94 



TEA. 



the same average price as they before obtained in Calcutta, after 

 incurring the risk and cost of the journey. 



In August, 1860, the Government of Madras addressed the Secre- 

 tary of State, transmitting some copies of a useful and interesting 

 report by Dr. Cleghorn, on the suitability of various places in that 

 Presidency to the growth of the tea plant. Under the head of localities, 

 Dr. Cleghorn includes the Shevaroy, Bababooden, Neilgherry, and 

 Pulni hills ; Coorg ; Nundidroog (a hill in Mysore 4800 feet high); 

 Curtallam, and Travancore. The tea plant, he thinks, appeai-s to 

 prefer a climate probably of 67° to 70° mean temperature. Such 

 is nearly the mean temperature of the hill sloj^es near Coonor, 

 Kotergherry, and of many of the valleys in the eastern and northern 

 slopes of the Pulni and Neilgherry hills, and also of the Baba- 

 booden range in Mysore, and of Kudra Muka in South Canara. With 

 reference to the hardiness of tea shrub, he says the cultivation 

 extends over a great breadth of latitude (from the banks of the 

 Rio Janeiro, 22^° south latitude, to the province of Shansing, 

 in China, 36J° north latitude), and that, as we recede from the 

 equator, the lower latitude compensates for the difference of alti- 

 tude. The Chinese cultivate on the lower slopes of the hills, 

 whilst in the North- West Provinces the cultm*e is carried on between 

 2000 and 6000 feet. All that was necessary to secure a successful 

 growth of tea in Southern India, in Dr. Cleghorn's opinion, was the 

 aid of a few practised manipulators. 



In the official report on the progress and condition of India for 

 the year ending April 1875 it is stated that — 



" The cultivation of tea is rapidly spreading in those districts 

 of Bengal which are suited to the cultivation of the plant. The 

 amount of the out-turn, though falling far short of the sanguine 

 expectations of the first days of tea planting, is now amply remune- 

 rative, and the prices obtained in the market show that the average 

 quality is good. The industry is, indeed, in an infinitely better and 

 safer position now than it was ten years ago. The cultivation has 

 enormously extended, and the gardens are, as a rule, well filled with 

 plants, highly cultivated, and carefully managed. 



" The native labourers are well treated by the European planters, 

 and are generally contented ; the best of them come from Nepal, and 

 bear a good character for industry and aptitude. 



" There were twenty-six new gardens opened in the Darjeeling 

 district ; the increase of area under cultivation was 3193 acres, and 

 the increase of out-turn was 971,201 lbs. The average yield of 

 an acre was about 325 lbs.; in 1872 it was about 256 lbs. The 

 average quality of the Darjeeling tea was inferior to that of some 

 other districts, but it is believed that this fact has been recognised by 

 many of the leading planters, and that improvement may be looked for. 



" The field for expansion of tea cultivation is stated to be inde- 

 finitely large in the long tract at the foot of the Darjeeling Hills, 

 and there is also still room for increase in the Chittagong Hills and in 

 Chota Nagpore. No soil that has yet been explored appears to have 

 proved better adapted for the growth of the tea plant than that of 

 the Western Dooars. 



