4S6 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jan, I, 1898. 
to each other. The size of the sifting room is 
50 feet by 42 feet. The ruuchiiiery here is 
a Jackson’s “Eureka” sifter, a Jackson’s tea 
cutter and Davidson’s tea packer. A 24-inch 
Blackman’s fan is used in tlie sifting-room to 
expel the dust, not placed as is usually seen 
in the generality of sifting-rooms, near the top 
of the room, but level with the floor. Ihis is its 
proper position, for the dust tends to fall, and 
the fan helps it. 
THE LEAF-ROLLING ROOM — 
the main room of the Intildingis open and spacious, 
— feet by — feet. The first floor of the build- 
ing is placed exceptionally higb, so that the 
light of the whole ground floor is_ as good as 
could be desired — an important desideratuin for 
facilitating careful inanufactuie and cleanliness. 
In this connection, a system of drains, covered 
with cast iron perforated covers, allows copious 
washing without any diliiculty in getting rid of the 
water, etc. These drains run below all the rollers, 
roll breakers, and sifters. In the centre of this 
room the jullars, which sup)3ort the second floor are 
placed sufficiently wide apart to obviate any 
ajipearance of crowding or breaking up of the 
space. There are nine ])illars and these support 
the transver.se beams all are 8 inches by 4 
inches. Along these pillars run the main shafting 
for 188 feet varying in diameter from 4 to 2^ 
inches sujiported by angle iron biackets ; and 
one useful apparent improvement on the usual 
arrangement for oili'.g purposes, is the erection 
immediately below, of a neatly constructed light 
staging extending from one end of the shafting^ to 
the other. This will be of much value in giving 
ready access to the bearings for any purpose. 
THE MACHINERY 
in this room is a Jackson’s 32-inch circular 
“ Rapid,” a Jacksons square “ Rapid,” an 
“ Economic,” made l>y Walker, Sons & Co., 
2 Michie’s Roll Breakers, also made by ’.'/alker. 
Sons & Co. , and one up-draft sirocco, for retiring 
purposes. All the machinery is new, except the 
Si[uare “ Rapid ” and Davidson s down-draft 
sirocco, riiere is provision made for the installa- 
tion of 10 rollers altogether, and when these are 
placed it may be easily com])uted, what the out- 
put of this splendid factory will amount to. The 
rollers will be in two rows on each side of the 
main shaft and at the end nearest to the tur- 
bine, and close to the fermenting room. The 
sirocco is placed in the verandah, in line with 
the sifting room. It is sunk 6 feet below the 
factory floor, and very conveniently placed for 
retiring the manufactured teas. The whole 
arrangements of this room gives a feeling of 
great freedom, and is in every way arranged 
for the luactieal, expeditious, and easy handling 
of large quantities of tea leaf. 
■ At the end of the factory nearest the tur- 
bine is an ordinary stair ladder rep-cbing up 
to the second floor, with another from the second 
to the third floor at the entrance above ti e 
office. On ascending we lound outselves face to 
face with a thicket of wood shelving. This was 
the liist time we came acro.ss the extensive utili- 
zation of 
WOOll IN.STKAD OF THE JUTE HESSIAN TATS 
generally in use. It is well-known that leaf gels 
a better wither up on wood than upon hessian, 
and full advantage has been taken ot this 
fact in the Ragalla lactm'y. On the second 
floor of the main building these tats are 
arranged to allow 2 feet 3 inches space as 
room to pass down the centre and on both sides^ 
so that easy access is gained to spread the leaf. 
Above the fermenting room, the tats are full breadth 
across, 33 feet, leaving room on each side only. 
The tats are made of pine deal, gths inch by 7 inch 
wide, put together to form a width of 3 feet 9 
inches, with three inches of a slope. Six inches 
are left between each shelf, and these, are piled up 
to the ceiling of the third floor, not too mucii out 
of reach from the floor. The usual arrangements 
hold for sending down leaf to the rollers. Each 
floor has a 48-iuch Blackman’s fan, .so placed as 
to draw the heated air from the firing room 
right through both floors. In the whole factory 
there has been used about 90 tons of wood alone, 
and this will of itself give some idea of the pro- 
portions of this modern and up-to-date factorjn 
In closing our remarks about this splendidly ar 
ranged factory, we may state, that it was built and 
designed by Messrs. VValker Sons & Co. Ltd., the 
well-known engineers, &c., of Colombo and 
Kandy, and everything in connection with the 
factory reflect of them thehigl e t credit, for the 
care and finish bestowed on every detail. Mr. 
Holland Porter, we believe, has been the repre- 
sentative of the firm more immediately concerneil 
with the building since its inception, and it is 
highly satisfactory evidence of his executive ability 
and professional skill. 
TEA IN DARJEELING. 
Nov. 16. 
Leaf is still struggling out, but the season is nearly 
closed. We are, however, all making more tea than 
is usual at this time of year, on account of the 
warmer nights. The tea is very flavoury and will 
sell well in the London market, but these cold- 
weather-flavoured teas do not seem to be appreci- 
ated in Calcutta. The weather has been stormy in 
the afternoons for the last few days, very black 
thunder'y-looking clouds geitiug up, but they come to 
nothing and disappear in the evening. We do not 
want any morcraia until Christmas time. — Planter. 
THE NEW MAP OF THE TEA ESTATES 
AND DISTRICTS. 
,^FTER many disappointments and heart-break- 
ing delays, -we are at length enabled to offer 
to the public of Ceylon— and especially to the 
planters and merchants — the long-talked of, 
map of the Tea Districts, as compiled under 
our direction, and lithographed at one of the 
first London establishments. We are very far 
from claiming “perfection” for our map — indeed 
we are conscious that there must be not a few 
errors, most of which are attributable to our hav- 
ing had no opportunity of verifying the “ proofs” 
or .supplying the latest corrections as we should 
have done, had we been near to the litho- 
graphers. Still we trust the map will be found 
a fairly accurate and useful production — at any 
rale a great improvement on its predecc.-.-cr of 
1875. The execution by the printers has been 
admirable, we think — the printing being very 
clear and attractive. 
If a second edition should be called for, w-e 
may hope to make any specially needful 
emendations. 
THE AGRICULTURAL SCHCOL : A PRIZE 
STUDENT EllOM THE STRAITS 
Mr. a. R. Jeremiah, who was aw, aided moie 
tluui one prize and a certificate of merit at Uie 
late distribution of prizes at the School of Agri- 
culture, came over from the Straits Settlements 
