42 



On the other hand, the proportion of both these constituents, 

 on gardens which have proved unsuitable and not to give luxuriant 

 bushes, is almost invariably below the limits I have mentioned. 

 The following are the figures for some virgin soils, where experience 

 has proved the tea to be inferior in luxuriance : 



There are no ingredients which are more quickly used up by 

 the growth of tea than those we are considering, In taking samples 

 of soil, I have made a point in many cases to examine side by side 

 samples from the virgin land and from the same soil which has 

 borne tea for many years. The loss in all these cases is most 

 marked, as the following table shows : 



* These figures are based on the assumption that one acre nf dry soil down to 

 depth of 15 inches weighs 5,000,000 Ibs. 



