The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom: Considered in Their Various Uses to Man and in Their Relation to the Arts and Manufactures; Forming a Practical Treatise & Handbook of Reference for the Colonist, Manufacturer, Merchant, and Consumer, on the Cultivation, Preparation for Shipment, and Commercial Value, &c. of the Various Substances Obtained From Trees and Plants, Entering into the Husbandry of Tropical and Sub-tropical Regions, &c.Simmonds, P. L. (Peter Lund)
Science
The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom: Considered in Their Various Uses to Man and in Their Relation to the Arts and Manufactures; Forming a Practical Treatise & Handbook of Reference for the Colonist, Manufacturer, Merchant, and Consumer, on the Cultivation, Preparation for Shipment, and Commercial Value, &c. of the Various Substances Obtained From Trees and Plants, Entering into the Husbandry of Tropical and Sub-tropical Regions, &c.
Simmonds, P. L. (Peter Lund)
Botany, Economic
_Note on the culture of the tea plant at Darjeeling, in 1847, by Dr.
A. Campbell, Superintendant_.--About six years ago I received a few
tea seeds from Dr. Wallich; they were of China stock, grown in
Kumaon. I planted them in my garden in November, 1841, and had about
a dozen seedlings in the month of May following, which were allowed
to grow where they had come up, and rather close together. The
plants were healthy from the commencement, and up to May, 1844, had
grown very well; at this period the ground passed into other hands
(Mr. Samuel Smith's), and I lost sight of them until last August,
when Mr. Macfarlane, from Assam, who was acquainted with the tea
plant in that province, arrived here. Being desirous of ascertaining
how far the climate and soil of Darjeeling were suitable to the tea,
I took him to examine the plants, and begged of him to record his
opinion on their growth and qualities, with reference to their age,
and his experience of the plant in Assam. The result was quite
satisfactory. Encouraged by this result, I determined to give an
extended trial to the plant, and through the kindness of Major
Jenkins and Captain Brodie, of Assam, I procured a supply of fresh
seed in October and November last, which was planted in November and
the early part of December.
The seed was of excellent quality. It commenced germinating in
March, a few plants appeared above ground in the early part of May,
and now I have upwards of 7,000 fine healthy seedlings in the
plantation.
For the information of those who may desire to try the tea culture
in this soil and climate, I have to state the mode of planting
pursued by me, and other particulars. The ground is a gentle sloping
bank, facing the north and west; the soil is a reddish clay mixed
with vegetable mould. After taking up a crop of potatoes, and
carefully preparing the ground, I put in the seeds in rows six feet
apart and six feet distance in the rows. The seeds were placed about
three inches under the surface, five in number, at each place about
four inches apart--thus : . : On an average, two out of five have
come up. The seedlings commenced appearing above ground early in
May, and continued to show until the end of July. The earliest were,
therefore, six months in the ground; the latest about eight months.
The seed was of China stock, grown in Assam, and of the Assam plant
mixed. I am anxious to have the China stock only, and purpose
separating the plants of the Assam stock as soon as I can
distinguish them, which Captain Brodie informs me can be readily
done as they grow up; the China plants begin of a darker color, and
smaller than the Assam ones.
I hope to have a supply of the seed of China stock from Kumaon next
November, and with it to cause the extension of the experiment at
this place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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