MANURE.
An idea existed formerly--got, I believe, from stray Chinamen, who I
don’t think knew much about Tea in any way--that manure, though it
increased the yield, spoilt the flavour of Tea. The idea is opposed to
all agricultural knowledge, for high cultivation, which in no case can
be carried out to perfection without manure, much improves the strength
and flavour of all edibles, the product of mother-earth.
My first experience of manure to the Tea plant was obtained in the
Chittagong district from a small garden close to the station, which has
been for some years highly manured. I was struck with the frequency and
abundance of the flushes and the strength and flavour of the Tea. My
high opinion of the Tea was later borne out by the Calcutta brokers. I
allude to the “Pioneer” garden, close to the Chittagong station. During
the best Tea months flush succeeded flush at intervals of less than a
week, while eight to ten maunds (640 to 800 lbs.) was the yearly yield
per acre! The soil was very sandy and poor.
After-experience showed me that manuring nearly doubles the yield of
plants, and that so far from injuring the flavour of Tea it improves
it, while it adds greatly to the strength.
I shall therefore beg the question that manure _is_ an advantage. If
any planter doubts, let him try it, and his doubts will soon be solved.
Any manure is better than none, but I believe one of the best manures
for the Tea plant (always excepting night-soil and the excrements of
birds, which cannot be procured) is cattle manure. It is not heating,
like horse-dung, and may be applied in large quantities without any
risk. The fresher it is applied, in my opinion, the better, for it has
then far more power. If mixed with any vegetable refuse, the bulk being
increased, it will go further, but I do not think it is intrinsically
any the better for it.
There are several chemical manures advertised for Tea plants. “Money
and Ponder’s Chemical Manure,” lately patented by Mr. Ponder and
myself, is said to have been very successful on several gardens. It is
manufactured by Mr. J. Thompson, Kooshtea, Bengal, who will supply all
details.
All garden refuse should be regarded as manure and buried between the
plants. I allude to the prunings of the bushes and the weeds at all
times from the land. To carry these off the ground, as I have sometimes
seen done, is simply taking off so much strength from the soil. The
greener, too, all this is buried the better.
When it is considered how much is taken from the Tea plant, it is
evident the soil will be exhausted, sooner or later, if no means are
adopted to repair the waste. Where manure cannot be got the waste must
be made up, as far as possible, by returning all other growth to the
soil. But manure _should_ be got if possible, for it will double the
yield of a garden; and highly concentrated chemical manures will, I am
sure, be eventually much used on Tea gardens.
The best way to apply it, if enough manure is procurable, is round each
plant; not close to the stem (the rootlets by which the plant feeds
are not there) but about 1 foot from it. Dig a round trench with a
_kodalee_, about 9 inches wide and 6 inches deep, at the above distance
from the stem, lay in the manure, and replace the soil at top. If
the plants are young the trench should be narrower, shallower, and 6
inches, instead of 1 foot, from the stems.
If enough manure is not procurable for this (the best) plan, the most
must be done with what can be got, as follows:--If the plants are full
grown, and there is say 4 feet between the lines, dig a trench down the
centre and lay in the manure. The plants will then be manured on two
sides. If the plants are young lay the manure _near_ them on two sides,
if possible, but failing that even on one side. The principle is to lay
the manure at the distance the feeding rootlets are, and the older the
plant the greater distance these are from its stem.
As to the quantity of cattle manure. Say for plants four years old and
upwards (if younger, less will be an equivalent) one maund to 20 trees
is a moderate dose, one maund to 15 trees a good dose, and one maund to
10 trees highly liberal manuring, and as much as the plants can take up.
Say in round numbers each acre contains 2,500 plants (4 by 4--a usual
distance--gives 2,722 plants, as shown at page 72), and say the manure
is procurable at three annas a maund.[22]
The following table shows the expense of each degree of manuring, viz.,
10, 15, and 20 trees per maund:--
_Table showing the possible cost and result of manuring with cattle
manure._
Key:
A: Maunds of manure per acre at 2,500 plants per acre
B: Cost of manure at 3 annas per maund _N.B._--Ans. omitted
C: Probable extra yield of Tea per acre
D: Value of extra yield of Tea at Rs. 50 per maund
E: Profit by manuring per acre
F: Deducting the probable cost of putting in the manure, the following
profit is shown per acre
--------------------+------+-----+-------+------+-----+----
| | | | | |
Rate of Manuring | | | | | |
| A | B | C | D | E | F
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
--------------------+------+-----+-------+------+-----+----
| Mds. | Rs. | Mds. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs.
One md. to 10 plants| 250 | 47 | 2-1/2 | 125 | 78 | 70
One md. to 15 plants| 166 | 31 | 2 | 100 | 69 | 62
One md. to 20 plants| 125 | 23 | 1-1/2 | 75 | 52 | 46
--------------------+------+-----+-------+------+-----+----
It is not too much to calculate that this will add respectively 1-1/2,
2, and 2-1/2 maunds of Tea per acre to the yield, and I have carried
this out in the table and shown the results.
I quite believe the results shown will be obtained by manuring, and I
base my opinion on practice not theory.
_N.B._--I have deducted Rs. 8 for the first, Rs. 7 for the second, and
Rs. 6 for the third, as the probable cost of putting in the manure, as
it may have to be carried from the factory to the garden. If purchased
after being placed between the lines (and if manure is bought of
adjacent villagers they will so place it), the cost would be less.
The above table, of course, only applies to localities where cattle
manure can be purchased at 3 annas per maund, including carriage to the
factory.
The value of the extra yield of Tea is estimated at only Rs. 50 per
maund in the above table, because the leaf which will give one maund of
Tea is worth no more, as follows:--
Rs. A. P.
Probable price obtainable for one maund or
80 lbs. Tea in Calcutta, at 14 annas a lb.
all round (a fair calculation, one year with
the other, if it is well manufactured). 70 0 0
Deduct cost, manufacture, packing, transport,
and broker’s charges as set out in the
chapter on “cost manufacture,” page 162 16 9 0
--------------
Value of leaf which will make one maund Tea 53 7 0
==============
But I prefer estimating it at Rs. 50 only, to be on the safe side.
FOOTNOTE:
[22] It is brought and placed between the lines, in one garden in the
Chittagong district, for one to two annas a maund!