  more  scientifically  done 
than  it  is  in  many  cases,  and  both  yield  and  quality 
of  crop  imiirovecl. 
(4)  This  is  where  we  are  weak,  and  even  the 
Java  planters  have  in  conjunction  with  Government 
a scientilic  chemist  helping  them,  their  prices  are 
going  up,  ours  down  !! 
(5)  Not  much, 
(0)  Overproduction  is  at  the  bottom  of  low'er 
prices  and  things  will  be  w'orsc  yet.  “ N.” 
No.  V. 
Ham  bod  a. 
1.  T think  Coarser  Plucking  has  had  something, 
but  not  mucli  to  do  with  it. 
2.  I do  not  think  that  Manuring  has  injured 
the  teas. 
3.  yevere  limning  is  jieriodically  necessary, 
say  once  in  10  years,  and  I think  there  cannot 
be  any  doubt  about  the  teas  being  w'eakcr  for 
a considerable  period  after  heavy  Pruning  for 
the  first  8 or  10  years  of  onr  tea  industry  heavy 
Pruning  was  not  re(|uired. 
4.  1 think  more  attention  is  now  given  in  the 
Factory  than  formerly. 
5.  We  have  always  had  snllicient  Labor  here. 
0 1 tliink  the  chief  caii.^e  of  the  fall  of  prices  is, 
that  the  taste  of  buyers  has  changed  of  late. — L. 
No.  VT. 
Medium  District. 
1.  I do  not  think  Coarser  Plucking  has  any- 
thing to  do  witli  the  bringing  dowm  of  the 
average  juice. 
3.  I believe  severe  Thuning  is  a good  deal  to 
blame  for  inferior  (juality  of  leaf. 
4.  And  1 am  jierfectly  sure  if  more  care  was 
given  to  Iheparation  in  the  h'actory  the  average 
would  keep  up.  Many  estates  cannot  makegood 
tea  for  want  of  accommodation.  Tea  is  made  in 
the  factory,  very  little  in  the  field. 
5.  Shortness  of  Labor  Supply  has  not  affected 
field  or  factory  work.  V. 
No.  VII. 
Dimbula,  h'eb.  15. 
Inrcjily  to  your  circular  the  fall  in  prices  is  due 
mainly,  in  my  opinion,  to  0\  erprodnction. 
1.  At  the  same  time  from  exigencies  of  labour 
Plucking  has  a tendency  to  he  Uss  carelnlly  done 
than  a few  years  ago. 
Theoretic  Plurkiiif/  is  also  done  (as  a rule)  much 
less  finely  than  a few  years  ago,  and  the  extra 
yield  fully  compensates  nji  to  tins  date  for  any 
diminution  in  the  (juality  and  price  of  the  result- 
ing tea. 
2.  Manure  does  not  (to  my  mind)  injure  prices 
to  cUiy  great  extent,  although  it  does  affect  flavour 
in  individual  fields  for  a few  months  es- 
pecially in  wet  weather. 
3.  Filming. — Severe  pruning — I have  n(j  esta- 
blished opinion  on  this  point,  but  am  inclined  to 
think  that  severe  pruning  would  affect  prices 
much  as  manuring  does  for  a few  months.  I do  not 
think  pruning  generally  is  in  any  w'ay  resjjonsi- 
ble  for  the  j>resent  drop  in  prices. 
4.  Factory  Preparation. — It  is  impossible  for 
any  factory  staff’to  handle  a heavy  crop  as  carefully 
as  a light  one — a certain  percentage  of  leaf  muat 
be  niuierwdthered  and  overwithered,  and  indiff- 
erently fermented  (in  spite  of  everj'  care  being 
taken  by  the  teamaker)  it  the  crop  is  a heavy  one 
harvested  in  damp  weather. 
5.  Up  till  nowq  shortness  of  labour  has  not 
affected  me  personally,  but  has  undeniably  done 
harm  generally — the  shortness  being  rather  in 
field  than  factory. 
6.  iSeasons  vary  considerably,  and  I consider 
that  the  crop  of  189(),  following  on  the  heavy  crop  of 
1895,  and  being  in  itself  large,  can  hardly  be 
expected  to  produce-  so  good  a jirice  as  was 
realised  in  1895,  following  upon  the  short  crop 
of  1894.  A certain  measure  of  exhaustion  of  the 
liner  princij)les  of  tea  must  result  in  the  second 
of  two  heavy  flushing  years,  and  continuous 
and  monotonous  work  makes  the  wdiole  staff  have 
a tendency  to  get  “ stale.”  130 HEA. 
No.  VIII. 
Ansicers.  Ambagamuwa. 
( 1 ) The  chief  of  the  causes. 
(2)  No. 
(3)  Yes,  to  a great  extent,  Imt  we  must  prune 
hard. 
(4)  No. 
(5)  During  April  and  May,  a great  deal  of 
rubbish  is  made  on  account  of  strained  resources, 
botli  as  regards  field  and  also  factory  work.  If 
flush  be  left  too  long  and  the  planter  gets  be- 
hind with  his  rounds,  then  the  leaf  that  comes 
in  makes  bad  te<a.  (So  also  in  the  factory,  when 
the  factory  arrangements  are  unable  to  cope  with 
the  great  rush  of  flush.  Night  work  means,  as 
a rule,  inferior  tea.  13ut  all  this  lasts  but  two 
months. 
(6)  Flayed  out  land,  jioor  .soil,  general  state  of 
the  money  market  and  trade  in  general. 
(7)  Increased  production  and  congested  sales 
causing  unfair  competition. 
We  would  have  better  jjrices  i/—we  had  rich 
alluvial  soil,  more  decided  seasons,  rest  and  har- 
vest, abundance  of  labour,  more  extended  markets, 
less  congested  sales.  Our  harvest  is,  like  tlie 
poor,  always  with  us,  and  our  other  works  are 
carried  out  at  the  same  time.  If  w-e  had  harvest 
time  for  a short  busy  season,  when  all  operators 
w’ere  concentratKl  on  manufacture — and  then  a 
long  easy  season  when  pruning,  and  manuring 
could  be  leisurely  juoceeded  with  then  we  might 
do  better.  J897. 
No.  L\. 
Talawakclc,  Feb.  15. 
Dkak  Sir, — With  leganl  to  your  questioms  : 
(1)  1 am  certain  that  coar.ser  plucking  has 
nothing  to  do  with  it.  FIncking  on  the  whole 
is  much  liner  than  it  was  fiv«,  six  and  seven 
years  ago. 
