Nov. I, 1897.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
353 . 
“HOW TO ECONOIVilSE THE AVAIL 
ABLE LABOUH SUPPLY ON OUR 
TEA PLANTATIONS.” 
REVIEW OF LETTERS LIV. TO LXIL 
The nine letters to be dealt with at present 
do not occupy as much space as the batch 
iinmetliately jn eceding ; but they are full of 
interest nevertheless. “Old Planter,” from a 
Mid-District, adds his own testimony to that 
of the many experienced men whose letters we 
have already noticed in favour of wire shoots, 
as a great labour-saving appliance, whose use 
should he extended for the transport of both 
leaf and fuel. In this opinion “ T.” from a 
Higli District concurs; tor, although he has had 
no practical experience of them himself, he has 
seen them at work. “ (LH.” has used shoots 
for lirewood, and thinks they might be used 
a good deal even in the lowcbuntry, whence be 
writes. Narrow cart roads for half carts he is in 
favour of for la.rge estates, but like the two 
previous writers he doubts whether tramways 
could be laid down and worked at a reasonable 
cost. “F.J.H.”from a Medium District testifies 
to the great saving in labour, shoots effect, while 
doing little injury to leaf ; and so does “O.C.” 
from a High District; but “ B.”, also from a 
High District, has evidently had unpleasant ex- 
perience, as he says much care is necessary to 
avert damage to leaf. “J.N.” from a High Dis- 
trict, w'ho has had experience with both slioots 
and wire tramways on Hunasgiriya, approves 
of them for firewood ; but would prefer wire 
tramways for leaf, as he thinks shoots 
would bruise the leaf. Planters, however, who 
have worked shoots have been able to reduce 
damage to a minimum; and “ Thirty-three years 
at it,” in a High District, cannot see any reason 
for damage if the shoots be not too steep ; and 
even then a check cord can be used. “W.S.” 
from a Medium District, while admitting some 
damage from too great length and steepness of 
shoots, believes that they can be more largely 
used. Only in very exceptional cases are tram- 
ways considered feasible on estates by our cor- 
respondents ; but “Old Planter” starts a new 
the yorentirely in suggesting as a labour-saving 
device, the sending down of all tea, “ in special 
chests made for the purpose,” in good stout 
paper, so that all final firing and packing might 
be done in Colombo. Even assuming that the 
Colombo charges will not swallow up the saving 
anticipated in transport of lead, nails and 
hoop iron, lessened by the original cost of the 
special chests and their transport, will planters 
accept Colombo firing and packing, including per- 
haps bulking, as a substitute for factory wmrk done 
under their own eyes? The objection will not, of 
course, hold except in the case of proprietary 
planters : but the saving in transport, it strikes 
us if other objections are overcome, is likely 
to prove a more important factor than any 
conveni^nce arising from the saving of labour 
on Estates. We fear though that experiments 
already made in this direction have not given 
satisfactory results. 
On the question of weeding, conservatism eon- 
tinues to be the most prominent featuie. “Old 
Planter” deelaies that there is nothing like clean 
weeding; and that if aiupee per acre jrer men- 
sem is paid, the charge might be reduced to 
60 cents when the tea covers the ground and 
■ 44 
pluckers have to go their rounds once in eight 
days, and thus help to keep down the weeds, 
bmall ferns and mosses are not objected to by 
this writer, who further lecommends the closer 
planting of tea (two plants in each hole 18 inches 
apart) as an aid to the prevention of wash, and 
also the planting of grevilleas, whose leaves 
serve as n uich and do a lot of good, esjjecially 
in thin tea with a large percentage of vacancies. 
“ T,” too, expre.sses liis preference for tlie juesent 
system of montlily weeding whicli, with the pre- 
sent system of manuring, would scarcely give 
time for mosses and ferns to grow. “C. II.” 
inclines to the same view, though he allows that 
selected weeding might do good. “ B” is emphatic 
that weeding has not been overdone, though 
Scraping has been; and “ J N. ” believe.s in the pre- 
sent system, as having the further advantage of 
satisfying tlie kangany and keeping the labour 
force together, th.ough Indian planters have re- 
marked that weeding is o\ erdone. “Thirty years 
at it ” also gives the weiclit of his experh 
ence in favour of weeding clean, when it cam 
be done under a rupee ; while for dirty estates 
he recommends the taking out of coarse weed.s, 
ami the stirring u]i of tlie soil once a year to 
break the hardening surface. So also with “ W, 
S.” who tliinks weeding has been overdone only 
when the hoe has been in constant use. The 
hoe and the karandy he would dispense with, and 
use “ kootchie ” instead ; but “ F. J. H.” asserts 
that weeding is often overdone, and justifies the 
system on the ground that occasional W'eeding 
is very expensive, as our weeds grow all the 
year round, while in India they give no trouble 
from October to Maich. “ 0. C.” while conceding 
that weeding may be overdone here, objects that 
kanganies will not stay on estates without 
weeding contracts. Does not this frequent re- 
ference to the kangany imply that he is gaining 
too much inffuence ? Certainly humour him rea-. 
sonably ; and if the present system of w’eeding is 
maintained chiefly to propitiate him by enabling 
him to supplement his income from head money 
he should not have the further privilege of 
practically unlimited “ coast advances.” 
The present system of draining, generally ap- 
sroves itself to most correspondents, some of wdiom, 
uggestslight modifications, while some would have 
the drains cut closer. Probably a goodly number of 
estates answer this requirement, and the writers 
express only the deficiencies of their own 
particular charge. “J. N.”’s suggestion of a 
large pit or dam to catch the wa.sh is one which 
it would not be easy to adopt on most places ; 
but where it can be provided, it should be 
useful in catching something more than the 
silt. f 
We have noticed the impoi! .nee whicJi older 
planters attach to peisonal reiaiions wii.h the 
cooly, combining firmness and kindness, task 
work, bonuses for extras, &c. In the batch of 
letters under no*^ice too, .similar suggestions 
occur ; bub “ J. N.” starts anew remedy in a new 
Labour Ordinance better suited to Tea than 
(Joff'ee. We are not sure whether all tliat is 
needed may not be found in -the existing Ordi- 
nances ; and before longer terms of agreement.s 
are asked for, niay not we inquire whether 
contracts are in force for three year.s, and have 
bei II found to be insufficient ? There is ,a general 
disinclination for new' legi.slatii.n, which has 
always to be referred to the Ti dian (lovirnmcnt 
for their consideration and apni o\'al. — T! etdiicrks 
on Bazaars and Arrack call for no special com- 
ment. 
