CHAPTER III. 



TEA DISTRICTS AND THEIR COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES, 

 CLIMATE, SOIL, &C., IN EACH. 



THE Tea districts in India, that is, where Tea is grown in 

 India to-day, are : l 



1. Assam. 



2. The Dehra Dhoon. 



3. Kumaon (Himalayas). 



4. Darjeeling (Himalayas). 



5. Cachar and Sylhet 2 



6. Kangra (Himalayas). 



7. Hazareebaugh. 



8. Chittagong. 



9. Terai below Darjeeling. 



10. Neilgherries (Madras Hills). 



11. Western Dooars. 



In fixing on any district to plant Tea in, four things have 

 to be considered, viz., soil, climate, labour, and means of 

 transport. When the district being selected a site has to be 

 chosen, all but the second of these have to be considered 

 again, and the lay of land, nature of jungle, water, arid 

 sanitation are also of great importance in choosing a site. 



I will first then discuss generally the Tea districts given 

 above as regards the advantages of each for Tea cultivation. 

 I have seen and studied Tea gardens in all the districts 

 named, except No. 2. What I know of the Dehra Dhoon is 



1 Note to third edition. I give them, as far as I know, in the order they 

 became tea districts. Though in the said order there is, I believe, no great error, 

 I may be open to correction in one or two instances. 



2 These are virtually one, and I shall allude to both as Cachar. 



