_Weight of Tea in each box._--The boxes ready lined, with a lead cover loose, must be all weighed _before_ the Tea is packed, and again _after_ they are filled and soldered down, but _before_ the wooden lid is put on. The difference of these weights, minus the weight of the little solder used in fastening down the top lead (for which allow say one pound to give a margin also), will be the net weight of Tea in each box. Thin iron hooping, put round both ends of the boxes, much increases their strength, and is not expensive.[59] Stamp each box on its lid and on one end.[60] Use for this zinc plates, with the necessary marks cut out in them. A brush run over these with the colouring matter does the work well and quickly. Let the stamp comprise the kind of Tea, the plantation or owner’s mark, the number of the box, and the year; for instance-- [Illustration: Pekoe. \ A / \ / D X C / \ / B \ No. 80 1871 ] The invoice you send with the break must give for each box the number, the gross weight, the tare, the net Tea, and the kind of Tea, with a declaration at foot that the Teas of each kind have been respectively well bulked and mixed together before packing. Remember the larger the quantity of Tea, of any one kind, to be sold at one auction, the higher the price it will probably fetch. Sell, if possible, twenty or thirty chests of one kind of Tea at the same time, for small quantities as a rule sell below large, both in Calcutta and London. Equality of tares is the most important point to attend to in packing Teas. It may be difficult, but with machine-sawn boxes, nearly the same weight, any difference must be made up with extra hooping, lead, solder, or nails. Anyhow it _must_ be done, so that no tares shall differ more than half-a-pound (see foot-note page 149). FOOTNOTES: [56] Large lead is 37 by 22 inches; small lead, 25 by 19 inches. [57] Note to Third Edition.--This matter of equal tares is very important. If they differ more than half-a-pound all the Tea is turned out and re-weighed in London, which is a great loss in many ways. [58] It is not essential that the same quantity of Tea shall be in each box. [59] This should, except the lid part, be put on the boxes before the Tea is packed. [60] The object of stamping the end, as well as the lid, is that when the boxes are piled one above the other the mark can be read. CHAPTER XXVII. MANAGEMENT. ACCOUNTS. FORMS. System and order, a good memory, a good temper, firmness, attention to details, agricultural knowledge, industry, all these, combined with a thorough knowledge of Tea cultivation and Tea manufacture, are the requisites for the successful management of a Tea plantation. To find men with _all_ these qualities is, I allow, not very easy, still they do exist, and such a one must be had if success in Tea is looked for.