May  r,  i<S97.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGKICULTURIST. 
775 
Tins  larye  increase  luis  been  niaimfactured  in 
the  existing  factories,  which,  although  when  built 
were  ample  for  the  l■e<luiraments  of  the  estate 
are  no>v' quite  unequal  to  dealing  with  the  greater 
quantity  of  letaf. 
Although  I am  convinced  that  superin- 
tendence in  the  field  is  very  necessary,  I am 
equally  sure  that  were  more  time  spent  in  the 
factory,  and  the  responsibility  of  manufacture 
not  left  so  entirely  in  the  hands  of  underpaid 
native  tea-makers,  the  Ceylon  average  Avould  not 
long  remain  at  its  present  low  level.— Yours, 
etc  ! G.13.K. 
PLUCKING,  PRUNING  AND  PRE- 
PARATION OF  TEA. 
REVIEW  OF  LETTERS  XLV  TO  LII. 
The  letters,  commencing  from  No.  4.5  disclose 
similar  differences  of  statement  on  the  question  of 
coarse  plucking  to  those  alreadj'  noted.  “ M ” 
denies  that  coarse  plucking  is  more  general  now 
than  formerly — thereby  implying  that  it  has  always 
been  prevalent  to  a considerable  extent  ; and 
he  inclines  to  the  view  that  plucking  is  finer 
now,  and  grounds  his  belief  on  the  circumstance 
that  more  estates  manufacture  their  own  leaf, 
in  place  of  selling  it.  But  he  admits  that  short- 
ness of  labour  results  in  the  plucking  of  in- 
ferior leaf,  especially  in  busy  seasons,  on 
quite  half  the  estates.  “ Dickoya  ” believes  that 
lowcountry  extensions,  which  are  coming  into 
full  bearing  year  after  year,  have  thrown  into 
the  market  larger  quantities  than  ever  of  coarse 
teas ; and  when  heavy  flushes  come  on,  about 
April  and  May,  an  inadequate  labour  force 
compels  coarser  plucking.  “ D ” asserts  the 
combination  of  coarse  plucking,  manuring 
and  heavy  pruning,  as  tending  to  deteriora- 
tion ; while  coarse  plucking  by  itself  accounts 
for  a larger  percentage  ot  low-grade  teas,  and 
the  lowering  of  the  price  of  tlie  higher  grade’, 
tlirough  mixing  in  rolling  ? “ G.”  from  Kanda- 
pola,  while  admitting  coarser  plucking,  and  the 
evil  influence  of  longer  intervals  than  7 to  10  days 
between  'pluckings,  advances  the  theory  that  the 
deeper  the  tap  root  gets  into  the  sub.soil,  the 
poorer  the  nourishment  it  provides  the  bush  with  ; 
and  that  tells  on  the  quality  of  the  leaf.  But 
do  not  the  principal  feeding  roots  radiate  from 
the  stem,  and  should  not  manuring,  judiciously 
applied,  counteract  the  evil  effects  of  an  aging 
bush  and  inferior  subsoil  ? By  judicious  appli- 
cation, we  do  not  mean  only  the  provision  of 
such  constituents  as  the  bush  needs,  with  refer- 
ence both  to  the  treatment  it  undergoes  and  the 
character  of  the  soil,  but  also  the  manner  of 
applying  the  manure  without  needless  injury  to 
the  roots  which  would  aggravate  the  shock  caused 
by  continuous  plucking.  “G.  ’ disbelieves  in  any 
injurious  effect  on  flavour,  caused  by  man- 
ures, if  applied  once  in  three  years.  “D.”  on 
the  contrary  holds,  that  “manuring  tends  to 
weaken  the  flavour,  and  lessen  the  strength  of 
teas  ; but  no  reasons  are  alleged  for  this  opinion, 
and  we  fail  to  see  how  treatment  which  is 
calculated  to  give  tone  and  strength  to  the 
bush,  can  weaken  the  liquor  drawn  from  the 
leaf.  Injury  to  the  flavour,  by  making  it  coarse 
and  unpalatable,  is  intelligible,  though  it  re- 
mains to  be  established  that  tliis  result  follows 
necessarily  from  the  application  of  manures, 
whatever  their  constituents,  and  if  it  does  follow 
that  it  is  not  transient.  “M.”  and  “Dickoya” 
■’  99 
believe  in  such  deterioration,  but  we  should  prefer 
to  suspend  our  judgment  until  chemical  tests 
have  supplied  data  on  which  one  could  safely 
proceed  ; but  manuring,  as  tending  to  produce 
leaf  beyond  the  competency  of  pluckers,  is  quite 
another  matter,  and  the  experience  on  all  estates 
cannot  be  the  same.  Severe  pruning  is  con- 
demned by  all  four  writers,  as  telling  injuriously 
on  quality,  while  two  e-xju’essly  state  that  a 
high  bush  gives  better  tea  tlian  a low  pruned 
one.  “M.”  asserts  more  intelligent  atten- 
tion to  factory  work  than  before  ; “ Dickoya  ” 
liolds  quite  the  opposite  view— that  not 
enough  time  is  given  to  factory  work — and 
he  is  supported  by  “M.”  who  thinks  less  atten. 
tion  to  preparation  has  perhajrs  most  to  do 
with  disappointing  prices  ; but  “G."  denies  tliis, 
while  holding  inadequate  withering  space  res- 
ponsible for  much  harm.  And  there  follow  some 
suggestive  letters — -notably  those  by  “B.”from 
Agrapatan.a,  and  “D.’'  from  the  Central  Pi’ovince, 
The  former  recognises  the  increasing  proportion 
of  low-grade  teas,  as  one  of  the  many  causes 
that  have  contributed  to  the  decline  in  prices, 
which,  he  affirms,  is  very  slight  in  the  iiigber 
priced  teas.  His  contention  supports  our  refusal 
in  our  last  article  to  accept  the  theory  of  a 
natural  deterioration  of  our  teas  from  the  age 
of  the  bushes ; for,  not  only  does  he  appeal  to 
figures  in  proof  that  the  fall  in  good  teas  is  but 
slight,  but  he  ])oints  out  that  that  fall  is  easily 
explicable  on  the  ground  of  over-production. 
While  saying  thus  much,  he  has  observed  a 
tendency  to  over-plucking,  stimulated  by  pro- 
prietors and  Visiting  Agents,  anxious  to  see  in- 
creasing yields,  and  by  Managers  who  boast 
of  returns  per  acre,  “D,"  on  the  other  hand, 
denies  coarser  plucking,  though  it  operated 
at  one  time  in  places  ivhere  selective  pluck- 
ing did  not  make  up  in  profits  for  loss 
in  yield.  As  “B.”  says,  it  is  often  a matter  of 
nice  calculation,  whether  coarse  or  line  plucking 
pays  better  ; and  we  agree  with  him  that  high- 
lying  estates  should  not  sacrifice  flavour  to 
yield.  “C.”  ranges  himself  with  “B.”  in  the  view 
that  the  fall  in  price  in  teas  from  high  elevations 
is  slight,  when  labour  is  not  scarce.  Scarcity  of 
labour,  he  thinks,  has  a good  deal  to  answer 
for,  and  so  with  “ incompetent  and  unreliable 
tea-makers,”  and  the  desire  for  big  outturns  ; 
while  severe  pruning  gives  weak  tea  only  for  a 
time.  “ D.  K.  agrees  with  the  pi'evious 
writer  on  the  evil  influence  of  short  labour,  and  so 
do  “ D.”  and  “B.” — the  last-mentioned  advertim'- 
to  the  courage  necessary  in  a superintendeiU. 
to  abandon  plucking  on  a certain  acreage,  in 
order  to  maintain  quality.  Clearly,  that  is  a 
matter  in  which  the  luspoasibility  should  rest 
on  the  Visiting  Agent  or  the  proprietor  himself; 
but,  then,  the  sujrcrintendent  would  be  relieved 
of  the  responsibility  of  maintaining  an  adequate 
labour  force.  MYtii  the  alternatives  before  him 
of  a deficiency  in  the  estimated  yield  and 
a fallinsr  off  in  quality,  the  superintendent  wil 
more  fully  recognise  the  need  of  exercisino-  the 
greatest  tact  and  judgment  in  keeping  to-mther 
his  labour  force  without  encoura-dn"  rock-h>«« 
advances. 
On  the  question  of  manuring,  “ B.”  denies  that 
it  has  told  on  prices  ; while  severe  luunin.-  to 
lus  knowledge,  when  canied  out  too  fTeelv 
over  an  estate,  has  so  affected  quality  as  to 
render  recovery  of  the  old  reputation  difiicult- 
“D.  holds  the  same  view  on  manuriim  except 
when  over-succulent  growth  has  been  further 
sought  tg  be  stiumlatea.  When  the  needs  of  % 
