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
The lake of Bheemtal is situate in latitude 29 deg. 20 min. north,
and in longitude 79 deg. 30 min. east. It is 4,000 feet above the
level of the sea, and some of the surrounding mountains are said to
be 8,000 feet. These form the southern chain of the Himalayas, and
bound the vast plain of India, of which a glimpse can be had through
the mountain passes. Amongst these hills there are several _tals_ or
lakes, some flat meadow-looking land, and gentle undulating slopes,
while higher up we have steep and rugged mountains. It is amongst
these hills, that the Bheemtal tea plantations have been formed.
They may be classed under three heads, viz.--
1_st. Anoo and Kooasur plantations_.--These adjoin each other, are
both formed _on low flat land_, and together cover about forty
acres. The plants do not seem healthy or vigorous; many of them have
died out, and few are in that state which tea plants ought to be in.
Such situations never ought to be chosen for tea cultivation. The
same objection applies to these as to those at Deyra, but in a
greater degree. No doubt, with sufficient drainage, and great care
in cultivation, and the tea plant might be made to exist in such a
situation; but I am convinced it would never grow with that
luxuriance which is necessary in order to render it a profitable
crop. _Besides, such lands are valuable for other purposes_. They
are excellent rice lands, and as such of considerable value to the
natives.
2_nd. Bhurtpoor plantation_.--This plantation covers about four and
a half acres of terraced land on the hill side, a little to the
eastward of those last noticed. The soil is composed of a light
loam, much mixed with small pieces of clay-slate and trap or
green-stone, of which the adjacent rocks are composed. It contains a
small portion of vegetable matter or _humus_. Both the situation and
soil of this plantation are well adapted to the requirements of the
tea shrub, and consequently we find it succeeding here as well as at
Guddowli, Hawulbaugh, Almorah, and other places where it is planted
on the slopes of the hills.
3_rd. Russia plantation_.--This plantation extends over seventy-five
acres, and is formed on sloping land. The elevation is somewhat less
than Bhurtpoor, and although terraced in the same way, the angle is
much lower. In some parts of the farm the plants are doing well, but
generally they seemed to be suffering from too much water and hard
plucking. I have no doubt, however, of the success of this farm,
when the system of cultivation is improved. I observed some most
vigorous and healthy bushes in the overseer's garden, a spot
adjoining the plantation, which could not be irrigated, and was
informed they "never received any water, except that which fell from
the skies."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account