270 The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal. 



ful examination of Mr. Bruce's report, as it appears in the 

 Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, we regret to find that 

 in our opinion the 120 tea-tracts with which Mr. B. has 

 covered the map of Upper Assam, are for the most part 

 either imaginary, or altogether dependent on native report. 

 Mr. Bruce's adoption of the term tract, for each little 

 patch of jungle in which a few tea plants are found as- 

 sembled, is, as we have already stated, enough to lead 

 to misconception. It is not however more objectionable 

 than the term, Tea forests, we believe applied in the 

 same way by Dr. Wallich. In our own report we employ- 

 ed the terms colony, and locality ; the latter term we believe 

 was adopted by Mr. Griffith, who also used the term patch 

 in preference to colony, which was objectionable, in as much 

 as it implied that the plants were introduced rather than 

 indigenous. We think, therefore, that Mr. Bruce should, 

 according to that respect usually paid to priority in such 

 cases, if not to avoid the appearance of exaggeration, 

 have employed some one of the above terms in preference 

 to tract, which it might be proper to confine to an assem- 

 blage of tea patches, as the Muttack tract, Tingri locality, 

 Sing-Pho tract, Ningrew locality or plantation, according as 

 the plants may be of the wild, or cultivated stock. 



The remainder of Mr. Bruce's report is chiefly made up 

 of details regarding the manufacture of tea ; but as these are 

 derived entirely from the Chinamen employed, for whose 

 word Mr. Bruce, as well as the public can have no security, 

 this part of the report is to be received with some limitation. 

 The quality of the tea produced will be the best criterion of 

 the merit of the process or manipulation employed. The 

 proverbial neatness and delicacy of Chinese execution we 

 should have thought at variance with the following part of 

 the process of making souchong, as given by Mr. Bruce. 

 " The man then stands up, holding on by a post or some such 

 thing, and works the ball of leaves under his feet, at the same 

 time alternately pressing with all his weight, first with one foot 



