6 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



state in India than in most countries, any change would be 

 for the better. Anyhow, the present mode the Government 

 adopts in selling lands is a grievous wrong to the purchasers. 

 Words cannot describe the worry and loss some have 

 suffered thereby, and it might all be so easily avoided. 



I have above detailed two of the drawbacks Tea had to 

 contend with in its infancy ; the absurdly high price paid 

 for land was the third. 



Again, companies and proprietors of gardens wishing to 

 have large areas under cultivation gave their managers 

 simple orders to extend, not judiciously, but in any case. 

 What was the result ? Gardens might be seen in those 

 days with 200 acres of so-called cultivation, but with 60 or 

 even 70 per cent, vacancies, in which the greater part of the 

 labour available was employed in clearing jungle for 100 

 acres further extension in the following spring. I have seen 

 no garden in Assam or Cachar with less than 20 per cent, 

 vacancies, many with far more ; and yet most of them were 

 extending. I do not believe now any garden in all India 

 exists with less than 12 per cent, vacancies, but a plantation 

 as full as this did not exist formerly. 



As the expenditure on a garden is in direct proportion 

 to the area cultivated, and the yield of Tea likewise in 

 direct proportion to the number of plants, it follows the 

 course adopted was the one exactly calculated to entail the 

 greatest expenditure for the smallest yield. This unneces- 

 sary, this wilful extension, was the fourth and a very serious 

 drawback. 



Under this head the fourth drawback may also be in- 

 cluded the fact that the weeds in all plantations were 

 ahead of the labour ; that is to say, that gardens were not 

 kept clean. This is more or less even the case to-day ; it 

 was the invariable rule then. The consequence was two- 

 fold first, a small yield of Tea ; secondly, an increased 



