NUMEROUS OTHER TEA-LANDB 78 



From theee seeds, of the varieties Aftmm ituiigenoiiA 

 and Assam hybrid, 4,000 neetilingH were succesHfully 

 raised ; but at nhout the same time as they were |)lant<-<l 

 out, a severe ilruuglit set in, and only I,i.'o(> survived 

 the ordeal. It was now deeided that the best thing 

 to be done waa to treat the survivors as the numbers 

 of a seetl nursery, and patiently to await the lime, 

 about three to four years hence, when they should in 

 duo course begin to furnish a seed supply. 



The plants thrivtil and yielded u first supply of 8ee<l 

 in 18S0. By 1H81 the helpful and encouraging career 

 of these immigrants had led to a determined attempt 

 to extend the (ultivation of the plant. Again mis- 

 fortune dt»gge<l the enterpri.'^e ; drought and insect 

 pests destroyed a large number «»f the young plants. 

 Discouragement followed di.scouragement. but the 

 pioneer planters fought so courageously, intelligently, 

 and resolutely against all adversaries, that gradually 

 the area under tea was increased, and a tea industry 

 established. 



Natal now has upwards of 4,(XK) acres of tea-lands. 

 The most successful gardens are situated at an altitude 

 of about 1.<MK» feet above .sea-level. The variety of 

 plant which has so far given the best account of itself 

 in this country is the Assam indigenous. 



It is not so much the actual growth up to date of 

 NataPs tea industry that has attracted the attention 

 of other competitors, more es|)ecially of those Imperial 

 relations who are hundreds of millions of pounds ahead 

 of her in the annual produilion test, but the possi- 

 bilitieti of Natal as a tea-producing country, and the 

 ambition of her planters and of many other |)eople 

 interested I in her welfare. The present position in 



10 



