CHAPTER I. 
Stak thn en eel 
SOIL AND LAY OF LAND. 
Nxaxkty all the good land in the Darjeeling 
District has been either planted with Tea or 
eultivated by the Natives and the few pieces 
which are still available are generally covered 
with Bamboo jungle, Bamboo jungle is so ex- 
pensive to clear, and the bamboos themselves are 
so valuable, that it is better to plant land that 
has been under cultivation, unless the supply of 
bamboos is unlimited, and plenty of money is 
to be allowed for the new garden or extension 
Tea will grow in almost any soil, but a black 
loam with a fair amount of sand in itis to be 
preferred ; if the subsoil is clay, it will not do so 
well, except when the drainage is exceptionally 
good, in which case gardens situated on dry 
