g tea as they would
do rice, and the impropriety of commencing the plucking before the
plants are strong, and of considerable size. I am happy to add, that
amongst these hills there are no foolish prejudices 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 "Sahib" 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
improvement.

GENERAL REMARKS.

1. _On land and cultivation_.--From the observations already made
upon the various tea farms which I have visited in the Himalayas, it
will be seen that I do not approve of _low flat lands_ being
selected for the cultivation of the tea shrub. In China, which at
present must be regarded as the model tea country, the plantations
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 Tunche, many hundred 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 ban