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variably fertile. The yield of seed is larger and finer from 

 cross-fertilised than from self- fertilised flowers. 



704. The popular variety of tea known as 

 Assam hybrid is not a true hybrid but a metis, the 

 China and the Assam tea plants which were used for 

 cross-fertilising being only different varieties of Camelia 

 theifera. Whether the production of a real hybrid between 

 C. theifera and some other hitherto non-tea producing 

 wild Camelia will produce a stronger race of tea capable 

 of resisting blights better, is a question which has not been 

 taken up yet. That one jaf of tea bushes is naturally heal- 

 thier than another, is the common experience of planters, and 

 the question of true hybridisation of the tea plants may be 

 pregnant with important conseqences. But what the planter 

 needs most at the present crisis through which the tea- 

 making industry is passing is not the discovery of a disease- 

 resisting jat but the renovation of the soil. It is a mere 

 truism to assert, that the soil on which tea bushes grow is getting 

 more and more unsuitable for the tea plant. The two factors to 

 the problem are : (i) exhaustion of soil and (2) growth of spe- 

 cial parasites both fungoid and animal which are encouraged 

 by the constant presence of a suitable host-plant. The ex- 

 haustion of soil can be best met by the application of suitable 

 manures. The manures especially applicable to a crop of 

 which the leaves are used should be particularly rich in 

 potash and nitrogen, also lime. Saltpetre is therefore un- 

 doubtedly the best manure for tea plants, also lime. But 

 saltpetre has no insecticidal or fungicidal properties and it is 

 rather costly. Castor-cake if it can be produced locally would 

 be a better manure. Rape-cake, ashes, lime, salt, soot, alum, 

 asafcetida, sulphate of copper, cashew-nut gum, catechu, aloes, 

 and especially the first five which have a manurial value, 

 should be applied as well as saltpetre or castor-cake, for 

 renovating the soil and ridding it of insect and fungus pests. 

 The soil should be kept stirred from time to time during the 



