56 CULTIVATION AND PREPARATION. 



up the stems and twigs of the foregoing with a shears, a 

 practice, however, much to be condemned. The opera- 

 tion of picking is one of the greatest nicety, only women 

 and children being employed in its performance. A 

 small basket is strung by a cord around the neck of 

 each picker, in such a manner as to leave the hands 

 free, a larger basket being placed near for general use. 

 The branch is held by one hand while the leaves are 

 carefully plucked with the other, for, except in the latter 

 gatherings, no portion of the stem or stalk must be 

 broken off with the leaves. 



The quality of the tea largely depends on the exact 

 time of picking, as the choicest leaves may be changed 

 into an inferior grade of tea on a single night if the 

 exact proper time to pick them be neglected. The 

 practice of picking the young leaf-buds just as they are 

 beginning to unfold would also prove greatly injurious 

 to the plants, were it not for the copious rains that fall 

 during the season of picking, causing fresh leaves to 

 sprout out and elaborate the sap necessary to constitute 

 the further growth of the shrub. The weather also exerts 

 a great influence upon the character of the tea, as, for 

 instance, when the rains fall equably and a bright sun 

 appears after heavy showers, the plants become thick and 

 flourishing, the leaves bright green in color, elastic in 

 texture and much richer in flavor. Whereas, when too 

 much falls at one time, they become mildewed, broken 

 and less flexible and limited, stunted and sapless when 

 too little falls during the season of growth. 



The product of single plants vary so much that it is 

 difficult to estimate the average quantity. A plant of 

 three years' growth yielding only about 8 ounces of 

 green leaves to a picking, equivalent to about 80 pounds 

 per acre, while at five years' growth the same plant wlil 



