BOTANICAl, INVOHMaTION. 146 



and set fire to, we should have a fine clear tract at once, at 

 the least expense, and might expect to have a pretty good 

 crop of Tea one year after the cutting, or, ai furthest, the 

 second year ; for it is astonishing with what vigour the plant 

 shoots up after the fire has been applied. And we gain hy 

 this process; for, from every old stock or stump cut down, 

 ten to twelve more vigorous shoots spring up, so that in the 

 place of a single plant you have now a fine Tea bush. I 

 think from what I have seen of these plants, that if cut down 

 every third year, they would yield far superior Teas; neither 

 am I singular in this opinion ; the Green-Tea-China-men 

 having told me that they cut down their plants every ninth 

 year, which may be reckoned equivalent to our third year, 

 taking into consideration the size of our trees and the rich- 

 ness of our soil. Our trees, or plants, are certainly more 

 than four or five times the size of theirs, and must conse- 

 quently yield so many times more produce ; theirs is the dwarf, 

 ours the giant Tea. The size of the leaf matters nothing, in 

 tny opinion, provided it is young and tender ; even their di- 

 minutive leaf, if one day too old, is good for nothing. 



" With respect to what are called the Singpho Tea tracts, 

 I am sorry to say we have not been able this year to get a 

 leaf from them, on account of the disturbances that have 

 lately occurred there ; nor do I believe we shall get any next 

 year, unless we establish a post at Ningrew^ which I think is 

 die only effectual way to keep the country quiet, and secure 

 our Tea. The Tea from these tracts is said by the China- 

 nien to be very fine. Some of the tracts are very extensive, and 

 n^any may run for miles into the jungles for what we know; 

 the whole of the country is capable of being turned into a 

 Vast Tea garden, the- soil being excellent, and well adapted 

 for the growth of Tea. On both sides of the Buri-Dehing 

 nver the Tea grovvs indigenous ; it may be traced from tract 

 ^o tract to Hookum, thus forming a chain of Tea tracts from 



I ' o 



the Irrawaddv to the borders of China, east of Assam. Ever 

 smce my residence at Sudiya this has been confirmed year 

 ^iter year by many of my Kamtee, Singpho, and Dewaneah 

 Vol. IlL_No. 19. u 



