Extent and Produce of the Tea-Plantations in Assam. 139 



brought from Muttack, and planted in different thick jungles 

 at Sadii/a ; 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 mUes from Jaipore ; a 

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

 forwarded to Madras ; should they thrive there, it is my opi- 

 nion that they will never attain any height, at least not like 

 ours, but be dwarfish like the China plants. Deenjog, Chub- 

 iva, Tingri, and Geela-Jhan tracts have been filled up or en- 

 larged with plants from the jungle tracts. In transplanting 

 from one sunny tract to another, when done in the rains, very 

 few, if any, die ; if the plants be removed from a deep shade 

 to a sunny tract, the risk is greater, but still, if there be plen- 

 ty of rain, few only will die. If from a deep shade to a piece 

 of ground not a tea-tract, and exposed to the sun — for instance, 

 from the Naga hills to Jaipore — if thex'e be plenty of rain, 

 and the soil congenial, as it is at this place, few will die ; if 

 shaded by a few trees, less will perish ; if taken from shade, 

 and planted in shade, and the soil imcongenial, but there is 

 plenty of rain, the greater portion will live ; — witness Toong- 

 roong Patar at Sadiya. If the plants are brought from deep 

 shade, and planted in the sun, in uncongenial soil, let them 

 have ever so much rain, not one in fifty will be alive the third 

 year ; — ^\dtness 30,000 brought to Sadiya. I believe the tea- 

 plant to be so hardy that it would almost live in any soil, pro- 

 vided it were planted in deep shade when taken to it. There 

 should be plenty of water near the roots, but the plants should 

 always be above inundation. As soon as it has taken root, 

 which it will soon do, the shade may be removed, and there 

 will be no fear of the plant dying. 



The advantage of getting plants from the jungle tracts is, 

 that you can get them of any age or size ; nothing mox'e is 

 necessary than to send a few coolies early in March, just as 

 the rains commence, and have the plants of the size required 

 removed to your own garden ; and if they are of a moderate 



