102 



CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



which has now formed the complete shoot or flush K a, so at 

 the base of the leaves c, d, e y f, exist buds I, 2, 3, 4, from 



which later new shoots would spring. These again would all 

 have buds at the base of the leaves, destined to form further 

 shoots, which again would be the parents of others, and so on 

 to the end of the season, or until the tree is pruned. 



It will readily be seen the increase is tremendous. It is 

 only limited by the power of the soil to fling out new shoots, 

 and the necessities of the plant, for, as I have explained, when 

 as much foliage exists as the plant requires, but few new 

 shoots are produced. 



Now supposing the shoot in the diagram to be (with per- 

 haps another not shown at L) the first on the branch / / in 

 the spring (the said branch having been cut off or pruned at 

 the upper 7). It is then evident the said shoot is destined to 

 be the parent and producer of all the very numerous branches 

 and innumerable shoots into which the plant will extend in 

 that direction. It is, in other words, the goose which will 

 lay all the future eggs. If, eager to begin Tea making 



