ASSAM — K AMAON — 359 



perties of the Chinese plant ? It is not for me to 

 point out modes of cultivation or suitable sites, but 

 it naturally suggests itself, that, agreeably to the 

 Chinese practice, the cutting down to the roots the 

 wild trees growing in inconvenient localities, and 

 transplanting the stools in the vacant spaces of plan- 

 tations already appropriated to cultivation, as well 

 as with seed, might be found advantageous. I think 

 also that the plantations should be as rapidly re- 

 newed from seed as circumstances will allow ; and 

 if tried in more healthy localities in the northern 

 plains of India, along the banks of rivers, the plant 

 might be found to yield all those properties which 

 are more essentially important to the manufacture 

 of brick tea, and its mode of use. Strength and 

 astringency are more important qualities in that 

 tea than flavour ; and the Assam tea tree seems to 

 possess both these in an eminent degree. Moreover, 

 it may be found a useful substitute to the native 

 population in sites and localities less favourable 

 to the cultivation of the Chinese plant. 



With respect to the Kamaon tea, I must refer 

 the reader to the observations of Dr. Royle on that 

 subject. This intelligent and scientific author re- 

 commended, so far back as the year 1827, the intro- 

 duction of the tea plant into the north western 

 districts of the Himalaya range.* Dr. Falconer, 



* Royle's Illustrations of the Botany of the Himalayan 

 Mountains. Also, Essay on the Productive Resources of India. 



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