[32] It may be that the transplanting and transporting tools invented by Mr. Jeben (see page 79) will solve the difficulty of filling up vacancies. CHAPTER XXII. FLUSHING AND NUMBER OF FLUSHES. The Tea plant is said to flush when it throws out new shoots and leaves. The young leaves thus produced are the only ones fit to make Tea, and the yield of a plantation depends therefore entirely on the frequency and abundance of the flushes. The way a flush is formed is fully explained under the head of “leaf picking” (pages 103, 104, and 107). The number of flushes in different plantations varies enormously, owing, _first_, to climate; _secondly_, to soil; _thirdly_, to the pruning adopted; _fourthly_, to the degree of cultivation given; and _fifthly_, though not least, to the presence or absence of manure. How to secure all these advantages to their fullest extent is shown under those heads, and we have here only to consider what is a low, a medium, and a high rate of flushing per season. In doing this we must speak of elevated (as Himalayan) gardens separately. The cool climate of heights makes it impossible for Tea to flush there as on the plains. Speaking generally of elevated gardens (the higher they are the shorter the period, and _vice versâ_), seven months may be considered as the average producing period, viz., from beginning of April to end of October, and during that time twelve to fifteen flushes may be obtained, which, I believe, with high cultivation and liberal manuring, can be increased to eighteen. In all localities, with favourable Tea climates, the plants flush both for a longer period and oftener. Speaking generally also, in this case, of the five best localities, viz., Assam, Cachar, Chittagong, the Terai below Darjeeling, and the Western Dooars (for even in these districts many advantages exist in one garden which do not in another), the following is an approximation to the flushing periods:-- _Upper Assam._--February 25th to November 15th. _Lower Assam._--February 20th to November 20th. _Cachar._--February 20th to November 20th. _Chittagong._--March 10th to December 20th. _Terai below Darjeeling and Western Dooars._--March 1st to November 20th. The opening period is a little late in Upper Assam on account of the cold, and closes a little earlier for the same reason. Lower Assam and Cachar are much alike. The opening in Chittagong is later than in the two just mentioned from want of early rains, but the season continues longer on account of the low latitude and consequent deferred cold weather. Roughly, then, rather more than nine months may be assumed as the flushing period for these districts. The next point is how _often_ do gardens in these localities flush in that time.