32 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



Where the loam is of a greasy nature (very different to 

 clay), with a mixture of sand in it, it is superior to the 

 above, for it has more body. All good Tea soils must have 

 a fair proportion of sand, and if not otherwise apparent, it 

 may be detected by mixing a little of the soil with spittle 

 and rubbing it on the hand. If the hand be then held up 

 towards the sun, the particles of sand will be seen to 

 glisten. 



The soil so common in Kumaon, that is, light rich loam 

 with any amount of decayed vegetable matter on it, and 

 with a ferruginous reddish yellowish subsoil, is, I consider, 

 the finest soil in the world for Tea. The rich decayed 

 vegetable matter is the produce for centuries of oak leaves 

 in the Himalayan forests, and, as all the world knows, oak 

 only grows in temperate climes. 



It was long believed that Tea would thrive best on poor 

 soil. The idea was due to the description of Tea soils in 

 China to be found in the first books that treated of Tea. 

 But the fact that Tea, as a rule, is only grown in China on 

 soil which is useless for anything else quite alters the case. 

 If a soil is light and friable enough, it cannot be too rich 

 for Tea. 



Ball's book " On the Cultivation and Manufacture of 

 Tea in China" has much on Tea soils, but the opinions the 

 author collected are sadly at variance, and on the whole 

 teach nothing. 



In conclusion, I will attempt to point out the qualities 

 in soils in which the Tea plant delights, as also the qualities 

 it abhors. 



It loves soils friable, that is, easily divided into all their 

 atoms. This argues a fair proportion of sand, but this 

 should not be in excess, or the soil will be poor. The soil 

 should be porous imbibing and parting with water freely. 

 The more decayed vegetable matter on its surface the better. 



