A History of Assam c24.12

c24.12

But although it was now admitted that the Assam plant was undoubtedly a variety of the true tea plant of China, it was still thought that it had degenerated by neglect of cultivation, and that the proper course would be to introduce the cultivated plant from that country. Mr. Bruce was therefore supplied, not only with some skilled Chinese tea manufacturers, but also with a few of the plants brought to India by Mr. Gordon; and from this time forward there was a constant importation of Chinese tea seed. It was not till years later, when large tracts had been given up to the cultivation of China tea, that the Assam planters became convinced of the great local superiority of the indigenous variety, in respect both of quality and outturn, and found that for most soils the best plant of all is a hybrid in which the indigenous element largely preponderates. In 1837, Mr. Bruce packed forty-six boxes of tea, but, owing to defective packing, much of it had been damaged by damp before it reached Calcutta, and only a small portion was sent on to England. The report on this, however, was hopeful, and it was declared that Assam tea would be quite capable of competing with the Chinese product "when more care shall be taken in the selection of leaves from plants better pruned, and when greater experience shall have perfected the mode of preparation."