CHAPTER IV. 



SOIL. 



To pronounce as precisely on soil as to climate is not 

 easy. The Tea plant will grow on almost any soil, and will 

 flourish on many. Still there are broad general rules to be 

 laid down in the selection of soils for Tea, which no one 

 can ignore with impunity. 



When first I turned my attention to Tea, I collected 

 soils from many gardens, noting in each case how the 

 plants flourished. I then sat down to examine them, never 

 doubting to arrive at some broad practical conclusions. I 

 was sadly disappointed. I found the most opposing soils 

 nourished, apparently, equally good plants. I knew not 

 then much about Tea, and judged of the Tea bushes mostly 

 by the size (a very fallacious test) ; still, after-experience 

 has convinced me I was more or less right in the conclusion 

 I then came to, that several soils are good for Tea. 



Nothing, then, but broad general rules can be laid down 

 on this point, for I defy anyone to select any one soil as 

 the best for Tea, to the exclusion of others. 



A light sandy loam is perhaps as good a soil as any out 

 of the Himalayas. It ought to be deep, and the more 

 decayed vegetable matter there is lying on its surface the 

 better. If deep enough for the descent of the tap-root, say 

 3 feet, it matters not much what the subsoil is, otherwise a 

 yellowish red subsoil is an advantage. This subsoil is 

 generally a mixture of clay and sand. Much of Assam, 

 Cachar, and Chittagong is as the above, but, as a rule, it is 

 richest in Assam, poorest in Chittagong. 



