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.

It is not too much to calculate that this will add respectively 1½, 2, and 2½ 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:—

But I prefer estimating it at Rs. 50 only, to be on the safe side.