126 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Aug. 2, 1897. 
In the early days of the Tea Imlustry here, 
a high authority stated in the Observer that 
the way to hulk tea was to jmt it in a lieap 
from the bins, then spread it out in a circle, 
then heap up agaiti and so on till a perfect 
equalization was obtairud. This is a slovenly 
plan, as the coolies would be kneeling or squat- 
ting amongst the tea. 
In absence of a bulking cylinder, a neat and 
sure way is to operate on a lloor 30 or 40 feet 
in length by 10 feet in breadth, the tea brought 
from the bins in ])ails or bags, then poured out 
shoulder high, from end to end of the space 
above mentioned. Ail bins containing the grade 
should be opened simultaneously, and the charges 
of pails or bags poured out alternately from 
the .several Inns. When finished tlie heap of 
tea w'ill be at an angle, like road metal, se- 
veral feet in width at the base. 
The tea of various lields, and days’ make.s, 
will now be in strata in the heap ; all that 
is required is to turn it carefully from end to 
end twice. Tlie further handlintr of the tea 
in final firing and packing will thoroughly 
mix it, all differences will be incorporated, or 
bulked. This work is soon learnt by coolies, 
and is done very speedily and costs little or 
nothing; but it is .so 'try important for both 
buyer and seller, by samjdes, that the Superin- 
tendent sho\i!d see it done. Should he choke 
with the tea bloom, no matter. It is ea.sy to 
elose 'up the. ranles \ — Yours faithfully, 
“‘SENEX.’' 
TEA PUEPAKATION IN INDIA. 
SlU,— Can any of your planting correspondent 
kindly enlighten me on the follo'ving point : — 
W^e find that if we wither our leaf on these 
estates according to the average wither, we get a 
darlc out-turn, and consequently we have to put up 
with an undue proportion of broken leaf owing to 
the wither being light, in order to obtain a bright 
out-turn. 
If any of your planting friends would kindly 
suggest any method that would enable me to 
obtain a good witlier without a dark out-turn, 
I w'ould be very thankful, also 1 would be inte- 
rested to hear whether this local peculiaiity has 
been observed elsewhere. — Youis faitlifully, 
AN INDIAN PLANTED. 
F.S . — Leaf I have obtained from out-lying local- 
ities,! litid I can wither well and lun no risk of 
dark “out-turns.” 
[Deference to an experienced Ceylon Manager 
has brought us the following 
“ It is impossible to express an opinion on en- 
closed as there is no reason why the leaf from out- 
lying localities should differ from his local leaf if 
the conditions are similar in both cases, and the 
treatment of the leaf identical. Given similar jat, 
elevation and length of time from pruning, and the 
results should be the same ; but if any of these 
differ, it might affect the outturn, and in any case 
he would not get a bright outturn from recently 
primed tea. I presume he has tried various ex- 
periments with the view of getting the best pos- 
s ble results, but if not, he would better do so. I 
would wither fully in any case, and if he rolls hard 
or long, say two or three separate hall hours, I 
would not ferment at all or very little. The roll 
should not be allowed to get overheated during 
rolling. I cannot suggest anything else except that 
I would send my loc.al leaf round by the outlying 
1 icalitics rather than be done, but this latter is really 
absurd nonsense.” 
—El). T.A.] 
CEYLON TEA IN AMEDICA : 
IMPODTANT NEWS EOD CEYLON 
PLANTEDS. 
LonI'ON', June 11. 
Dear Sir, — The threateneil duty has not been 
put on tea in the States. Dut the new regulation 
regarding dusty brohen teas lias already sliut 
out quantities of our teas. These have been re- 
fused admittance at tbe Port of New York. We 
have repeatedly advertised that our teas have 
never been condemned at any Port in America. 
We can boast so no longer. Another Plow to 
broken pekoes — already at a discount. Ceylon 
planters should copy Indian in making whole 
leaf (broken ?) pekoes, and less smashed-up fan- 
nings. Eor American shipments, it is now neces- 
sary “ brokens ” be sifted out. — Yours faitlifully, 
WM. MACKENZIE. 
13, Rood Lane, London, 9th June J897 E.C. 
Wji. Mackenzie Esip, London. 
Deak Mr. M.ackenzie, — We understand from oar 
conversation of yesterday, that all teas entering the 
United States are now subjected to a sieve test, 
and that no tea is admitted which contains more 
than 10 per cent, of small broken. 
We therefore think this a suitable opportunity to 
call the attention of plantex-a to the very large amount 
of Ceylon tea which is of a nondescript kind, and 
sorted into no very distinct grade. So much tea 
marked broken pekoe is neither a true broken pekoe 
nor a leaf tea, but a mixture of pekoe, broken pekoe, 
and fannings. 
The large quantity of this (which is quite unsuitable 
for the export trade) coming to the London market 
has severely depressed quotations for broken pekoes 
during the past season. The variation in price 
between them and the pekoe grades is now very 
small, although intrinsically, for liquor, the difference 
should be much t^reater. 
We feel sure that if you called attention to this 
matter on the other side, and pointed out to the 
lanters the necessity for sending home their teas 
etter sorted, that it would be greatly to their benefit, 
and relieve this market of the super-abundance of so 
called broken pekoes which has lately been so 
noticeable. Trusting the above remarks may be of 
some use. — We are, dear Mr. Mackenzie, yours faith- 
ully, GOW, WILSON & STANTON. 
A PDIZE OF $200. 
Is offered for the best poem, not exceeding twenty 
lines on machine made 
CEYLON AND INDIA TEA. 
Only one prize is offered, but poems found suitable 
will be purchased from competitors. This method is 
considered more likely to give satisfaction than a long 
list of graded awards. 
Poems may be signed with name or nom de plume 
for identification and must be sent by Mail only nre- 
vious to Aug. 1, 1897, addressed “ Ceylon and India 
Tea Prize Poem ” care of J. Walter Thompson Co., 
Times Building, New York. 
No BISS, will be returned. The award will be made 
by three literary people and announced before Oct 1st, 
and the poems published in leading papers. 
The following figures or metaphors on the Union of 
Boiling water with India and Ceylon Tea, must be 
included in the poem. 
1. — A Teaspoon of Ceylon and India Tea is like a 
maiden's heart, pure and unsullied. 
2. — The boiling water represents the man. The 
warmth of his love extracts and sets free the strength 
and sweetness of the maiden’s heart and thus assi- 
milates all her goodness and purity. The water must 
be boiling (carry on the metaphor) or the true essence 
is not extracted. 
