100 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



February 22nd and March 3oth, a period of 35 days, a very 

 long time in both cases, which is entirely accounted for by 

 the dry weather prevailing at Chittagong in the spring (see 

 under head of Climate), for in Cachar, Assam, and the 

 Western Dooars two or three flushes would have occurred 

 in that time. 



There were 19 flushes in all in 1869, and 22 in 1870, up 

 to the time I wrote, so there were probably in all 27 in the 

 latter year. 



In the table I give the intervals between each flush. It 

 shows an average of 14 days in 1869 to 10 days in 1870 ; 

 the difference is due to the increased age of the plants, and 

 the liberal manuring given in the cold weather 1869-70. 



Such a result as is shown for 1870, and the probable 

 result of 27 flushes to the end of that season, could not be 

 obtained without high cultivation and liberal manuring. 

 The land in question had been manured every year since 

 it was planted, but an extra dose was given in the cold 

 weather of 1869-70. The ground was therefore very rich. 



I think, therefore, 25 flushes in the season may be looked 

 for on gardens in good Tea climates, when high cultivation 

 and liberal manuring are resorted to. Where manure 

 cannot be obtained, I think, even if in other respects the 

 land is highly cultivated, more than 22 flushes will not be 

 obtained. Where neither manure nor high cultivation is 

 given, above 18 flushes will not be got. 



It seems to be a general idea with planters (see diagram, 

 page 104) that when a flush is picked the succeeding flush, 

 at an interval of say seven to ten days, consists of shoots 

 from the axis of the leaf down to which the previous flush 

 was picked. Thus in the diagram, supposing the shoot to 

 be picked down to the black line above 2, the idea is the 

 next flush will be a shoot springing- from the same place, 

 viz., the axis of leaf d. But it is not so. In the above case 



