92 



TEA. 



Assam at tlie end of 1874 for tea cultivation, under the following 

 tenures, viz. : 



Acres. 



1. Under old Assam rules of 1854 177,981 



2. „ ordinary leases 45,384 



3. Purchased in lee-simple 172,828 



4. Under the old Assam rules, but since commuted to 



fee-simple 229,802 



625,995 



It was estimated that about 100,000 acres were under cultivation 

 with tea, and the yield was 19,000,000 lbs., or only two and a half 

 maunds per acre, which is a very small out-turn, even when the large 

 area of immature plant is taken into consideration. 



A chest of tea varies in capacity from one to two maunds, but 

 100 lbs. weight may be taken as the average. The exports from 

 Cachar and Sylhet in 1874 amounted to 55,119 chests. 



The land taken up for tea cultivation in Cachar and Sylhet is about 

 one-third of the tea land of the whole province of Assam ; the esti- 

 mated aggregate out-tm*n would therefore, on the same basis as the 

 Cachar and Sylhet shipments, come to about 17,000,000 lbs. 



Taking the value of tea in Calcutta to be Is. Sd. per lb. (which is 

 the average during the last thirteen years), the tea produce would be 

 worth 1,583,333/. 



Owing to the defective returns submitted to the Governments, it is 

 impossible to give the average yield of the native plant, that is, of the 

 trees upwards of two years old. It is probable, however, that this 

 average is about 280 lbs. per acre. In highly cultivated and well- 

 situated gardens the yield is said to be sometimes as much as 600 lbs., 

 and even 800 lbs., or ten maimds, is said to have been plucked in one 

 year on each acre in one garden. 



In 1874 there were employed in the gardens which submitted 

 returns 86,744 laboui'ers, imported and native, of both sexes and of 

 all ages. The area cultivated was 79,402 acres. Allowing a small 

 margin for sickness, &c., this is only one labourer to the acre. One 

 acre produces 196 lbs., and assuming that (as is generally the case) 

 one-half of the labourers employed are adult males, a male labourer 

 and his belongings may be considered to produce 392 lbs., worth say 

 33/. per annum. 



The foregoing statistics prove that the tea industry is steadily 

 developing. It may now be considered to be established on a fii-m 

 basis.* 



Planters differ in their opinions of the kinds of soil most suited for 

 the growth of tea ; but there can be no doubt that the virgin soil of the 

 dense forests at the foot of the hills, where the cKmate is hot and 

 moist, and where tea is often found indigenous, is the best. But tea 

 will grow well in every district in Assam. 



The use of machinery is steadily increasing, the rolling on many 

 large estates being thus performed. Several machines have been 



* India Office Report on the tea operations in the province of Assam, 1873-4, 

 Assam Secretariat Press, 1876. 



