95 



CHAPTER XXII. 

 FLUSHING AND NUMBER OF FLUSHES. 



THE Tea plant is said to flush when it throws out new shoots 

 and leaves. The young leaves thus produced are the only 

 ones fit to make Tea, and the yield of a plantation depends 

 therefore entirely on the frequency and abundance of the 

 flushes. 



The way a flush is formed is fully explained under the 

 head of ' leaf picking ' (pages 101, 102, and 105). 



The number of flushes in different plantations varies enor- 

 mously, owing, first, to climate ; secondly -, to soil ; thirdly, to the 

 pruning adopted ; fourthly, to the degree of cultivation given ; 

 and fifthly, though not least, to the presence or absence of 

 manure. 



How to secure all these advantages to their fullest extent 

 is shown under those heads, and we have here only to con- 

 sider what is a low, a medium, and a high rate of flushing per 

 season. 



In doing this we must speak of elevated (as Himalayan) 

 gardens separately. The cool climate of heights makes it 

 impossible for Tea to flush there as on the plains. 



Speaking generally of elevated gardens (the higher they 

 are the shorter the period, and vice versa), seven months may 

 be considered as the averaging producing period, viz., from 

 beginning of April to end of October, and during that time 12 

 to 1 5 flushes may be obtained, which, I believe, with high 

 cultivation and liberal manuring, can be increased to 18. 



In all localities, with favourable Tea climates, the plants flush 

 both for a longer period and oftener. Speaking generally 



