106 



TEA. 



make one observation, viz. that tlie hot season in Chittagong is 

 occasionally accompanied by so little rain as to cause great mortality 

 among the young plants, and to affect more or less the yield of older 

 ones. In all these districts tea is cultivated from a very little above 

 sea-level, up to an elevation of 2500 feet, or even more ; and within 

 this range there is not, I think, any appreciable variation of climate. 

 At Darjeeliug the tea plant is cultivated up to an elevation of 6000 

 feet. The rainfall here, though ample, is slightly less than that of 

 the above-mentioned districts. The plant will grow, as I have said, 

 at as high an elevation as 6000 feet, but, for anything like profitable 

 cultivation, 3500 feet is, in my opinion, the outside safe limit. The 

 higher up you go, the more highly you must cultivate ; it follows, 

 therefore, that the planter will get a better return for his money at 

 the lower elevations.* The remaining hill districts in the north- 

 west are the Kangra valley, Dehra Doon, Kumaon, Gurwhal, &c. 

 What I have said about Darjeeling applies in a great measure to these 

 also, i. e. success will very much depend upon the elevation, and the 

 warmth and moisture of the climate. In Southern India, though 

 practical tea planting is of very recent date, the plant is grown upon 

 the Neilgherry, Anna Mulley, and Pulney hills ; also, I believe, in 

 Travancore ; and at suitable elevations grows far better than in the 

 hill districts of Bengal. In the Neilgherries, owing partly to 

 latitude, and partly to the less liberal allowance of rain, tea is grown 

 at higher elevations than would be advisable in Bengal. The rainfall 

 varies between 60 and 80 inches, but it is most evenly distributed 

 throughout the months of the year. The best elevation here is 

 between 4800 and 5600 feet. Lower down than this the sun's rays 

 take too powerful an effect during the dry season, while above 6000 

 feet, excepting a few well-sheltered localities, the wind is excessive. 

 I have, however, seen tea cultivated at an elevation of over 7000 

 feet. The plants in this case were tolerably healthy, but, owing to 

 cold, grew very slowly, and yielded but little leaf. On the Anna 

 Mullay hills and Travancore, I think they might prove even better 

 districts than the Neilgherries. The plants suffer from want of rain 

 during the hot season — a very serious drawback in these low alti- 

 tudes. From the foregoing remarks it will be seen that the yield is 

 greatest in Eastern Bengal ; but, at the same time, with high culti- 

 vation a very good return may be made at higher elevations, when 

 the thermometer by day ranges between 62° and 75° ; and the rain- 

 fall does not fall short of 60 inches. Under these circumstances, 

 however, a higher system of cultivation must be adopted. It is 

 for the planter himself to decide whether or no he will content him- 

 self with smaller returns, and live and work in a good climate ; or 

 make as much as he can in a short time at the risk of his health — 

 nay, of his life also. To sum up : in Bengal I would not recom- 

 mend the opening out of an estate at a higher elevation than 

 3500 feet above sea-level, while in Southern India I consider 5000 

 feet about the right elevation. If equally distributed throughout the 



* The mountains of Ceylon, being only about 7° from the equator, I believe that 

 tea, when fairly well sheltered from wind, will grow well there at 5000 feet, and 

 even at a higher altitude. 



