May  I,  1897.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
769 
but  works,  field  and  factory  require  constant 
attention  to  secure  good  results. 
5.  Perhaps  in  some  cases  shortness  of  labor 
no  doubt  has  affected  woi  k in  field  and  factory, 
But  this  could  be  made  to  affect  quality  or 
quantity,  whichever  was  deemed  desirable  by 
those  concerned. 
6 & 7.  I think  perhaps  coarse  plucking  and  over- 
production has  affected  the  market. 
TEA  BUSH. 
No.  XLIV. 
Nebada. 
The  three  things  named,  coarse  'plucking,  style 
of  pruning  and  vmnuring,  tending  as  they  may 
all  do  to  the  production  of  large  yields,  must 
certainly  open  a wide  door  for  the  bringing  in 
of  low  quality  of  tea.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  the  object  aimed  at  has  been  large  yields. 
And  there  is  also  no  doubt  that  it  is  only  in 
favoured  estates  that  such  yields  are  consistent 
with  high  quality.  The  temptation  of  large 
production  is,  therefore,  at  the  root  of  low 
average  prices,  because  although  large  ciops  of 
poor  teas  wm?/  cause  overproduction  and  bring 
prices  to  a ruinous  level,  the  fact  is  that  hitherto 
such  crops  have  been  profitable.  All  other  con- 
siderations refer  to  minor  points  well  within 
the  control,  and  most  efficiently  controlled,  by 
the  generally  good  management  existing  in  es- 
tates, aided  by  the  supervision  of  competent 
visiting  agents.  There  is  always  a high  average 
for  high  class  tea,  and  the  average  price  in 
London  is  but  the  outcome  of  the  planter’s 
efforts  to  combine  quantity  with  quality  to  the 
best  advantage  possible  in  the  land  he  happens 
to  be  cultivating.  That  is  what  he  will  always 
do  still,  and  we  must  stand  or  fall  by  the 
consequences.  M. 
No.  XLV. 
Eeb.  20. 
1.  Coarse  plucking  is  not  more  general  than 
formerly — rather  the  reverse,  since  more  estates 
manufacture  their  own  leaf  in  place  of  selling  it. 
2.  Overstimulating  manures  have  detracted 
greatly  frofii  quality  of  some  5 per  cent  of  Cey- 
lon estates. 
3.  Severe  low  pruning  (necessitated  by  too 
close  plucking  and  injudicious  modes  of  prun- 
ing) has  much  to  do  with  a falling  off  of 
quality. 
4.  There  is,  if  anything,  more  intelligent  at- 
tention to  factory  work  than  formerly. 
5.  Shortness  of  labour  has  caused  inferior  leaf 
to  be  brought  in  during  the  busy  seasons  on 
half  the  estates  in  Ceylon. 
6.  The  market  being  better  supplied  is 
more  critical  of  quality.  The  numbers  of 
factories  are  not  equal  to  their  in- 
creased output.  Demand  is  running  on  the 
stronger  liquoring  teas  of  India.  The  estates 
with  worn-out  soil  do  not  produce  as  good  a 
quality  as  when  the  tea  was  younger.  This  ap- 
plies to  a large  area  of  the  oldest  coffee  dis- 
tricts and  the  parts  that  have  the  heaviest 
rainfall.  M. 
No.  XLVI. 
1.  I think,  as  many,  of  the  large  tracts  of  tea 
in  the  lowcountry  have  gradually  and  year  by 
year  come  into  full  bearing,  the  yield  has  been 
increased,  throwing  into  the  markets  a large 
proportion  of  lowcountry  leafed  teas  than  were 
shipped  when  only  a few  estates  commenced 
niftDufactqring.  At  times,  too,  say  April-May 
heavy  flushes  come  on,  and  then  the  labour  supply 
is  inadequate,  and  nolens  volens  course  plucking 
has  to  be  adopted. 
2.  I don’t  like  manuring  and  I don’t  think  it 
tends  to  improved  quality;  rather  the  reverse; 
in  an  indirect  manner,  for,  if  you  have  not  suffi- 
cient labour  to  compete  with  the  increased  yield, 
you  had  much  better  leave  manure  alone. 
.3.  Very  possible  ; severe  pruning  is  very  much 
in  vogue,  and  at  the  same  time  the  roots  are 
attacked  with  tlie  mamoty,  to  say  the  least, 
heroic  treatment. 
4.  Without  doubt,  not  enough  time  is  given 
to  factory.  Of  course,  good  teas  can  be,  .so  to 
speak,  made  in  the  field,  but  these,  on  the  other 
hand,  can  be  spoilt  by  want  of  attention  in  the 
factory  : more  attention  wanted,  too,  to  sorting 
and  grading. 
5.  Personally  I have  always  been  well-off  for 
labour,  but  this  is  going  to  be  a greater  trouble 
yet.  DIKOYA. 
No.  XLVII. 
Feb.  20. 
1,  2,  and  3.  All  these  mean  a certain  loss 
of  strength  and  flavour,  especially  when  combined- 
1.  Coarser  plucking  undoubtedly  lowers  the 
price  by  giving  a large  percentage  of  lower 
grade  teas  and  lowering  the  price  of  higher 
grades  through  mixing  in  rolling. 
2.  Manuring  tends  to  weaken  the  flavour 
and  lessen  the  strength. 
3.  This  affects  prices  similarly  to  No.  2,  for 
say,  6 to  9 months  from  date  ot  pruning. 
4.  This,  in  my  opinion,  has  perhaps  most  to 
do  with  lower  average  prices. 
Yes;  careless  or  inadequate  factory  work  will 
spoil  the  most  carefully  plucked  leaf. 
5.  I do  not  think  it  has  affected  the  price! 
of  my  teas  or  factory  work,  but  it  has  thrown 
field  works  back  very  prejudicially — such  works 
as  pruning,  weeding,  roading,  draining  etc. 
6.  Of  course,  overproduction  and  increased 
supply  has  also  largely  to  do  with  falling-off  in 
price.  D. 
No.  XLVI II. 
Kandapola,  Feb.  22,  1897. 
I think  the  deeper  the  tap  roots  get  into  the 
sub  soil,  thereby  deriving  inferior  nourishment, 
the  poorer  the  quality  of  leaf  may  become. 
This  is  only  a surmise. 
1.  There  is  no  doubt  that  plucking  an  estate 
once  in  7 or  10  days  is  productive  of  a better 
quality  of  tea,  than  if  rounds  were  allowed  to 
run  to  12  or  15  days.  Coarser  plucking  may 
have  something  to  say  to  the  fall  in  price  of 
Ceylon  teas  of  late  years. 
2.  I do  not  think  manure,  if  applied  once 
every  three  years,  should  affect  the  quality 
of  tea. 
3.  I believe  that  a high  bush  gives  a better 
quality  of  tea  than  a bush  pruned  down  low. 
4.  Tea  is  practically  made  in  the  field  in  my 
opinion,  but  inadequate  withering  space  or  care- 
less work  may  spoil  the  best  leaf.  I do  not 
consider  less  attention  to  careful  preparation  in 
the  factory  has  anything  to  do  with  the  lower 
prices  of  Ceylon  teas. 
5.  Shortness  of  labour,  on  the  other  hand,  I do 
think  may  have,  and  probably  has  accounted  for 
inferior  quality  of  teas  produced,  tlierefore  for 
lower  prices. 
6.  Increased  supply  in  competition  at  the  sales 
Very  probably  also  accounts  for  the  fall  in  price 
of  Ceylon  Teas,  G, 
