* 
Thea. | THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. 111 
of Thea viridis; and this, though earlier in flowering, is not so much so as described. 
The green tea being the hardier, is cultivated, as we shall see, in the northern, and the 
black tea in the southern provinces of China. The former is the only kind cultivated in 
Japan, according to Siebold, and is that figured by Keempfer, Amen. Erot., p. 607. 
Notwithstanding the above opinions, and the distinctness in the characters of the 
two species, as above given, there is an unaccountable discrepancy in the statements, 
as to the plants which afford the green and black teas of commerce, especially as 
Dr. Abel, after giving his opinion that there were two species of tea-plant, mentions 
that ‘* from persons perfectly conversant with the Chinese method, he learnt that either 
of the two plants will afford the black or green tea of the shops; but that the broad 
thin-leaved plant is preferred for making the green tea.” (Journ. to China, p. 222.) 
This is in conformity with the information communicated to Dr. Hooker, and also with 
that originally given by Mr. Pigou (As. An. Reg. 1802), on the authority of a Chinese, 
who had been eight times in the bohea country, remaining there from four to six.months 
each time, and who stated that ‘* bohea may be cured as hyson, and hyson as bohea.” 
To this Mr. Reeves replies in the letter to which I have alluded, that ‘“ the Chinese 
manufacturers do not, and they say they cannot convert black tea into green, and vice 
versa: and this I believe to be true; indeed, the colour of the infusions is alone sufficient 
evidence.” The discrepancy in the information Mr. Reeves explains, by adding, that 
“*there is a species of tea grown in the province of Canton of a pale-coloured leaf 
(occasionally mixed with congou tea, to make the tea imported under the name of. 
bohea), and this tea ean be coloured and made up to imitate various qualities of green 
tea, and large quantities are yearly thus made ; but still it is only an appearance that 
can be given; the deception is detected as soon as it is put into water.” Owing no 
doubt to these mixtures, is the difficulty in detecting the two kinds of leaf in the teas of 
commerce ; but in good teas they may be distinctly recognised. Dr. Abel’s information 
having been obtained from hearsay at Canton, most probably refers to the kind described 
by Mr. Reeves, as he most particularly distinguishes, and lays down on his map, the 
green and black tea districts ; but arguing upon the correctness of the information he had 
obtained, concludes that the differences observed may be produced by a due manage- 
ment of the heat used in drying the plant. Mr. Millet’s account, Mr. Reeves says, 
he himself knows refers to some of this tea. Be 
A very important consideration being to ascertain the climates in which the tea-plants 
are chiefly cultivated, it is necessary, in the first instance, to determine the extent over 
which they are distributed, before we can form any idea of the degree of heat and cold 
to which they are subjected. Dr. Abel states, that “the green-tea district in the 
province of Keang-nan is embraced between the 29th and 3l1st degrees of north latitude, 
and is situated on the north-western base of a ridge of mountains, which divides the 
provinces of Che-kiang and Keang-nan. The biack-tea district, in the province of Fokien, 
‘s contained within the 27th and 28th degrees of north latitude, and is situated on the 
south-eastern declivities of a ridge of mountains, dividing the province of Fokien from 
that 
