TEA. 



107 



subjacent rock, the plant has generally failed ; and this has been particularly the 

 case where the limestone, by plutonic action, has become metamorpliic. These 

 districts, therefore, in forming plantations, are to be aroided. 



From the writings of various authors, it appears that the districts where the 

 tea-plant thrives best in China, have a geological structure very similar to that 

 met with in many parts of the Himalayas, being composed of pruuitive and tran- 

 sition rocks. 



Altitude above the sea best suited to the tea ijlant. — To state what altitude is 

 best adapted to the growth of the tea-plant, and for the production of the best 

 kinds of tea, will require much more observation. At present the tea-plant thrives 

 equally well at Kaolagir, in the Deyrah Dhoon ; at Eussiah, in the Chikata dis- 

 trict ; at Huwalbaugh ; at Kuppeena and Lutchmisser ; and at Kumaserai, or at 

 heights ranging from 2,200 feet above the level of the sea to 6,000 feet. 



Moreover, the tea manufactured from leaves procured fi-om Kaolagir, has been 

 considered by the London brokers equal to that made from leaves procured from 

 Lutchmisser and Kuppeena. 



On the method of preparing ground prior to forming a plantation. — In forming 

 a plantation, the first object of attention, both in the hills and in the Deyrah 

 Dhoon, is a/tvice. In the former, to prevent the depredations of wild animals, 

 such as wild hog, deer, &c., which abound in the hills, and though they do not 

 eat tea leaves, yet hogs, in search of tubers, in the space of a single night will 

 do much damage by uprooting young shrubs — in the latter, to prevent the stray- 

 ing of cattle. The first thing to be done, therefore, is to dig a trench three feet 

 broad and two deep, and to plant a hedge, if in the hills, of black thoi'n ( Cra- 

 tcegas J ; if in the plains, the different species of aloe are best adapted for the pur- 

 pose. The fence being formed, all trees and shrubs are then to be uprooted ; 

 this is very heavy Avork, both in the hills and plains, from the vast number of 

 shrubs, allowed by natives (from indolence to remove them) to grow everywhere 

 throughout their fields. Eoads are then to be marked off. 



After this has be^n accomplished, the land is to be drained, if necessary, by 

 open di-ains — under drainage, for want of means and the expense, being imprac- 

 ticable— and then ploughed three or four times over. The beds for young tea- 

 plants are then to be formed; these ought to be three feet in breadth, alternating 

 with a pathway of two feet in breadth. By arranging beds in this manner much 

 time and labour is saved in transplanting ; in irrigation the water is economised, 

 and in plucking tea leaves a road is given to the gatherer. In transplanting, each 

 plant is allowed 4^ feet ; this is at once gained, the beds and pathways being 

 formed by placing in one direction the plant in the centre of the bed. 



Trenrliiig. — On the tea beds being marked off, they are to be trenched to a 

 depth of from two to three feet, in order to destroy all the roots of weeds, which 

 are to be carefully removed. The trenching is to be performed by the fowrah, or 

 Indian spade. 



In the hills, in many places the foicrah cannot be used, owing to the n-imber 

 of stones. The work is then to be done by the Tcoatlah, a tlat-pointed piece of 

 iron, of about eight inches in length, which is inserted into a wooden handle. It 

 is in form like the pick, and is much used in hill cultivation for weeding and 

 opening up the ground. It is, however, not much to be commended for trench- 

 ing purposes, as natives, in using it, never penetrate the ground beyond a few 

 inches. For weeding, however, it is particidai ly useful, and to such soil is 

 much better adapted than most other implements. 



Formation of roads a)2d paths. — In addition to the pathvraj^s of two feet in 

 breadth, recommended to be formed between each bed, theje ought, for general 

 use, to be a four feet road carried round the plantation, and one of 10 feet through 

 the centre. This applies to a limited plantation, that is, of from 200 to 400 

 acres. If, on the other hand, it was on a more extensive scale, several hackery 

 roads of 10 feet in breadth would be necessary, in order to cart away weeds, occ, 

 or carry mt-nure to seedling beds. 



On seeds ichen ripe, and method to he adopted to asceitain it. — In all September 

 and October the tea seeds ripen, but in the more elevated plantations, as at Eu- 

 maserai, many do not ripen until Xovember. The seeds are contained in a cap- 

 sule, and vary in number from one to seven ; to ascertain that they are ripe, 



