98 



TEA. 



large plantations with quick returns will, I am afraid, terminate in 

 disappointment. 



The cultivation of tea in the beginning is not an easy affair. It 

 must be attended with considerable expense, especially on land just 

 reclaimed from a state of nature, which is very difficult of being 

 kept free from rank vegetation, except under dense shade. Estimates 

 may be made, but the actual expense of a certain portion of land 

 cannot be ascertained beforehand, unless the seed sown produces a 

 plant at every stake. I am given to understand that the Assam Tea 

 Company spent twenty-four lakhs of rupees (240,000Z.) before receiving 

 any return, and that after a period of fifteen years. 



The art of cultivating tea in Cachar is only in its infancy. 

 Various methods are proposed, but the severe drought of the two last 

 seasons has put it out of the power of the planters to judge of the 

 best plan. Irrigating teelah lands is out of the question, as water 

 is not always at hand. The former plan of clearing the land of all 

 forest trees is now abandoned ; only the underwood is cut, the ground 

 hoed, staked, and the seed sown. This method will afford shade, 

 and j)i'otect the young plants from the parching nature of the soil. 

 In the third year the plants must be topped to make them grow into 

 bushes, and the shade removed to allow the rays of the sun to act on 

 the plants and make them produce leaves. This is to be done by 

 ringing the timber trees shortly after the seed is sown, and removing 

 the withered trees at leisure. This plan is to all appearance the best 

 yet adopted. 



The great demand for tea seed to carry on large and extended cul- 

 tivations has already enhanced its price 400 per cent. There are now 

 at this moment eleven companies engaged in tea cultivation in 

 Cachar, and all cannot procure the seed they require, except perhaj)s 

 those intimately connected with the Assam planters. It is to be 

 observed that tea seed ought to be obtained fresh, and packed in 

 moist earth at the place where it is procurable, and forwarded with 

 as little delay as possible to ensure its germination. 



The difficulty of procuring labour for a tea garden will be soon 

 seriously felt, especially dmdng the rains, from the extension of tea 

 cultivation and raising recruits in the district for the army. In the 

 cold weather the natives of the cultivated parts of Cachar, Sylhet, and 

 Jynteeah, readily take service for a short time, but at other seasons, 

 when they have their own cultivation to attend to, they are not easily 

 procurable. Before a cooly enters a tea garden he receives an advance 

 of a rupee (2s.), or wages for ten days ; as soon as this j)eriod expires, 

 he goes away or engages for another ten days, but seldom remains 

 above a month or two. In order to procure this labour, there are men 

 called Duffadars, whose business is to receive advances from the planters 

 and bring in the men from the villages, for which service they receive 

 a fee of one-twelfth of an anna, or half a farthing per day per man. 

 Under tbis system the man is careless at his work, and under no 

 responsibility for the efficient discharge of it, and takes no interest 

 in learning the business of a tea-garden malee ; for should he be 

 reprehended for any negligence, he immediately quits the garden, 

 and is sure to find employment in another, from the great demand 

 there is for labour at present. 



