144 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



BOXES. PACKING. 



BY far the best Tea boxes are the teak ones made at Ran- 

 goon. The wood is impervious to insects of all kinds, even 

 white ants. Sawn by machinery the pieces sent to compose 

 each box are very regular. The plank is half inch, and each 

 chest made up measures inside 23 by 18 by 18% inches, and 

 necessarily outside 24 by 19 by 19^ inches. The inner 

 cubical contents are 7,659 cubic inches, and this suffices for 

 above one maund of fine, and under a maund of coarse Tea. 



Each box is composed of fourteen pieces, viz., for the two 

 long sides three each, for the two short sides two each, two 

 for the bottom, and two for the lid. By the arrangement of 

 three pieces in the long sides, and two only in the short sides, 

 the centre piece of each long side is attached to both the 

 short end pieces, and thus great strength in the box is 

 ensured, there being no place where it can possibly separate at 

 the joints. 



These boxes are not made to ' dovetail.' Each piece (and 

 they are sawn with mathematical regularity as to length, 

 breadth,..and thickness) must be nailed to its neighbour. The 

 best nails for this are the kind called ' French Pins/ i } inches 

 long. 



The wood is sold at Rangoon in bundles, and could be 

 landed in Calcutta for about Re. 1-8 or 1-12 per box. The 

 boxes need not be made up till shortly before they are 

 wanted, and in this form, of compact bundles of short pieces, 

 are very convenient for transport and stowage. 



Of course in many districts these boxes are not procurable. 



