145 YEARS OF CEYLON TEA

THE  MAN RECOGNIZED AS THE PIONEER OF THE ISLAND'S  TEA  INDUSTRY WAS A SCOT CALLED JAMES TAYLOR.  HE WAS A SCIENTIFICALLY- MINDED PLANTER WHO EXPERIMENTED WITH MANY DIFFERENT  TYPE OF TEA PLANT TO FIND THOSE SUITABLE FOR THE ISLAND'S SOIL AND CLIMATE, AND HE GREW THE FIRST COMMERCIAL ACRES  OF TEA BUSHES. THE EARLY PLANTERS BROUGHT EVER-INCREASING AREAS OF JUNGLE UNDER CULTIVATION.
                   
                 CLEARING THE MASSIVE TREES, BURNING OFF THE UNDERGROWTH , MAKING ROADS AND  BUILDING THE FIRST FACTORIES THE PROPER NAME FOR THE PLACE WHERE THE PLUCKED TEA ''SHOOT'' ARE PROCESSED. MUCH OF THE FIRST CLEARING WORK WAS DONE WITH TRAINED ELEPHANTS. WHO WOULD USE THEIR MASSIVE STRENGTH TO DRAG DOWN TREES OR LIFT THE SAW  LOGS WITH THEIR TRUNKS. SLOWLY CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF MUCH OF SRI LANKA. LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR TODAY'S SUCCESS STORY.