42 



distinguished chiefly for strength; while those most 

 highly esteemed by the Chinese, and, strange to 

 say, by the people of India, are distinguished for 

 fragrance and delicacy of flavor. 



The general facts, as regards the plant, which 

 I take to be pretty clearly established by the experi- 

 ence gained in China, Japan, Java, and India, np to 

 date, are, that a rich soil, and a humid atmosphere, 

 with considerable heat, are conducive, to luxurient 

 crops and a tea of the greatest strength ; and a light 

 (though not poor) friable soil, and a temperate 

 climate, or a moderate elevation, are more favorable 

 to average crops of the finest or most delicately 

 flavored teas. Such a combination of climate and 

 soil as will ensure the mean of these extremes, will 

 produce the most useful, and when ladian teas 

 find their level, I believe the most profitable tea. 

 It can be obtained in India. 



Had these facts been known at the commence- 

 ment of tea experiments in India, we should not now 

 have had to reconcile conflicting opinions. But 

 these differences, though resulting from the imperfect 

 acquaintance with the subject of all parties engaged 

 in the experiment, in the end proved most fortunate 

 for the country. For, under other circumstances, on 

 the discovery that the tea plant was indigenous to 

 A ssam, experiments in all other parts of India, 

 would, in all probability, have been abandoned-, and 

 the noble field for industry and the outlay of capital. 



