Book I. 



AGRICULTURE IN ASIA. 



159 



According to the missionaries, it thrives in the more northern provinces ; and from 

 Kcempfer it appears to be cultivated in Japan as far north as lat. 45"^. It seems, according 

 to Dr. Abel's observation, to succeed best on the sides of mountains, where there can be 

 but little accumulation of vegetable mould. The soils from which he collected the 

 best specimens consisted chiefly of sandstone, schistus, or granite. The land forming 

 the Cape of Good Hope consisting of the same rocks, and its geographical position 

 corresponding to that of the tea districts of China, Dr. Abel considers it might be 

 grown there, if desirable, to such an extent as to supersede the necessity of procuring 

 it from China. It grows well in St. Helena and Rio Janeiro, and will grow anywhere 

 in a meagre soil and moderate temperature. 



961. The culture of the tea plant in China has been given by various authors. It is 

 raised from seeds sown where the plants are to remain. Three or more are dropped into 

 a hole four or five inches deep ; these come up without further trouble, and require 

 little culture, except that of removing weeds, till the plants are three years old. The 

 more careful stir the soil, and some manure it ; but the latter practice is seldom adopted. 

 The third year the leaves are gathered, at three successive gatherings, in February, 

 April, and June, and so on till the bushes become stinted or tardy in their growth, 

 which generally happens in from six to ten years. - They are then cut-in to encourage 

 the production of fresh shoots. 



962. The gathering of the leaves is performed with care and selection. The leaves 

 are plucked off one by one : at the first gathering only the unexpanded and tender are 

 taken ; at the second those that are full grown ; and at the third the coarsest. The 

 first forms what is called in Europe imperial tea ; but as to the other names by which 

 tea is known, the Chinese know nothing ; and the compounds and names are supposed 

 to be made and given by the merchants at Canton, who, from the great number of 

 varieties brought to them, have an ample opportunity of doing so. These varieties, 

 though numerous, and some of them very different, are yet not more so than the dif- 

 ferent varieties of the grape ; they are now generally considered as belonging to one species ; 

 the thea bohea, now camellia hohea ( fg. 152 a.) of botanists. Formerly it was thought 

 that green tea was gathered exclusively from 

 thea viridis ; but that is now doubtful, though 

 it is certain there is what is called the green 

 tea district, and the black tea district ; and 

 the varieties grown in the one district differ 

 from those grown in the other. Dr. Abel 

 was unable to satisfy himself as to there beinf 

 two species or one ; but thinks there are two 

 species. He was told by competent persons 

 that either of the two plants will afford the 

 black or green tea of the shops, but that the^ 

 broad thin-leaved plant (C. viridis) is pre- 

 fi^red for making the green tea. 



963. The tea leaves being gathered, are= 

 cured in houses which contain from five to 

 ten or twenty small furnaces, about three 

 feet high , each having at the top a large flat 

 iron pan. There is also a long low table covered with mats, on which the leaves are 

 laid, and rolled by workmen, who sit round it: the iron pan being heated to a certain 

 degree by a little fire made in the furnace underneath, a few pounds of the fresh-gathered 

 leaves are put upon the pan ; the fresh and juicy leaves crack when they touch the pan, 

 and it is the business of the operator to shift them as quick as possible with his bare 

 hands, till they become too hot to be easily endured. At this instant he takes oflf the 

 leaves with a kind of shovel resembling a fan, and pours them on the mats before the 

 rollers, who, taking small quantities at a time, roll them in the palm of their hands in 

 one direction, while others are fanning them, that they may cool the more speedily, and 

 retain their curl the longer. This process is repeated two or three times, or oftener, 

 before the tea is put into the stores, in order that all the moisture of the leaves may be 

 thoroughly dissipated, and their curl more completely preserved. On every repetition 

 the pan is less heated, and the operation performed more slowly and cautiously. The 

 tea is then separated into the diflferent kinds, and deposited in the store for domestic use 

 or exportation. 



964. The different sorts of black and green are not merely from soil, situation, and 

 age of the leaf; but after winnowing the tea, they are taken up in succession as the 

 leaves fall; those nearest the machine, being the heaviest, is the gunpowder tea; 

 the Kght dust the worst, being. chiefly used by the lower classes. That which is brought 

 down to Canton undergoes there a second roasting, winnowing, packing, &c., and 

 many hundred women are employed for these purposes. 



