BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 11 3 



flowers — all at one and the same time. The rain also greatly 

 affects the leaves ; for some sorts of Tea cannot be made on 

 a rainy day ; for instance the Poiichong and Mingeheiv. The 

 leaves for these ought to be collected about 10 a.m. on a 

 sunny morning when the dew has evaporated. The Ponchonf] 

 can only be manufactured from the leaves of the first crop,* 

 but the MingeheWy although it requires the same care in 

 making as the other, can yet be made from any crop, pro- 

 vided it is made on a sunny morning. The Chinese dis- 

 like gathering leaves on a rainy day for any description of 

 Tea, and never will do so, unless necessity requires it. 



" The China Black-Tea plants which were brought into 

 Muttuck in 1837, amounted in all to 1609 — healthy and 

 sickly. A few of the latter died, but the remainder are 

 healthy, and flourish as well as if they had been reared in 

 China. All the China seedlings on Tipum hill have been 

 destroyed by some insect. 



"The Assam and China seedlings are near each other; 

 the latter have a much darker appearance. I have made but 

 few nurseries, or raised plants from seed, as abundance of 

 young plants can be procured, of any age or size, from our 

 Tea tracts. There may be about 6,000 young seedlings at 

 Chubwa; at Deevjoy about 2,000; at Tingri a few; and 

 some at Paundooah. In June and July 1837, 17,000 young 

 plants were brought from Muttuck, and planted at a place 

 called Too7igroong Patar, amongst the thick tree jungles of 

 Sadiya. 



" In March of the same year six or eight thousand were 

 brought from 3Iuttuck, and planted in different thick jungles 

 at Sadiya; many of these died in consequence of the buffa- 

 loes constantly breaking in amongst them ; the rest are doing 

 well, but I am afraid will be killed from the above cause ; 

 and now that I have removed to Jaipore, they are too far 

 off for my personal superintendence. 



" In 1838, 52,000 young Tea plants were brought from 

 the Nemsong Naga hill tracts, about ten miles from Jaipore ; 

 ^ great portion of these have been lately sent to Calcutta, to 



