45 



bearing seed, and 20,500 healthy seedlings; in 

 a private garden of Mr. Blinkworth's 40,000 

 seeds in the ground ; and in the two plantations 

 at Bheemtal, 300 trees yielding seed, 6,046 seed- 

 lings, and 20,000 seeds sown, besides, in all the 

 gardens, about 50,000 seeds nearly ready for 

 gathering (1841.) 



tUp to this time, however, no tea had been 

 anufactured in the Himalayas, Dr. Falconer, 



though some of his trees were now six years 



old, 



sensibly abstaining from experiments in this nice 

 and difficult process, on the grounds, that ' were 

 unpracticed hands to attempt it by following written 

 directions, although they might ultimately blunder 

 into expertness, still a failure in the first instance 

 would, in all probability, be the result, and discredit 

 would naturally, though unfairly, fall on. the pro- 

 duce/ He, therefore, wisely pressed on Government 

 the necessity of furnishing him with experienced 

 Chinese manipulators and manufacturers, and as 

 the result of his recommendation nine Chinamen 

 were despatched from Assam to Kamaon (1842.) 



These men on surveying the plantations, imme- 

 diately directed the whole of the trees, many 

 of which had been allowed to grow five and six 

 feet high, to be cut down level with the ground, 

 proposing to obtain a crop from the young shoots 

 in 1843. They were unanimous however in opinion 

 that the tea plant of the Kamaon plantations, 



