THE TEA BUSH
Imagine a huge tea estate in China, India, Sri Lanka or
any of the other large tea producing countries. The view across acres of tea bushes stretches as far as the eye can see.

The tea bush is an evergreen tropical plant with stiff, shiny, pointed leaves. It grows at altitudes of between just above sea-level to 7,000 feet. The Tea Bush needs a wet, warm climate with at least 50 inches of rain a year. The new bushes are grown mainly from cutting. It takes from three to five years (depending on the altitude of the plantation) for the young plant to grow into a bush ready for tea production.

PLUCKING
The young shoots which grow quickly are plucked, in
the growing season, every seven to fourteen days. Only the leaf bud plus the two top leaves are plucked. These
young, soft shoots make the best tea. The plucked shoots are carried in a basket on the back of the plucker.

COLLECTION
Once the basket is full, the plucker carries it to a collecting point for checking and weighing. A skilled plucker can gather 60 to 80 pounds of leaf a day, (enough to make 16 to 20 pounds of manufactured tea).