THE PLANTING INDUSTRY
Coffee.
Coffee.
In the first half of the nineteenth century Manantoddy was a military station and the troops were cantoned on the hill on which the Travellers' Bungalow once standed. Near Pazhassi Kudeeram, at Hospital Kunnu. District Medical Office(DMO) was operated till 2005-07 I was astonished the size and shape and buety of this old building whenever I go there for my official things there. sadly Before 5 years this magnificent building was abolished by local authority to avail more space for the District Hospital. On my child hood this building known as TB and we boys will go there in the noon intervals of our nearby school where I studied my primary education. This bungalow was the mess house of the officers of the detachment. The Officer in command appears to have planted coffee experimentally on this hill employing his men for the work, and the tree flourished on this fertile soil. 
In 1820 or thereabouts, a partner of Messrs. Parry & Co., was on his way from Madras, across the peninsula to Calicut, and went up the Kuttiyadi ghat on a visit to their coffee estates on the Baba Budan Hills in Northern Mysore. He stopped with the officers of the detachment and in course of conversation, when the visitor remarked on the difficulties of travel to the distant coffee estates, one of the officers pointed out to him the flourishing coffee plants on the Manantoddy hill just behind the mess. He was greatly impressed with the growth of the trees and the quantity of the crop, and on his return to Madras sent Mr. King to purchase Grass hills near Manantoddy and experiment on coffee cultivation. He built a bungalow on the hill near Manantoddy Feryr(probably Changadakkadavu) and opened about 75 acres of land for coffee.(Bishop house hill) This was the first attempt, which however ended in failure. Mr. Pugh from Ceylon, an experi- enced planter then visited Manantoddy and established the first coffee estate known as the Pew estate. The exact year is not known, but it was between 1830 and 1840. North Wynad then became a planting centre with all the paraphernalia of a European club and a race course. There is another version that it was Major Glasson who opened the first Coffee Estate in Manantoddy in 1840. The account given here was furnished by Dr. Hewston, an old resident of Manantoddy.Tea
Tea began to be planted on various estates in Wynad from 1892 forward. It had existed before then
Opened in 1876 by the English Cooperative Society and the Scottish Cooperative
Society, the fields were planted with select China and Assam hybrid varieties of
teas. Visible even now are the mining shafts, where once gold was explored.
Assambrook Ltd was incorporated in the year 1947. It was formerly known as Brooke Bond Estate Ltd. and changed its name to Assambrook Estate Ltd. in 1969; and then again in the year 1982 it got its present name to Assambrook Ltd. In the year 2000, the company declared a lock-out at its Mananthavady Group comprising of Talapoya,Cherakara, Tatamala & Jessie Tea Estates . 
The Parisons Group has acquired this tea plantations.
The quaint old Bungalows have been renovated for Eco-Tourism. An old Planters Club equipped with a well-stocked library with facilities for both indoor and outdoor games.
Tea is now confined to South Wynad; but lands are now being taken up for tea planting also in North Wynad, which in course of time, will recover its past glory, with the many advantages incidental to the in- troduction of this valuable industry into this at present deserted part of Wynad. The technical names found on the labels of tea packets are the names of each
of the leaves of the shoot of the tea plant. The bud at the extreme end is the tip or the " Flowery pekoe," the two next "Orange pekoe," the two next "Souchong," and the next two "Congou".
Pepper
The quaint old Bungalows have been renovated for Eco-Tourism. An old Planters Club equipped with a well-stocked library with facilities for both indoor and outdoor games.
Tea is now confined to South Wynad; but lands are now being taken up for tea planting also in North Wynad, which in course of time, will recover its past glory, with the many advantages incidental to the in- troduction of this valuable industry into this at present deserted part of Wynad. The technical names found on the labels of tea packets are the names of each
of the leaves of the shoot of the tea plant. The bud at the extreme end is the tip or the " Flowery pekoe," the two next "Orange pekoe," the two next "Souchong," and the next two "Congou".
Pepper
Wayanadan pepper is one o the special item of pepper which is dignified from other sets of pepper from all over the world. It flourished in North Malabar, and on the failure of coffee, the planters tried it in Wynad. It was first grown there in the sixties and Mr. Powell took charge of a South Wynad Estate with bearing pepper on it in 1875. For some years, it throve, and the disease that is doing so much damage first attracted attention in 1900. Since tea has turned out successful, pepper is merely tolerated by the planter and not encouraged.
Rubber.
Rubber.
Ceara rubber was planted ex- perimentally a good many years ago. In 1889 there were full grown trees in Cherambadi and it was then thought that it would not yield any latex in Wynad. No one thought of doing anything with it until 1903 when an expert deputed by the Govern- ment made experiments and demonstrated that the trees would yield rubber. In 1904 Mr. C. E. Abbott tapped a number of trees in Moovatee and Poothram Shola Estates near Vayitri (South Wynad). Getting a fair yield he made an experimental ship- merit, which sold for six shillings per pound. Tapping experiments were made in Rasselas and certain other estates when it was abundant- ly proved that latex existed in the trees. But the method of tapping then recommend- ed was an unsound one, and so many trees died under the process that it was discontinued. A new method has been since discovered
giving good results, and it is proposed to plant Ceara extensively. It grows freely but must be protected from wind.
Para Rubber (Havea Brazileinsis) is also being planted on some estates and though the growth is slower than in the low country it does well when carefully planted and cultivated.
" The Planter has brought into cultiva-
tion land which but for him would have
been unproductive at the present day;
he has tilled the desolate mountain -tops ;
he has turned the hill fastnesses in-
to fruitful gardens ; he has made the
fever-poisoned valleys to rejoice in health
and plenty. By his labours, and at no
mean expenditure of British lives and
giving good results, and it is proposed to plant Ceara extensively. It grows freely but must be protected from wind.
Para Rubber (Havea Brazileinsis) is also being planted on some estates and though the growth is slower than in the low country it does well when carefully planted and cultivated.
" The Planter has brought into cultiva-
tion land which but for him would have
been unproductive at the present day;
he has tilled the desolate mountain -tops ;
he has turned the hill fastnesses in-
to fruitful gardens ; he has made the
fever-poisoned valleys to rejoice in health
and plenty. By his labours, and at no
mean expenditure of British lives and
British gold, tracts of jungle which half a
century ago gave but a scanty gleaning of
gall-nuts and wild honey, to-day produce
harvests worth over a million and a half
of money."
The above published in the Madras Mail, sums up the situation admirably. European enterprise has contributed materially to the prosper- ity of the country and the planting indus- try is giving work to hundreds of labourers, who in these days of over-population, would otherwise be starving. The country is being opened up year by year and the millions of English money spent here will not be in vain.
century ago gave but a scanty gleaning of
gall-nuts and wild honey, to-day produce
harvests worth over a million and a half
of money."
The above published in the Madras Mail, sums up the situation admirably. European enterprise has contributed materially to the prosper- ity of the country and the planting indus- try is giving work to hundreds of labourers, who in these days of over-population, would otherwise be starving. The country is being opened up year by year and the millions of English money spent here will not be in vain.
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