}
8
In
This result, Captain Ramsay informed me, had been attained in the following simple manner. All the land attached to the two villages with which the tea farms are connected, is exempted from the revenue tax, a sum amounting only to Rs. 52 per annum. lieu of this, the assamees (cultivators) of both villages assist with manure, and at the transplanting season, as well as ploughing and preparing fresh land. In addition to this, one chowdree and four prisoners are constantly employed upon the plantations. The chief reason of the success of these plantations, next to that of the land being well suited for tea cultivation, may, no doubt, be traced to a good system of management: that is, the young plants have been carefully transplanted at the proper season of the year, when the air was charged with moisture, and they have not been destroyed by excessive irrigation afterwards. The other zemindaree plantation at Lohba might have been now in full bearing had the same system been followed.
From the description thus given, it will be observed that I consider the Kutoor plantations in a most flourishing condition. And I have no doubt they will continue to flourish, and soon convince the zemin- dars of the value of tea-cultivation, providing three things intimately connected with the success of the crop are strongly impressed upon their minds: viz., the unsuitableness of low wet lands for tea-culti- vation; the folly of irrigating tea as they would do rice; and the impropriety of commencing the plucking before the plants are strong and of considerable size. It is difficult in a Report to give an idea of the proper time to begin plucking, but I have explained my views upon the subject fully to Dr. Jameson and to Captain Ramsay. I am happy to add that amongst these hills there are no foolish pre- judices in the minds of the natives against the cultivation of tea. About the time of my visit a zemindar came and begged two thousand plants to enable him to commence tea-growing on his own account.
It is of great importance that the authorities of a district and persons of influence, should show an interest in a subject of this kind. At present the natives do not know its value, but they are as docile as children, and will enter willingly upon tea-cultivation providing the "sabib" shows that he is interested in it. In a few years the profits received will be a sufficient inducement.
In concluding this part of my Report, I beg to suggest the propriety of obtaining some of the best varieties of the tea-plant which have been introduced lately into the Government plantations from China. Dr. Jameson could no doubt spare a few; but they ought to be given to those zemindars only who have succeeded with the original variety.
Having described in detail the various Government plantations, and also those of the zemindars which came under my notice in
the Himalayas, I shall now make some general remarks upon the cultivation of tea in India, and offer some suggestions for its im- provement.
GENERAL REMARKS.
1. On Land and Cultivation. From the observations already made
upon the various tea-farms which I have visited in the Hima- layas, it will be seen that I do not approve of low fat lands being selected for the cultivation of the tea-shrub. In China, which
at present must be regarded as the model tea country, the planta- tions are never made in such situations, or they are so rare as not to have come under my notice. In that country they are usually formed on the lower slopes of the hills, that is, in such situations as those at Guddowli, Hawulbaugh, Almorah, Kutoor, &c., in the Himalayas. It is true that in the fine green tea country of Hwuy- chow, in China, near the town of Tun-che, many bundred acres of flattish land are under tea-cultivation. But this land is close to the hills, which jut out into it in all directions, and it is intersected by a river whose banks are usually from 15 to 20 feet above the level of the stream itself, not unlike those of the Ganges below Benares. In fact, it has all the advantages of hilly land such as the tea-plant delights in. In extending the Himalaya plantation, this important fact ought to be kept in view.
There is no scarcity of such land in these mountains, more particularly in Eastern Gurhwal and Kumaon. It abounds in the districts of Paorie, Kunour, Lobba, Almorah, Kutoor, and Bheem- tal; and I was informed by Mr. Batten that there are large tracts about Gungoli and various other places, equally suitable. Much of this land is out of cultivation, as I have already stated, while the cultivated portions yield on an average only two or three annas per acre of revenue.
Such lands are of less value to the zemindars than low rice-land, where they can command a good supply of water for irrigation. But I must not be understood to recommend poor worn-out hill lands for tea-cultivation,-land on which nothing else will grow. Nothing is further from my meaning. Tea, in order to be profit- able, requires a good sound soil,- —a light loam, well mixed with sand and vegetable matter, moderately moist, and yet not stagnant Such a soil, for example, as on these hill-sides produces good crops of mundooa, wheat or millet, is well adapted for tea. It is such lands which I have alluded to as abounding in the Himalayas, and which are at present of so little value, either to the Government or to the natives themselves.
or sour.
The system of Irrigation applied to tea in India is never practised in China. I did not observe it practised in any of the
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