420 FOREST CULTURE AND 
L., from South Europe, are occasionally drawn into 
medical use. All these, together with many other 
species from various countries, are pleasantly odorous. 
Thea Chinensis, Sims.*—The Tea-shrub of South- 
eastern Asia. This evergreen and ornamentai bush 
has proved quite hardy in our lowland clime, where, 
in exposed positions, it endures, without any atten- 
tion, as well our night-frosts as also the free access 
of scorching Summer winds. But it isin our humid , 
valleys, with rich alluvial soil and access to springs for 
irrigation, where only the most productive tea-fields 
can be formed. The plant comes into plentiful bear- 
ing of its product as early as the vine and earlier than 
the olive. Its culture is surrounded with no difficul- 
ties, and it is singularly exempt from diseases, if 
planted in proper localities. Pruning is effected in 
the cool season, in order to obtain a large quantity of 
small, tender leaves from young branches. Both the 
Chinese and Assam tea are produced by varieties of 
one single species, the tea-shrub being indigenous in 
the forest country of Assam. Declivities are best 
adapted, and usually chosen, for tea- culture, particu- 
larly for Congo, Pekoe, and Souchong, while Bohea 
is often grown in flat countries. For many full de- 
tails, Fortune’s work, ‘¢ The Tea-Districts of China,’’ 
might be consulted. 
The tea of commerce consists of the young leaves, 
heated, curled, and sweated. The process of prepar- 
ing the leaves can be effected by steam machinery ; 
one of particular construction has been suggested 
recently by Mr. J oachini according to requirements 
explained by the writer. In 1866, three machines 
for dressing tea have been patented in England, one 
a e 
