CULTURE ON THE TEA-TREE. 37 



be considered both as natural curiosities, and impor- 

 tant articles of commerce. 



THE TEA-TREE. 



Which is cultivated solely in China and Japan, and 

 there produced in so great abundance as to supply the 

 rest of the world, is a shrub about the size of a large 

 gooseberry-bush, but different in form, having a sin- 

 gle stem about the thickness of a man's arm. It has 

 many branches, and its leaves, which resemble those 

 of the sour cherry, are always green. It flourishes in 

 autumn, and produces a small fruit less than a hazel- 

 nut. While the leaves are fresh they have no smell ; 

 but when chewed have a bitter taste. As soon as 

 they are gathered, they are placed on hot plates of 

 iron, and while they are still warm are rolled with the 

 hand upon mats, ui order to preserve them. By this 

 process they lose their nauseous bitterness, and ac- 

 quire an agreeable smell, with a taste somewhat aro- 

 matic. 



The tea-tree usually attains its full size in about 

 seven years, and its leaves arc not plucked until the 

 third year, at which period its crop is not only^the 

 most abundant, but also of the best quality. The 

 leaves are afterwards gathered one by one with the 

 greatest care, twice or thrice in every year. To- 

 wards the end of February, or the beginning of March, 

 the shrubs are visited daily, and all the young leaves 

 plucked as- soon as they appear. The tea thus ga- 

 thered is the best, except that which consists of the 

 lightly-opening buds, that appear only at the ends of 

 the branches, and is preserved for the empe-ror, and 

 persons of the highest rank in China and Japan. 

 The second crop or gathering, which with many cul- 

 tivator* is the first, begins about the end of March, or 

 the beginning of April, when almost all the leaves are 

 completely developed. The third and last, which is 

 the most abundant, but the worst in quality, takes 

 place in the beginning of June, when the leaves are 

 both the largest, and in the greatest quantity. At 

 each gathering the leaves are, carefully sorted accord- 

 ing to &tr ir different sizes, in order to have teas of 



