368 Beport on the Tea Plant of Upper Assam. [Oct, 



of plants, owing to the greater certainty of success, experiments may be 

 made in crossing, that is by applying the fertilising power or pollen of on 

 to the stigmata or communicating organs of fesan iation of another : and» 

 as according to the law that the produce of such fecundation possesses 

 the properties of the plant furnishing the pollen, it is obvious that the 

 pollen of the Chinese plants must be applied to the stigmata of those of 

 Assam. By repeating the experiments indefinitely, always applying 

 good pollen fi'om Chinese plants to the plants produced by previous cros- 

 ses, it may be expected that the indigenous plant of Assam will lose most 

 or all of those bad qualities that may, with reason, be supposed to exist 

 in it. I need not enlarge farther upon this subject which is one of great 

 extent, and the operation of which requires in an especial degree care • 

 it is one however of every day appplication in countries where horticul- 

 ture is properly attended to. The only circumstance that can retard the 

 improvement of the Assamese plants under such circumstances is the 

 existence of a deteriorating quality in the soil, and this there are no 

 grounds for supposing to be the case ; even if it be so, the necessity fo^" 

 the experiment is still farther increased. There are other methods of 

 improving or rather reclaiming plants, on which as they are obvious to 

 every body acquainted with horticulture, I need not dwell. I allude to 

 grafting, &c. &c.* 



The fact that wild stocks are more or less irreclaimable, leads me to 

 state, that all the accounts I was enabled, through Mr. Bayfield, to 

 gather, induce me to suppose, that the Tea possesses the last bad 

 quality in a considerable degree. All the Chinese or rather Shan- 

 Chinese, agreed in saying that the wild plant was not considered wor- 

 thy of being submitted to cultivation; and I mast not omit to mention 

 that the Tea of the PoUong district of Burma, situated to the N. E. of 

 Ava, and which is said to be from the wild stock, has not hitherto, 

 although cultivated to a certain degree from a remote period, undergone 

 any improvement. The step next in importance is to secure a sufficient 

 number of first rate Chinese cultivators and manufacturers, both of black 

 and green Teas. This can only be done by the usual route ; for I found 

 that among all the so called Chinese, who are to be met with at Mo- 

 goung, Barno, and Ava, as well as among those who form the large amiu. 

 al caravans that trade with Bunna, there is not a single genuine China- 

 man. 



* Oa the principle fhat improved culture improves fh e whole plant, it may be said tliat 

 the importation oi seeds from China is not necessary . But let me ask which is the best, 

 as well as the safest plan 2 By adopting the one, success is certain, and, moreover, ra- 

 pidly 30 ; by adopting the other, its attainment i? postponed to a remote and perhaps to 

 aa indefinite period. 



