PREFACE. 



IN the early part of last year, while looking 

 through the old Nos. of the Journal of the Horticul- 

 tural Society of Bengal, for some information regard- 

 ing the experiments undertaken by the Government 

 of India for the introduction of exotic Cotton, I was 

 struck by the many interesting and instructive papers 

 this valuable series contained on a sister experiment 

 the introduction into India of the Tea Plant. Not- 

 withstanding that Government has been now engaged 

 in this cultivation for upwards of a quarter of a cen- 

 tury, we have no history of its operations no record of 

 its experience ; and, consequently, very great ignor- 

 ance, especially in the Hill districts, prevails on the 

 subject, and many Planters and young Companies are 

 wasting a great deal of money that, if better laid out, 

 might be employed with very much more profit to them- 

 selves and the country. I conceived the notion, there- 

 fore, of collecting and condensing this scattered infor- 



