306 On the Tea-Plantations in India. 



" The man then stands up, holding on by a post or some 

 such thing, and works the ball of leaves under his feet, at the 

 same time alternately pressing with all his weight, first with 

 one foot, then with the other.". . . " The tea is taken hot from 

 the pan and packed firmly in boxes, both hands and feet being 

 used to press it down," &c. As tea-drinkers are not the least 

 fastidious portion of the community, we should recommend 

 Mr Bruce to endeavour to introduce a substitute for the feet 

 in these operations. 



We think it would be a hardship to adopt Mr Bruce's advice 

 with regard to the prohibition of opium in Assam. The As- 

 samese have few luxuries, and to deprive them of such as 

 they have, would be doing them a very questionable kind of 

 service. We doubt if levying high duties on opium-land 

 would have the effect of preventing the cultivation of the 

 drug : if the Assamese are fond of opium they will have it, 

 and public measures for putting down its cultivation and pre- 

 venting its introduction, would be rather difficult to enforce 

 in an isolated province, surrounded as Assam is on all sides 

 by countries in which opium might be cultivated without re- 

 striction. Mr Bruce, however, states, that a native of Assam 

 will steal, sell his property, and even his children for opium ; 

 and as Mr Bruce himself dealt in the drug up to the period of 

 his employment as superintendent of tea cultivation, he had 

 doubtless the very best opportunities of witnessing the immoral 

 effects he describes. Let us hope, however, that the cultiva- 

 tion of tea will in that province be carried on to an extent that 

 will supersede opium both as a source of profit and luxury. It 

 will be our duty to watch the progress of this new staple ; 

 and while we shall hail with satisfaction every successful step 

 towards its introduction, we shall freely point out whatever 

 appears to us likely to retard or endanger the final success of 

 the scheme. 



Note. — We find the report published in the Edinburgh Philosophical Jour- 

 nal to be the same with that -which appeared in the Journal of the Asiatic 

 Society. How it could have passed through the Tea Committee without 

 eliciting some observations from Dr Wallich wc cannot imagine. 



