176 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



flavour of Indian Tea, and did so, when the quantity mixed 

 with the Chinese was not so great as to make the new 

 flavour too prononce. Little by little the custom of so 

 mixing became very general, so much so that it may almost 

 be said to-day that if Indian Teas cannot be purchased 

 pure, no more can Chinese. A mixture of Chinese and 

 Indian Tea, the latter small as compared with the former, 

 is what is now generally used in Great Britain. 



This is the case to-day. What will it be in the future ? 



As the English palate is educated to like the flavour of 

 Indian Tea, more and more of it will be demanded in the 

 mixture made up for the public, and though the day is 

 distant, nay, may never arrive, on account of its greater cost, 

 when it will be generally drunk pure, I do not myself doubt 

 that the demand for it will go on steadily increasing for years 

 to come, as it has for years past.* 



It is an important query if, with a largely increased 

 demand, the supply will be equal to it. Very far from all 

 India has a good Tea climate, which is a peculiar one, and 

 only exists in perfection in Assam, Cachar, Chittagong, and 

 lands in Bengal close to the foot of the Himalayas. 



But in these districts alone there are lands sufficient to 

 supply nearly the whole world with Tea, so that it is not the 

 lands which are wanting, though the Government prices for 

 the lands are prohibitory and will check cultivation. But in 

 Assam, Cachar, and the Terai below the Himalayas labour 

 is very scarce, while in Chittagong the area fit for Tea is not 

 large, so that I do not anticipate any very sudden increase of 



* Note to Third Edition. Yes; the demand has largely increased, but, alas! 

 production has increased in a greater ratio. In short, the supply exceeds the 

 demand, and hence the low prices now ruling. As regards the use of Indian 

 Teas, so much have the English public been now made familiar with their 

 flavour, they, as a rule, reject any Teas which have it not more or less. In 

 fact, the English public, as I predicted years ago, have now begun to like the 

 new flavour, and even pure Indian Teas are now relished by many. 



