394 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. XXII. 



establishment of a company to develop the resources 

 of these hills, as in Assam, I would strongly urge the 

 propriety of concentrating, as much as possible, the 

 various plantations. Sites ought to be chosen which 

 are not too far apart, easy of access, and if possible 

 near rivers ; for, no doubt, a considerable portion of 

 the produce would have to be conveyed to the plains 

 or to a seaport. 



In my tour amongst the hills I have seen no place 

 so well adapted for a central situation as Almorah or 

 Hawulbaugh. Here the Government has already a 

 large establishment, and tea-lands are abundant in all 

 directions. The climate is healthy, and better suited 

 to an European constitution than most other parts of 

 India. Here plants from nearly all the temperate 

 parts of the world are growing as if they were at 

 home. As examples, I may mention Myrtles, Pome- 

 granates, and Tuberoses from the south of Europe ; 

 Dahlias, Potatoes, Aloes, and Yuccas from America ; 

 Melianthus major and bulbs from the Cape ; the 

 Cypress and Deodar of the Himalayas ; and the La- 

 gerstrsemias, Loquats, Roses, and Tea of China. 



In these days, when tea has become almost a ne- 

 cessary of life in England and her wide-spreading 

 colonies, its production upon a large and cheap scale 

 is an object of no ordinary importance. But to the 

 natives of India themselves the production of this 

 article would be of the greatest value. The poor 

 paharie, or hill peasant, at present has scarcely the 

 common necessaries of life, and certainly none of its 

 luxuries. The common sorts of grain which his lands 



