( 118 ) 
the Chinefe continues, many interefting particulars refpecting the 
natural hiftory of Tea muft ftill remain unknown to Europeans: hence 
JI have thought myfelf unauthorized to add a fpecific name to the 
plate of the Tea plant here annexed, *which reprefents the variety 
8 in the Hort. Kew. or the Thea viridis of the London gardeners. 
The various Teas imported into Europe are obtained both from 
the wild and cultivated plant. The manner of gathering and pre- 
paring the leaves, as practiced in Japan, is very fully defcribed by 
Kempfer, and is, as far‘as our information extends, conformable to 
the method ufed by the Chinefe. | | 
The firft gathering of the Tea-Jeaves, according to this author, | 
commences ‘about the latter end of February, when thé leaves are 
young and unexpanded. The fecond colle€tion is made about the 
beginning of April, and the third in June. The firft collection, 
which confifts only of the fine tender leaves, is moft efteemed, and is 
“called Imperial Tea. The fecond is called Tootsjaa, or Chinefe Tea, 
becaufe it is infufed and drunk after the Chinefe manner. The lait, 
which is the coarfeft and cheapeft, is chiefly confumed by the lower 
clafs of people. Befides the three kinds of Tea here noticed, it may 
be obferved, that by garbling or forting thefe, the varieties of Tea 
become {till farther multiplied. As many Tea plants grow on cliffs 
and places of difficult accefs, the Chinefe Tea gatherers are faid} to 
have occafional recourfe to the affiftance of monkies, which are chafed 
up the Tea trees, and fo much irritated that in their fury they bite 
off the branches, and throw them down in refentment: the branches 
are then taken up, and the leaves picked off. “The leaves are not 
colle&ted from the cultivated plant till it is three years old; and after 
growing feven or ten years it is cut down, in order that the numerous 
young fhoots may afford a greater fupply of leaves. 
The leaves fhould be dried as foon as poffible after they are col- 
lected ; and for this purpofe Kempfer relates, that publick buildings 
are erected, containing from five to ten and even twenty {mall fur- 
naces about three feet high, each having at the top a large iron pan. 
There is alfo along table covered with mats, on which the leaves are 
* Taken from the plant now in flower in the ftove of ohn Liptrap, Ef 
+ See Lettfom. 1. c. J Ss 
‘ laid 
