1838.] 



Report on the Tea Plant of Upper Assam 



Nature of the LocaUiies. 



All these, with the exception of Gubroo and Ningrew, occupy low 

 spots, and the former is perhaps the only one wlii^h is always exempt 

 from inundation. The Vv^etness of the four first during the rains could 

 not well be exceeded, and although Gubroo is, as I have said, not actual- 

 ly wet, it is excessively moist. During the cold weather even, they 

 maintain their character for humidity. That of Kujoodoo is the only one 

 near which I saw no water-course or stream, but then its situation is cer- 

 tainly lower than that of Kujoo or Ningrew. All may be characterised 

 as presenting an excess of humidity. On this subject I cannot do better 

 than refer to Mr. McClelland's report, p. 35, which is highly deserving 

 of attention. The localities are in every instance clothed with exces- 

 sively thick tree jungle, the trees, in almost every case, being of moder- 

 ate size. Undershrubs and herbaceous plants, such as love shade, are 

 found in abundance intermixed with the Tea plants. In some of thg 

 localities bamboos are of common occurrence. So thick, indeed, are these 

 jungles, that it is much to be doubted whether the Tea plant, not even 

 excepting the arborescent ones, ever receives the direct rays of the sun. 



Appearance of the Plants. 

 The size of the Tea plant diminishes, speaking in a general point of 

 view, as we proceed tovN^'ards the west, and speaking in a limited point 

 of view, as we approached the confines of each tract or locality. On this 

 point Mr. McClelland excellently observes, " It was also to be remarked 

 here as well as in other situations in M^hich the Tea plant was afterward* 

 examined, thatinsulated individuals were smaller in size, the farther they 

 were detached from the natisral limits of the colony ; which last were al- 

 ways found to be marked by certain changes in the soil, except, perhaps, 

 in a single instance." The largest plants exist in the Kujoo locality, 

 one being observed to measure 43 feet in length, with a diameter near 

 the base of six inches. Occasionaiiy the plant reaches to a height of 47 

 or 50 feet. The average height of the better sort may be estimated at 

 6 to 8 feet. At Gubroo, as I have mentioned, it exists only as a mo- 

 derate sized shrub ; it was hence pointed out to us as a new variety, and 

 was even digniHed with the name of dwarf Tea. But this diminution 

 in size is not of sufficient importance to characterize a variety, and may 

 always be expected to occur towards the boundary lines of the geogra- 

 phical distribution of every plant. The appearance of the plant, ex- 

 cepting some at Tingrei, where the jungle was less than usually thick, 

 is the same as one would expect in any shriibby pLmt growing in a 

 dense jungle. This may be characterised by a great tendency to elonga- 

 tion (each plant struggling as it were, to attain a height at which it 

 may procure some portion of solar influence), by a small straggling crown. 



