342 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Nov, I, 1897; 
3. Tramways would be too costly, including their 
own cost and the sacrifice of a number of tea bushes. 
4. I prefer the present system of montlily weed- 
ing to any other. 
5. With the present system of manuring, mosses, 
etc., etc. would scarcely get time to grow. 
6. Answered in Is' o. 4. 
7. I think close draining on the present system 
the best. Can’t give an opinion, on therffect of rows 
of cuscus grass planted above drains, having never seen 
them, or ever heard of the system being carried out 
before. 
g , 
9. There are gardens around all my lines, but 
very little grown in them except weeds. The only 
thing coolies seem to care about now is getting into 
debt. It leaves them no time for gardening. 
10. I think the system would be a good one, but 
it is very difficult lo get boutique-keepers to start 
in isolated places. They like clustering together in 
certain central spots. 
11. I am not troubled much with drunkenness 
amongst coolies except at Teevali and Pougal. 
No. LVL— Loavcountby. 
1. Have only used shoots for firewood. They 
might be used a good deal in this district for short 
distances. . 
2. Narrow cartfi-oads for half-carts might save a 
good deal of labour on large estates. 
^ 8. I fancy cost and upkeep Would be too large. 
4’ Yes, but the cheapest way is to keep the land 
clear of weeds by monthly weeding and — 
5. I do not think there would be saving of soil 
or labour by less frequent weeding. Selected weed- 
ing might do good. 
6. No. 
7. I have done a little terracing above roads, but 
it W’ould be too expensive to do much except in 
very stony parts. u c r 
8. Have found I require a less number of coolies 
for plucking since I started paying Tamils by the 
lb. instead of by the day. 
9. Have always seen small plots given to coolies 
round the lines. 
10. No each boutique would sell illicit arrack. 
11! No! but arrack is obtainable by the coolies on 
the edge of the estate, and I have reason to believe 
is likewise sold in the lines. Nothing will do any 
good in this direction unless we can get the co-opera- 
tion of the renters. C. H. 
No. LVII.— Medium District. 
1 Yes, they save a great deal of labour, and the 
damage done to leaves is very slight. 
2 . 
3. No experience. 
4 Yea, it is often overdone, but occasional weed- 
ing’ is very expensive in Ceylon where weeds grow 
all the year round. In India from October to March 
no weeds grow. 
5. No. 
7' The litter from grevilleas saves .wash very much 
and keeps down weeds. 
9' Coolies work far less when they have large 
gardens- they are very fond of living on their gar- 
dens and cattle. I am strongly against large gardens 
and cattle. 
11' Yes they are a great curse, and spoil the good 
effect of cash plucking. F. J. H. 
No. LVHI.— High District. 
1 Too constantly working. Yes, unless much care 
1 exercised they do injure the leaf. 
3 Tramways owing to formation not practicable 
icept on very flat estates. 
i. - Weeding not overdone, scraping n&a been. 
5. No. Remove “ karandies.” 
6. No, no. 
7. Closer droin'ns and more frequent cleansing 
of drains very desirable ; v.here land is very steep 
cuscus might be tried on upper side. 
8. ? 
9. Give more accommodation. Build lines and a9 
a rule they will be occupied. Allow cattle and goats 
and provide accommodation for them. 
10. Caddies, as a rule, are quite near enough and 
sufficient. 
n. No. B. 
No. LIX.— High Di.strict. 
1. Wire shoots are probably applicable much more 
freely than at present on estates. They damage tea. 
leaf a little. 
2 . 
3. No experience. 
4. Weeding may be overdone in Ceylon, but kan- 
ganies will not stay on estates unless they have 
weeding contracts given them. 
5. Selected weeding might be advisable, but no 
moss or lichen should be allowed to accumulate 
on the stems of the bushes. 
6. No experience. 
7. The present system of draining is, as a rule 
satisfactory. 
8. None to suggest. 
9. I believe it always pays to give ground for 
gardens to coolies Coolies with good gardens are those 
who think twice before leaving. 
10. Yes, certainly. 
11. Liquor shops might be reduced with advantage. 
Arrack is, however, smuggled into the lines on every 
estate, as is well-known. O. 0. 
No. LX.— -High District. 
1. I have had experience with both shoots and 
wire tramways on Hunasgiriya. IShoots will do well 
for bringing firewood near the factory, provided there 
is wood growing or to be procured on the estate 
from any point where the gradient is sufficient. I 
should think a wire shoot w’ould damage and bruise 
tea leaf ; but a ich'c tranncay with endless wires at 
a suitable gradient, and wheels with grooves on each 
wheel, also a brake to regulate the speed, would be 
correct for transporting tea from higher elevations. 
Every estate has not the lay of land suitable for a 
wire tramway of the kind I write of. I have used 
wire tramways for artificial and bulk manures fre- 
quently and with success, especially in bringing back 
bags or manure sacks. 
2. Carts could be used more frequently. 
3. Yes ; very possibly. 
4. Weeding. — I have no reason to believe weeding 
has been overdone in Ceylon. I know that Indian 
planters have remarked this; but cooly labour being 
expensive in Ceylon the general system of weeding 
contracts given to kanganies helps to keen a labour 
force, and I fear that any change of system would 
check a labour force. Selected weeding might be tried, 
but the Tamil being very conservative I do not 
think it will answer i as it is, the clean W'eeding, done 
in the coffee days, has not the attention given now 
to tea on account of daily plucking. 
5. I cannot say ; but a great deal of moss is left 
while weeding on many estates. 
6. No, I have not; but I should like to see it 
tried. 
7. I would suggest where practical a large pit or 
dam be constructed at the bottom of the estate and 
all drains directed to this pit. It has been done 
before with good results : possibly several pits should 
be dug, but many estates have not the lay of land 
for one pit. 
8. A better Labour Ordinance ; the one of 1865 
was more for coffee ; but tea being a daily product 
the present Ordinance is unsuitable. 
9. During my experience all or most coolies have 
gardens ; if not given they are generally taken and 
enclosed. 
