l6 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



on imported coolies ; and inasmuch as the distance to bring 

 them is enormous, the outlay on this head is large, and 

 a sad drawback to successful Tea cultivation. 



The Burhampootra that vast river which runs from 

 one end of Assam to the other gives an easy mode of 

 export for the Tea, but still, owing to the distance from the 

 sea-board, it cannot rank in this respect as high as some 

 others. 



CACHAR. 



The indigenous Tea is also found in a part of this 

 province. The climate differs but little from Assam. In 

 one respect it is better ; more rain falls in the spring. 



The soil is not equal to Assamese soil ; it is more 

 sandy, and lacks the power. Again, there is much more 

 flat land fit for Tea cultivation in Assam, and there can be 

 no doubt as to the advantage of level surfaces. 



As regards transport Cachar has the advantage, for it 

 has equally a water-way, and is not so distant from 

 Calcutta. 



The labour aspect is much the same in the two 

 provinces, both being almost entirely dependent on im- 

 ported coolies ; but Cachar is nearer the labour fields than 

 Assam. 



However, after discussing separately the advantages of 

 each province, I propose to draw up a tabular statement, 

 which will show at a glance the comparative merits of each 

 on each point discussed. 



CHITTAGONG. 



This is a comparatively new locality for Tea. The 

 climate is better than Cachar in the one respect that there 



