132 Mr Bruce on the Manu/acttire of Tea, and on the 



Thus I am convinced one might go on for miles from one tract 

 into another. All my tea-tracts about Tingri and Kahung are 

 formed in this manner, with only a patch of jungle between 

 them, which is not greater than what could be conveniently 

 filled up by thinning those parts that have too many plants. 

 At Kahung I have lately knocked three tracts into one, and I 

 shall most probably have to continue doing the same until one 

 tract shall be made of what now consists of a dozen. I have 

 never seen the end of Juggundod's tea-tract, nor yet Kujudod' s . 

 or Ningrew^s. I feel confident that the two former run over 

 the hills and join, or nearly join, some of our ti'acts in the 

 Muttack counti-y. Nor have I seen the end of Kahung tract, 

 all about that part of the country being one vast succession of 

 tea, from Bungagurra on the Debrew to Jaipore on the Buri 

 Dehing. It may be seen, on inspecting the map, how thickly 

 the tea localities are scattered ; — those that are known, and 

 they are but a small portion compared to those that are un- 

 known. There is the Namsong tract on the Naga hills, the 

 largest that has yet been seen, and the extent of which is not 

 ascertained. The tracts on the Gubind hills are unknown ; 

 and this is likewise the case with Ha iit Holoh and Cheridoo; so 

 that there is a large field for improvement thi'oughout, to say 

 nothing of the Singpho ti'acts, which may be found to be one 

 unbounded link to Hookum ; and who knows but it crosses the 

 Irrawaddy to China ? Many tea-tracts I know have been cut 

 down in ignorance by the natives, to make room for the rice 

 field, for fire-wood, and fences. Many of these tracts have 

 sprung up again, more vigorous than before. Witness that 

 at Ningren', where the natives say that every thing was cut 

 down, and the land planted with rice, except on the high 

 ground. 



With respect to the tea-plant being most productive on high 

 or low ground, I cannot well say, as all our tracts are on the 

 plains ; but from what little I have seen of the hill tracts, I 

 should suppose they were not more productive. In China, the 

 hill tracts produce the best teas, and they may do the same 

 here. Almost all my tracts on the plains are nearly on the 

 same level, I should think, Nndwa, perhaps, is a little higher 

 than Tingri, and Tingri a little higher than Kahung, but I 



