TEA. 



Ill 



servant eye. This species of Tkea Boliea forms nearly the \rhole of the 

 plantations, and was brought from China by Dr. Grordon. 



In the plantations there is a third plant, which, however, can only be con- 

 sidered a marked variety of Thea Bohea. Its leaves are thick, coriaceous, and 

 of dark-green color, but invariably very small, and not exceeding two inches in 

 length, and thinly lanceolate; the serratures, too, on the edge, which are 

 straight, are not so deep. In other characters it is identical. This marked 

 variety was received from Calcutta at the plantation in a separate despatch 

 from the others. 



But in addition to these there are, no doubt, many more varieties, and though 

 it may be a fact that, in certain districts, green tea is manufactured from a 

 species differing from that from which black tea is manufactured, yet, in other 

 districts, green and black teas are manufactured from one and the same plant. 

 The Chinese manufacturers now in Kumaon state that the plant is one and the 

 same, and that it can be proved by converting black tea into green. In manu- 

 facturing teas now in the manufactory, if a large quantity of leaves are brought 

 in from the plantations, one half are converted into green, and one half into 

 black tea. This only shows that much of the green and black teas of commerce 

 are manufactured from one and the same plant. The Assam plant is, from the 

 characters given, quite a distinct plant, and agrees, as already stated, most 

 nearly with the species described as Thea viridis. It would, therefore, be most 

 desirable to procure seeds of this so-called species, and also of other varieties, 

 of which, no doubt, there is a great variety. From the northern districts of 

 China in particular, seeds ought to be imported, not, however, in large quantities, 

 but in quantities of two or three seers, so that they might, on arri-\-al at Calcutta, 

 be sent up the country as quickly as possible, for, it the seeds are kept long out 

 of the ground, not one will germmate ; such was the fate of all the seeds con- 

 tained in ten boxes imported by government in 1845, not one having germinated, 

 which was much to be regretted. Had they been sent in small parcels, well 

 packed in wax cloth, to prevent them from being injui-edby moisture, and 

 placed in an airy part of the vessel in transmission from China to Calcutta, and, 

 on arrival there, sent by dawk banghay direct to the plantation, they would, I 

 am confident, have reached in good condition. It is well worthy of a trial ; 

 and seeds ought, if possible, to be obtained from every district celebrated for 

 its teas. It is in this manner, by obtaining seeds of the finest varieties of 

 plants, that the finest teas will be procured. I do not mean to infer that the tea 

 plants now under cultivation are not the produce of fine varieties, for that has 

 been proved by the undoubted testimony of the London brokers, bat onh* that 

 there are, no doubt, many others well worthy of introduction. In confirmation 

 of what I have stated, I may quote the words of my late friend Dr. Griffith, who, 

 in his report on the tea plant of Assam, says — "I now come to the consideration 

 of the steps which, in my opinion, must be followed if any degree of success in 

 the cultivation of tea is to be expected ; of these the most important is the im- 

 portation of Chinese seeds of unexceptionable quality, and of small numbers of 

 their sorts." * Dr. Royle, too, who was the first pers m to point out that the 

 Himalayas were well adapted to tea cultivation, and to whom the credit of re- 

 commending to government the introduction of the plant into Northern India 

 is due, strongly urges the necessity of importing seeds fi'om difi'erent localities 

 in China celebrated for their teas. 



Method and season for plucking and gathering leaves. — The season for picking 

 leaves commences in April and continues until October. The number of 

 gatherings varies, depending on the moisture f or dryness of the season. If 

 the season be good, as many as seven gatherings may be obtained. If, however, 

 the rains are partial, only four or five. These, however, may be reduced to 

 their general periods for gathering — that is, from April to June, from July to 

 loth August, and from September to the end of October. But few leaves are 



* Report ou Tea Cultivation submitted to House of Commons. See Blue Book, 1839, p. 1—3. 



t In a short time rain gauges will be established at Bheemtal, Huwalbaugh, Paoree, and 

 Kaolagir, in order to measure the quantity of rain that falls annually, for the purpose of 

 ascertaining how much the quantity and quality of the produce of tea is affected by the 

 weather. 



