In the form the first column of “leaf results” shows the condition of the leaf when picked, whether wet (W) or dry (D). Unless this were noted the proper amount of Teas the leaf ought to make could not be known, and there would be no check against theft, which is carried on to a great extent in many gardens.
As explained previously, only the sections ready in each garden are picked. The sections are not entered in the form, only the number of the garden. The flushes now noted are the 20th, in some the 21st, or 22nd in others.
The Tea is calculated from the leaf. It should be 25 per cent. if the leaf is picked dry, and 22 per cent. if picked wet. As each load comes in a memorandum is made as to whether it is dry or wet, and the figures in the column “Tea should be” are thus found.
The Tea is weighed the morning after it is made and entered in the column “Tea made.” The percentage it bears to the leaf is then calculated and entered in the account column.
After sifting the whole is weighed again, and the result entered in the column “Tea after sifting.” Doing this is very important, for it checks theft. Directly after it is weighed this second time it is put in the bins in the store.
Daily Leaf and Tea Account.
| Tea Results. | Leaf Results. | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Tea should be | Tea made | Per cent. | Tea after it is sifted | State of leaf | Tickets | Flushes | Total leaf | ||||
| By leaf | Paid | Number of Garden | 20 | 21 | 22 | |||||||
| October Sunday, 1st | „ | „ | „ | „ | 220W 600D | 410 | 360 | 3 | „ | 170 | „ | 820 |
| 5 | 310 | „ | „ | |||||||||
| 7 | 112 | „ | „ | |||||||||
| 8 | „ | „ | 228 | |||||||||
| Monday, 2nd | 198 | 200 | 24 | 199 | D | 462 | 440 | 3 | „ | 515 | „ | 925 |
| 9 | 410 | „ | „ | |||||||||
| Tuesday, 3rd | 231 | 230 | 25 | 233 | W | 200 | 180 | 1 | 430 | „ | „ | 800 |
| 2 | „ | „ | 160 | |||||||||
| 3 | „ | 210 | „ | |||||||||
| Wednesday, 4th | ||||||||||||
| Thursday, 5th | ||||||||||||
| Friday, 6th | ||||||||||||
| Saturday, 7th | ||||||||||||
| Total for the week | „ | Mds. lbs. 1632 | ||||||||||
If this system is carried out, no Tea (exceeding a pound or so) can be stolen without its being at once missed, and the importance of this cannot be exaggerated. Tea proprietors do not guess how much is lost in this way. Maunds upon maunds might be stolen in many gardens, and unless the theft were accidentally discovered there is nothing in the Tea accounts to show it to the manager.
I have suppositiously filled up the three first days of the form. The 820 lbs. leaf picked on Sunday is made into Tea on Monday. The 198 is written down Sunday evening. On Tuesday morning, when the Tea is weighed and found to be 200 lbs., that is entered in the Monday line, as also the percentage. On Tuesday evening, after it is sifted and made into different Teas, it is weighed again and found to be 199 lbs., and so entered.