144 



Scientific Intelligence. 



[No. 11, NEW SERIES. 



VII. Cf ETALLA3I. — I have received flowering specimens from 

 ^ ^ ^ ^ the old spice garden, which correspond with 



the standard figures of Thea Chinensis. The 

 shrubs are 20 years old, 12 to 15 feet high, and where the seed 

 came from is not known. 



VIII. Travaxcore. — Tea trees grow luxuriantly in Messrs. 



Altitude. Bain-fall. Binny andCo.'s 



Caldoorty 6,700 feet 150 to 200 Ins. plantations, 



Vellvmallay near Udagiri 1,800 feet 80 (formerly Ml 



Athaboo near Tinnevellv 3,200 feet 40 ;„ , * v ' 



Huxham's) 40 



miles east of Quilon on the road to Curtallam, and from whence 

 some plants were procured 10 or 12 years ago, which were planted 

 at Vellymallay near Udagiri, 1,800 feet and at Athaboo near Tin- 

 nevelly frontier, §,200 feet. At both places they are growing 

 luxuriantly. 



These facts are taken from General Cullen's letter to the Madras 

 Government, and I may state that some seeds received from him 

 were planted and throve on the Xilgiris at an elevation of 5,500 



feet 



4. In Tea, as in all cultivated plants, there are variations, the 

 discrimination of which is of the utmost importance commercially, 

 and also in an economical point of view, but I have not materials 

 for attempting a precise definition of these differences. This, 

 however, is known that the seed having been obtained from dif- 

 ferent parts of China, the introduced plants varies in stature ex- 

 ceedingly, from a bushy shrub of 3J feet to aramous tree, 25 feet 

 high. 



5. There is a vast difference also between the narrow leaved 

 forms and broad leaved specimens in some of the localities men- 

 tioned. 



6. At present the leaves are taken indifferently from several 

 sorts, which should not be done, when preparing Tea for commer- 

 cial purposes : and the means of manufacture, are of the rudest 



description. 



