“‘There is no reason, that I am aware of, why the yield of Tea should not soon be raised to four maunds, and more gradually six maunds per acre, equal to twenty-four maunds of leaf per acre (less than one ton per acre for a green crop, which is still a very small one). Even now there are gardens in Cachar which give an average of from five to six maunds per acre this season. Some of these gardens have really no apparent advantage over their less fortunate neighbours, beyond that of a somewhat better system of cultivation and pruning; and these improvements even are to such a small degree ahead of the general practice, that I feel justified in saying I cannot place a limit on what the increased yield should be under a more rational system of cultivation, and the application of manures on a liberal scale, leaving out of consideration altogether what might reasonably be expected from a good system of drainage in addition.’
“Mr. James Stuart, Manager of the Bengal Tea Company’s gardens in Cachar, has also given two maunds an acre as the general average of Cachar gardens for the past season, including young gardens of two, three, and four years old.
“We do not think it necessary to quote in detail the opinions of all the gentlemen examined by us on the subject of average produce per acre. A garden that can give four maunds per acre is undoubtedly a good one, and we have no doubt there are such, or even better; but we do not think they are so common as to warrant our taking more than three maunds as a safe average.”
Mr. A. C. Campbell, Extra Assistant Commissioner at Burpettah, in his “Notes on Tea Cultivation in Assam,” published in the Journal of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India, part 3, vol. xii., page 309, says:—“Good Tea land can be made to yield as high as seven maunds per poora.” I forget exactly how much a poora is, but I believe it is nearly an acre.
In the Report to Government by the Commissioners, quoted above, at page 9, Mr. T. Burland, after estimating the cost of cultivation per acre per mensem at Rs. 9-10-2, adds:—“With the above expenditure per acre it is probable that much more than five maunds of Tea will be obtained from an acre of fair plant.”[78]
All these estimates, however, are based on the cultivation of Tea as carried on hitherto with few exceptions, that is to say, on gardens covered with weeds for many months in the year, and to which no manure has ever been given. With such cultivation, particularly on gardens planted on slopes, I think myself that the yield will not exceed four maunds at the outside.
High cultivation and liberal manuring will, I believe, at least double the above, if the plants are of a high class. However, here I give a table on the subject which I have carefully framed.
Estimate of probable yield per acre on flat land, good soil, in a good Tea climate, and with hybrid plants, if really high cultivation and liberal manuring is carried out.
| Year | Supposed Year | Estimated yield per acre in maunds[79] |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1875 | — |
| 2nd | 1876 | — |
| 3rd | 1877 | ½ |
| 4th | 1878 | 2 |
| 5th | 1879[80] | 4 |
| 6th | 1880 | 5 |
| 7th | 1881 | 6 |
| 8th | 1882 | 7 |
| 9th | 1883 | 7½ |
| 10th | 1884[81] | 8 |