Tea Planters. 233 



Avhich can produce nothing in the way of amusement 

 beyond a bottle of beer or a brandy and soda. This 

 absence of friendly cohesion is perhaps owing to the fact 

 of the society having a leavening of the artisan class. 

 Owners of tea gardens have found, to their cost, that 

 gentlemen's sons are not always skilled in the production 

 of good "leaf;" hence they tried, successfully in most 

 cases, I believe, the experiment of importing Scotch 

 gardeners who are thoroughly versed in the conditions 

 favourable to plant life. These sons of toil do not, as 

 might have been expected, amalgamate well, as a rule, 

 with their more aristocratic companions, who, perhaps, 

 resent their superior knowledge more than their lack of 

 social polish. Of course, the ideas of the two classes 

 clash ; as happened on one occasion at the annual race 

 meeting, when it was proposed to give a subscription ball, 

 and that, as usual, all expenses as to band, room, refresh- 

 ments and supper, should be equally divided. To this, 

 a fresh importation, in the form of a Scotch gardener, 

 strongly objected ; " for," urged he, " if I dance with a 

 young lady, and afterwards ask her to have some 

 champagne, it will be no compliment to her unless I can 

 treat her to a bottle and pay for it then and there ! " 

 Although the canny Scot did not carry his point, he, 



