DIFFICULTY OF GETTIXG GOOD SEED. 103 



tea hills, with little or no attention paid to its culture, to 

 that of the Hyson tea, the product of the highly cul- 

 tivated plains, would be apparent, and interesting to any 

 one disposed to try the experiment at the average prices." 

 Also, Ball still goes on to say, " The towns which ex- 

 tend seventy ly (twenty-three miles) from Vuy-Shang, are 

 called Py-Keeng, Tien-Cza-Zy, Tang-Moa-Kown, Nan- 

 Nang, &c., the leaves are thin and small, and of no sub- 

 stance, or whether green or black, or made with much 

 care, yet have no fragrance. Tea is also produced as 

 far as Yen -Ping, Shan-u, Gen-Nong, Kien-Yang, Hew- 

 Shang, and other places, but unfit for use." I might 

 still go on further with Ball, but I feel the reader will 

 be satisfied. Gutzlaff says " The extent of the soil that 

 produces the best Bohea, is no more than forty ly," but 

 this statement is wholly incorrect. And in another place 

 adds : " In all other parts of Fo Keen where the tea plant 

 is in a similar soil, and under the same climate, it never 

 thrives so well as there (Bohea Hill.)" 



It is seen by the foregoing that there is no good seed 

 to be had at Ankoy, (Amoy) or at Canton, nor at Shang- 

 haie even ; that the seeds the Chinese would give, even if 

 they had good ones at hand, would be the most inferior ; 

 but the good seeds are not at hand ; and, as there is no 

 means of knowing the seed of an inferior plant from the 

 best, money would not procure the better ones. But the 

 jealousy of China is too well known, to suppose she would 

 part to foreigners the means of shutting up one of her 

 two greatest exports. It would be altogether sanguine 

 to expect it. Her export of tea is about 26,000,000 

 to 30,000,000 of dollars, and is it to be supposed that a 

 nation like her would throw away that export ? It must 



