TEA SEED.
Though there is a great difference in Tea plants (see last chapter) the
seed of all is the same, and it is therefore impossible to say from
what class of plants it has been gathered.
When Tea seed was very valuable (it has sold in the Tea-fever days as
high as Rs. 200 and Rs. 300 per maund) it was the object of planters to
grow as much as possible.
High class plants do not give much seed, a plantation therefore with
much on it should be avoided in purchasing seed.
The Tea flower (the germ of next year’s seed) appears in the autumn,
and the seed is ripe at the end of the following October or early
November.
It takes thus one year to form.
Seed is ripe when the capsule becomes brown, and when breaking the
latter the inner brown covering of the seed adheres to the seed and
_not_ to the capsule.
One capsule contains 1, 2, 3, and sometimes even 4 seeds.
Though the mass ripens at the end of October, some ripen earlier; the
capsule splits and the seed falls on the ground. If, therefore, all
the seed from a garden is required, it is well to send round boys all
October to pick up such seeds.
When the seed is picked at the end of October or early November the
mass is still in capsules. It should be laid in the sun for half an
hour daily for two or three days until most of the capsules have
split. It is then shelled, and the clean seed laid on the floor of
any building where it will remain dry. Sunning it _after_ shelling is
objectionable.
The sooner it is sown after it is shelled the better.
If for any reason it is necessary to keep it, say a fortnight or three
weeks before sowing, it is best kept _towards_ germinating in layers
covered with dry mould. But if to be kept longer leave it on the dry
floor as above, taking care it is thinly spread (not more than one seed
thick if you have space) and collected together, and re-spread every
day to turn it.
For transport to a distance it should be placed in coarse gunny bags
only one-third filled. If these are shaken and turned daily during
transit a journey of a week will not very materially injure the seed.
For any long journey it is best placed in layers in boxes with
thoroughly dry and fine charcoal between the layers, and sheets of
paper here and there to prevent the charcoal running to the bottom.
It is scarcely necessary to consider how Tea seed can be utilized when
not saleable, for seed prevents leaf, and therefore it should not be
grown if there is no market for it. It will, however, make oil, but
the price it would fetch for this purpose would not compensate for
the diminished yield of leaf it had caused. It is also valuable as
manure mixed with cattle-dung, but it would not pay to grow it for this
purpose either.
My advice therefore is to allow no more seed on the garden than you
require for your own use (even the fullest gardens require some yearly)
or than you can sell at a remunerative price.
If the object is to produce a considerable quantity of seed, set apart
a piece of the plantation for it, and do not prune it at all. A large
number will then be produced on that piece.
If the object is to grow as little seed as possible after the pruning
in the cold weather, which destroys the greater part, send round boys
to pick off such of the germs as remain.
If this is done ever so carefully, some will escape, enough say to give
one maund seed from 10 acres of garden, and this as a rule is enough to
fill up vacancies in a good garden.
The following figures regarding seed will be found useful, but remember
the higher the class of plant the less durable the seed:--
Seven maunds seed, with capsules, give 4 mds. clean seed.
One maund clean seed (fresh) =26,000 seeds.
„ „ (ten days old) =32,000 „
„ „ (one month old) =35,000 „
Say therefore, in round numbers, that one maund Tea seed=30,000 seeds.
With good Tea seed, sown shortly after it is picked, about 20,000 will
germinate.
If you get 8,000 to germinate with seed that has come a long distance,
you are lucky.
After a two months’ journey 3,000 is probably the outside which will be
realised.
My experience, with seed imported into another District from Assam or
Cachar, is that more than 4,500 Seedlings cannot be expected from each
maund.