Ol'servat'ions 071 Tia. 125 



sum, for which Europe is rendered tributary to China. 

 The tea seeds brought to us from that country become ran- 

 cid, and spoil at sea; so that scarcely one of a thousand 

 produces plants. It would, therefore, be necessary that 

 persons who go to China should procure them exceedinolv 

 fresh, and take care to sow t'.^m, before they sail, in boxes 

 filled with light earth : they would then spring up on the 



fikssage. Nothing would be necessary but to water them 

 rom time to time, and to preserve them from the sea 

 water: the young plants might then arrive in safety. We 

 are assured that the Chinese often sell to the Europeans the 

 seeds of the canielia for those of tea, to which they have a 

 great resemblance: this deception ought to be guarded 

 against, and might easily be prevented. 



What I have to say on the culture, preparation, and uses 

 of tea, is collected from Kempfer, and other travellers worthy 

 of credit; and though I have little to add to what they 

 have said, I hope this extract will still be useful, because it 

 will exhibit in one point of view several scattered and little 

 known facts. 



In Japan the tea is sown in the month of February, at 

 certain distances, on the borders of the cultivated fields, that 

 its shade may not injure the crops, and that the leaves mav 

 more easily be collected; and as the seeds are liable soon 

 to spoil, from six to twelve arc sown in the same hole, be- 

 cause no more than about a fifth of them spring up. In Chi- 

 na it is cultivated in the open fields. It thrives exceedingly 

 well on the declivities of the hills exposed to the south, and 

 in the vicinity of rivers and stre.lms. When the younp- 

 plants have attained to the age of three years, the leaves may 

 be collected from them. At the age of seven they produce 

 only a small quantity ; the trunk is then cut near to the rool, 

 because the stock sends out new twigs which yield abundant 

 crops: sometimes this operation is'dcferred till the tenth 

 year. 



The leaves of the tea are detached one by one: the best 

 are those gathered at the end of P'ebrnary, or in the begin- 

 ning of March, when the leaves are still tender and not 

 completely expanded. This tea is scarce, sold at a dear rate, 

 and reserved for the rich and persons of rank. 'l"he .la- 

 pancse call it imperial tea, flower of the tea, or Ivn tea : it is 

 that most esteemed. The second crop is collected a month 

 later: the leaves, whether expanded or not, arc gathered 

 without distinction; after which they are separated into 

 several heaps, according to their different degrees of age. 

 After this second crop, a third and last arc collected: ih-j 



last 



