1834.] Range for the Culture of the Tea Plant. 187 



sides a permanent establishment, at the season of gathering, a number 

 of additional hands would be required, which could only be advantage- 

 ously provided where labour was plentiful and cheap. On these ac- 

 counts, I am inclined to think, that Almora would not be an elegible 

 district to make a trial in. 



Of Subathu I cannot speak from personal observation, but I imagine 

 it would be a good situation. It is immediately over the plains. 

 There is some level ground about it; there is no Terai jungle in front of 

 it, and the country at the foot of the mountain is inhabited. The 

 valley of Pinjor, in the neighbourhood, is populous. The climate is 

 like that of corresponding heights on the hills north of the Dun. 



I am inclined to think the best ground would be near Masuri on 

 the hills north of the Dun. The district lies between the Jumna 

 and Ganges, which are navigable till within a few marches from the 

 foot of the hills. The communication with the plains is open almost all 

 months of the year, and the valley of the Dun is inhabited. There 

 might be had here within a short distance a great variety of situations 

 in respect of soil, climate, and exposure. I imagine that the best posi- 

 tion would be a tract on the southern face of the outermost ridge, 

 situated from 3000 to 6000 feet above the sea, or where the hot winds 

 cease, up to the limit of winter snow. On the northern slope, it 

 should be at a lower level, and perhaps here the finer sorts of tea might 

 be produced. The valley of the Dun has a gravelly or sandy soil, 

 which appears closely to resemble what is described as best for the tea 

 cultivation in China, and the climate is such that it is probable that the 

 inferior kinds of tea, such as are grown in the province of Canton, forming 

 perhaps a large proportion of the article exported to Europe, if not 

 superior teas, might be produced in it. In some places, as at Nahu, 

 the rocks and soil of the Sewalik hill formation rise upon the Himalayas 

 to the height of 3000 feet, and in situations of this sort all the most fa- 

 vorable conditions of soil and climate are combined. 



I shall conclude by stating compendiously the opinions in this letter: 



1 . That the tea plant may be successfully cultivated in India. 



2. That this can be expected no where in the plains from 30° N. 

 down to Calcutta. 



3. That in the Himalaya mountains, near the parallel of 30° N. not- 

 withstanding some circumstances of soil and moisture of climate, the 

 tea plant may be cultivated with great prospect of success ; that a climate 

 here may be found similar in respect of temperature to the tea countries 

 in China ; that in the direction and great slope of the hills, the absence 

 of table-land or elevated valleys, and the contracted figure of the existing 

 valleys, are the chief difficulties in the way of cultivation, which may 

 prevent tea from being produced in great quantity on any one spot. 



