14 TEA PLANTING IN 



At a little distance, ground covered with three -year- 

 old plants gave much the impression of a market 

 gardener's cabbage-field, but this illusion vanished on a 

 closer view. On a cursory inspection, the tea-plant is 

 not unlike the box, so familiar in our English garden 

 walks, except that the leaves of the former are much 

 longer and serrated. 



Tea-leaves vary in colour, according to age, from a dark 

 boxy green to a lighter tint ; long, narrow, and pointed, 

 they vary in size from one to three inches long by one- 

 third to one inch broad. Some plants attain the height 

 of eight feet. At Holta I did not observe any, but 

 Mr. M k n said that in Kumaon it is common 

 enough. The flower bears a distant resemblance, in 

 size and shape, to the dog-rose : the petals of the tea- 

 flower are white ; in the centre are an indefinite mass 

 of yellow stamens. It diffuses a pleasant scent, unlike 

 the camellia, to which it is allied. The seeds are 

 globular, grayish brown, and shining, about the size of 

 a Spanish nut. They are enveloped in a capsule^ which 

 may contain one seed only, but more frequently two, 

 three, or more are contained in it. 



When quite ripe, the valvular compartments open and 

 disclose the seed, but this does not always happen. 

 Inside the hard husk is the seed itself, a light yellow, 

 nutty substance which has a clinging bitter taste, like 

 an acorn ; this internal matter is usually in contact with 

 the surrounding husk, but if kept in a dry place, it 

 shrinks and rattles on being shaken. As the tea-seed* 



* Tea seed can be purchased for 30 rs. per maund of 80 Ibs. I 

 believe an acre of ground could yield 20 maunds of seed. 



