Transcriber's Note
Italic text is indicated by _underscores_, and bold text by
~swung dashes~.
THE
CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE
OF
TEA.
THE
CULTIVATION & MANUFACTURE
OF
TEA,
BY
LIEUT.-COL. EDWARD MONEY,
THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT OF WHICH SECURED THE PRIZE OF THE
GRANT GOLD MEDAL AND Rs. 300, AWARDED BY THE AGRICULTURAL
AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF INDIA
IN THE YEAR 1871.
_FOURTH EDITION_,
REVISED AND SUPPLEMENTED BY ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS.
LONDON:
W. B. WHITTINGHAM & CO., 91, GRACECHURCH STREET.
CALCUTTA: THACKER & CO.
1883.
PREFACE
TO
THE FOURTH EDITION.
Six new Chapters are added. So much has been done in Tea since I last
wrote, I found it impossible to embody all in the former book, and so
preferred to give it separately. The new Chapters treat of--
COUNTRIES OUTSIDE CHINA AND INDIA THAT PRODUCE TEA.
TEA STATISTICS.
MARKETS FOR TEA OUTSIDE GREAT BRITAIN.
MAKING INDIAN TEA KNOWN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
TEA MACHINERY.
WEIGHING AND BULKING OF INDIAN TEAS AT CUSTOM HOUSE.
A separate and full Index of the subjects treated of in the additions
to this Fourth Edition will be found at the end of the Book.
EDWARD MONEY.
EAST INDIA CLUB, ST. JAMES’S SQUARE,
_July, 1883_.
PREFACE
TO
THE THIRD EDITION.
The experience of four more years, which includes six months’ residence
in the Neilgherries, is embodied in the following, while the whole of
the letter-press of the Second Edition has been corrected and revised.
EDWARD MONEY.
LONDON,
_April, 1878_.
PREFACE
TO
THE SECOND EDITION.
Three years’ further experience, and visiting two Tea districts I had
not seen before, have enabled me to amend whatever was faulty in the
First Edition. The whole has been revised, and much new matter is added
throughout. A new Chapter at the end on the Past, the Present, and the
Future of Indian Tea will, it is hoped, be found interesting. An Index
(a great want to the First Edition) is added, so that all information
on any point can be at once found. The manufacture of Green Tea, of
which I was ignorant when I last wrote, is given, and the advisability
of that manufacture is discussed.
In its present form I hope and believe this little work will be found
useful and interesting to all connected with Tea.
EDWARD MONEY.
DARJEELING,
_May, 1874_.
PREFACE
TO
THE FIRST EDITION.
The following Essay was written with, _firstly_, the object of
competing for the Gold Medal and the Money Prize offered by the
Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India for the best treatise
on the cultivation and manufacture of Tea; and, _secondly_, with the
view of arranging the hundreds of notes on these subjects, which, in
the course of eleven years, I had collected.
During all these years I have been a Tea planter, making first for
myself and others a garden in the Himalayas, and for the last six years
doing the same thing for myself in the Chittagong district.
Whenever I have visited other plantations (and I have seen a great
number in many districts), I have brought away notes of all I saw. Up
to the last, at every such visit, I have learnt _something_--if rarely
nothing to follow, something at least to avoid. I have now tested all
and everything connected with the cultivation and manufacture of Tea
by my own experience, and I can only hope that what I have written
will be found useful to an industry destined yet, I believe, in spite
of the late panic--the natural result of wild speculation--to play an
important part in India.
I have endeavoured to adapt this Essay to the wants of a beginner, as
there are many of that class now, and may yet be more in days to come,
who must feel, as I often have, the want of a really practical work on
Tea.
To those who have Tea properties in unlikely climates and unlikely
sites, I would say two words. No view I have taken of the advantages of
different localities _can_ in any way affect the results of enterprises
already entered upon. But if the note of warning, sounded in the
following pages, checks further losses in Tea, already so vast, while
it fosters the cultivation on remunerative sites, I shall not have
written in vain.
EDWARD MONEY.
SUNGOO RIVER PLANTATION,
CHITTAGONG,
_November, 1870_.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. PAST AND PRESENT FINANCIAL PROSPECT OF TEA 1
II. LABOUR, LOCAL AND IMPORTED 10
III. TEA DISTRICTS AND THEIR COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES.
CLIMATE, SOIL, &C., IN EACH 13
IV. SOIL 31
V. NATURE OF JUNGLE 34
VI. WATER AND SANITATION 35
VII. LAY OF LAND 37
VIII. LAYING OUT A GARDEN 42
IX. VARIETIES OF THE TEA PLANT 47
X. TEA SEED 54
XI. COMPARISON BETWEEN SOWING IN NURSERIES AND IN SITU 57
XII. SOWING SEED IN SITU, ID EST, AT STAKE 59
XIII. NURSERIES 62
XIV. MANURE 67
XV. DISTANCES APART TO PLANT TEA-BUSHES 71
XVI. MAKING A GARDEN 73
XVII. TRANSPLANTING 76
XVIII. CULTIVATION OF MADE GARDENS 81
XIX. PRUNING 86
XX. WHITE ANTS, CRICKETS, AND BLIGHT 89
XXI. FILLING UP VACANCIES 92
XXII. FLUSHING AND NUMBER OF FLUSHES 97
XXIII. LEAF-PICKING 102
XXIV. MANUFACTURE. MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCES 109
XXV. SIFTING AND SORTING 134
XXVI. BOXES. PACKING 147
XXVII. MANAGEMENT, ACCOUNTS, FORMS 152
XXVIII. COST OF MANUFACTURE, PACKING, TRANSPORT, &C. 160
XXIX. COST OF MAKING A 300-ACRE TEA GARDEN 163
XXX. HOW MUCH PROFIT TEA CAN GIVE 168
XXXI. THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF INDIAN TEA 174
XXXII. COUNTRIES OUTSIDE CHINA AND INDIA THAT PRODUCE TEA 183
XXXIII. STATISTICS REGARDING INDIAN TEA 194
XXXIV. MARKETS OUTSIDE GREAT BRITAIN 207
XXXV. MAKING INDIAN TEA KNOWN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 218
XXXVI. TEA MACHINERY 222
XXXVII. WEIGHING AND BULKING OF INDIAN TEAS AT CUSTOM HOUSE 272
ADDENDA TO THIRD EDITION 293
INDEX 299
PRIZE ESSAY
ON THE
CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE
OF TEA IN INDIA.
_PREMIUM, THREE HUNDRED RUPEES AND THE GRANT GOLD MEDAL._
CHAPTER I.
PAST AND PRESENT FINANCIAL PROSPECTS OF TEA.
_Will Tea pay?_ Certainly, on a suitable site, and in a good Tea
climate; equally certainly _not_ in a bad locality with other
drawbacks.
_Why, then, has Tea only paid during the last few years_ (?) Simply
because nothing will pay, which is embarked on without the requisite
knowledge; and this was pre-eminently the case with Tea.
Nothing was known of Tea formerly, when everybody rushed into it; not
much is known even now. Still, with those drawbacks and many others,
the enterprise has survived, and it is very certain the day will never
come that Tea cultivation will cease in India.
I believe there is nothing will pay better than Tea, if embarked on
with the necessary knowledge in suitable places, but failing either of
these success must not be hoped for.
It was madness to expect aught but ruin, under the conditions which the
cultivation was entered on in the Tea-fever days. People who had failed
in everything else were thought quite competent to make plantations.
’Tis true Tea was so entirely a new thing at that time, but few could
be found who had any knowledge of it. Still, had managers with some
practice in agriculture been chosen, the end would not have been so
disastrous. But any one--literally any one--was taken, and tea planters
in those days were a strange medley of retired or cashiered army and
navy officers, medical men, engineers, veterinary surgeons, steamer
captains, chemists, shop-keepers of all kinds, stable-keepers, used-up
policemen, clerks, and goodness knows who besides!
Is it strange the enterprise failed in their hands? Would it not have
been much stranger if it had not?
This was only one of the many necessities for failure. I call them
“necessities” as they appear to have been so industriously sought after
in some cases. I must detail them shortly, for to expatiate on them
would fill a book.
No garden should exceed 500 acres under Tea. If highly cultivated one
of even half that size will pay enormously, far better than a larger
area with low cultivation. Add, say, 400 acres for charcoal, &c.,
making 900 or say 1,000 acres the outside area that can be required,
and the outside that should ever have been purchased for any one
estate. Instead of this, individuals and Companies rushing into Tea
bought tracts of five, ten, fifteen, and twenty thousand acres. The
idea was that, though it might not be all cultivated, by taking up
so large an area all the local labour where there was any would be
secured. Often, however, these large tracts were purchased where local
labour there was none, and what the object there was is a mystery.
I conceive, however, there was a hazy idea that _if_ 500 acres paid
well, 1,000 would pay double, and that eventually even two or three
thousand acres would be put under Tea and make the fortunate possessor
a _millionaire_. In short, there were no bounds, in fancy, to the size
a garden might be made, and thus loss No. 2 took place when absurdly
large areas were bought of the Government and large areas cultivated.
The only fair rules for the sale of waste lands were those of Lord
Canning, which the Secretary of State at home, who could know nothing
of the subject, chose to modify and upset. Instead of Rs. 2-8 per acre
for all waste lands (by no means a low price, when the cost of land
in the Colonies is considered) and that the applicant for the land
(who had, perhaps, spent months seeking for it) should have it, the
illiberal and unjust method of putting the land up to auction with an
upset price of Rs. 2-8 was adopted, the unfortunate seeker, finder,
and applicant, through whose labour the land had been found, having no
advantage over any other bidder. The best, at least the most successful
plan in those days, though as unfair and illiberal as the Government
action, was to wait till some one, who was supposed to know what good
Tea land was, applied for a piece, and then bid half an anna more than
he did, and thus secure it. It _paid_ much better than hunting about
for oneself, and it was kind and considerate on the part of Government
to devise such a plan!
In those fever days, with the auction system, lands almost always sold
far above their value. The most absurd prices, Rs. 10 and upwards
per acre, were sometimes paid for wild jungle lands. Tracts, which
natives could have, and in some cases _did_ lease from Government for
inconceivably small sums, representing, say, at thirty years’ purchase,
4 annas per acre, were put up for auction with a limit of Rs. 2-8, and
sold perhaps at Rs. 8 or 10 per acre. Had the Government given land
_gratis_ to Tea cultivators the policy would have been a wise one. To
do what they did was scarcely acting up to their professed wish “to
develope the resources of the country.”
Since the above was written, new rules have been published for the sale
of waste lands. The objectionable auction system is continued, and the
upset price is much enhanced, as follows:--
_Schedule of Rates of Upset Prices._
Upset price per acre.
Districts of the Assam Division Rs. 8
Districts of Cachar and Sylhet 8
Districts of the Chittagong Division 6
Districts of the Chota Nagpore Division 5
The Soonderbuns 5
All other Districts 10
It is not likely that Government will sell much land at such exorbitant
rates.[1]
Security of title, it is generally thought, is one of the advantages
of buying land from the State; but I grieve to state my experience is
that the reverse is the case, and will so remain until the following is
done:--
_First._ The Government should learn _what is and what is not theirs to
sell_. Such an absurdity, then, as Government ascertaining, years after
the auction, that they had sold lands they had no right to sell, could
not be.
_Secondly._ That before land is sold it be properly surveyed and
demarcated; and what might so easily have been done, and which alone
would have compensated for much of bad procedure in other respects,
that the simple and obvious plan before the sale, of sending a European
official to show the neighbouring villagers and intending purchasers
the boundaries of the land to be sold, be resorted to.
This last simple expedient would have saved some grantees years of
litigation, and many a hard thought of the said grantees against the
Government. It would naturally occur to any one at all conversant with
the subject; but, _alas!_ in India this is often not the condition
under which laws are made.
But there is another difficulty at the back of all this.
Though the Waste Land Rules enact that the Government, and not the
grantee, shall be the defendant in any claim for land within a lot
sold, practically the said enactment in no way saves grantees from
litigation. Claimants for land always plead that it is _not_ within
the boundaries of the land sold, and _ergo_ the grantee is made the
defendant to prove that it is. The villagers never having been shown
the boundaries by any Government official (for it is not enacted in the
Waste Land Rules), the question whether the land claimed is within or
without the boundaries is an open one, not always easily decided, and
the suit runs its course.
I even know of cases where, though survey has been charged for at
the exorbitant rate of four annas an acre, the outer boundaries of
the lot have never been surveyed at all, but merely copied from old
Collectorate maps, which showed the boundaries between the zemindaree
and waste lands.[2] Is it strange, then, if buying lands from
Government is often buying litigation, worry, loss of time and money.
In many countries, for example Prussia (there I know it is so, for I
have tested it again and again), there are official records which can
and do show to whom any land in question belongs. This may scarcely be
practicable in India, but surely the question of title being, as it
is, in a far worse state in India than in most countries, any change
would be for the better. Anyhow, the present mode the Government adopts
in selling lands is a grievous wrong to the purchasers. Words cannot
describe the worry and loss some have suffered thereby, and it might
all be so easily avoided.
I have above detailed two of the drawbacks Tea had to contend with in
its infancy; the absurdly high price paid for land was the third.
Again, companies and proprietors of gardens wishing to have large
areas under cultivation gave their managers simple orders to extend,
not judiciously, but in any case. What was the result? Gardens might
be seen in those days with 200 acres of so-called cultivation, but
with 60 or even 70 per cent. vacancies, in which the greater part of
the labour available was employed in clearing jungle for 100 acres
further extension in the following spring. I have seen no garden in
Assam or Cachar with less than 20 per cent. vacancies, many with far
more; and yet most of them were extending. I do not believe _now_ any
garden in all India exists with less than 12 per cent. vacancies, but
a plantation as full as this did _not_ exist formerly.
As the expenditure on a garden is in direct proportion to the area
cultivated, and the yield of Tea likewise in direct proportion to the
number of plants, it follows the course adopted was the one exactly
calculated to entail the greatest expenditure for the smallest yield.
This unnecessary, this wilful extension, was the fourth and a very
serious drawback.
Under this head the fourth drawback may also be included--the fact
that the weeds in all plantations were _ahead_ of the labour; that is
to say, that gardens were not kept clean. This is more or less even
the case to-day; it was the invariable rule then. The consequence was
two-fold--_first_, a small yield of Tea; _secondly_, an increased
expenditure; for it is a fact that the land fifty men can keep always
clean, if the weeds are never allowed to grow to maturity and seed,
will take nearer one hundred if the weeds once get ahead. The results,
too, differ widely: in the first case the soil is always clear; in
the second clear only at intervals. The first, as observed, can be
accomplished with fifty, the latter will take nearly double the men.
The fifth drawback I shall advert to again later, _viz._, the selection
of sloping land, often the steepest that could be found, on which to
plant Tea. The great mischief thus entailed will be fully described
elsewhere. It was the fifth, and not the least, antagonistic point to
success.
Number six was the difficulty in the transport of seed to any new
locality, for nine times out of ten a large proportion failed; and
again the enormous cost of Tea seed in those days, Rs. 200 a maund (Rs.
500 at least, deducting what failed, was its real price). This item of
seed alone entailed an enormous outlay, and was the sixth difficulty
Tea cultivation had to contend with. It was, however, a source of great
profit to the old plantations, and principally accounts for the large
dividends paid for years by the Assam Company.
Again, many managers at that time had no experience to guide them in
the manufacture of Tea; each made it his own way, and often turned out
most worthless stuff. There is great ignorance on the subject at the
present time, but those who know _least_ to-day, know _more_ than the
best informed in the Tea-fever period. Indian Tea was a new thing then;
the supply was small, and it fetched comparatively much higher prices
than it does now. Still much of it was so bad that the average price
all round was low.
Tea manufacture, moreover, as generally practised then, was a much
more elaborate and expensive process than it is now.
This will be explained further on, under the head of “Tea Manufacture;”
I merely now state the fact in support of the assertion that the bad
Tea made in those days, and the expensive way it was done, was the
seventh hindrance to successful Tea cultivation.
Often in those days was a small garden made of 30 or 40 acres, and sold
to a Company as 150 or 200 acres! I am not joking. It was done over
and over again. The price paid, moreover, was quite out of proportion
to even the supposed area. Two or three lakhs of rupees (20,000_l._ or
30,000_l._) have been often paid for such gardens, when not more than
two years old, and 40 per cent. of the existing area, vacancies. The
original cultivators “retired” and the Company carried on. With such
drags upon them (apart from all the other drawbacks enumerated) could
success be even hoped for? Certainly not.
I could tell of more difficulties the cultivation had to contend with
at the outset, but I have said enough to show, as I remarked, “that it
was not strange Tea enterprise failed, inasmuch as it would have been
much stranger if it had not.”
Do any of the difficulties enumerated exist now? And may a person
embarking in Tea to-day hope, with reasonable hope, for success? Yes,
certainly, I think as regard the latter--the former let us look into.[3]
People who understand more or less of Tea are plentiful, and a good
manager, who knows Tea cultivation and Tea manufacture well, may be
found. It will scarcely pay to buy land of the Government at the
present high rates, but many people hold large tracts in good Tea
localities, and would readily sell.
There is plenty of flat land to be got, so no evil from slopes need be
incurred.
Tea seed is plentiful and cheap.
The manufacture of Tea (though still progressing) is simple,
economical, and more or less known. Anyhow a beginner now will commence
where others have left off.
Of course to buy a made garden cheap is better than to make one; but
the result in this case is of course no criterion of what profit may be
expected from Tea cultivation.
As many of the items to be calculated under the heads of cultivation,
manufacture, and receipts will be better understood after details on
these subjects are gone into, I shall reserve the consideration of “how
much profit Tea can give” to the end of this treatise.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Since the Second Edition went to press, further Rules for Waste
Lands have been enacted. Generally speaking, they are only now leased
to applicants.
[2] I need scarcely observe it is impossible to define lands from maps
alone without the field-book.
[3] Note to Third Edition.--Since the above was written, Teas, both
Indian and Chinese, have had a heavy fall, due to the simple fact that
the supplies have exceeded the demands. But with increased knowledge
and experience, producers can afford to sell cheaper, and the present
absurdly low prices ruling will, I think, work their own cure.