70 CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION. 



at all times and under all circumstances from early morn- 

 ing until late at night, in sickness or in health, working 

 or playing, traveling or resting, all business being trans- 

 acted there between two cups of tea. In brief, it is the 

 natural beverage of the country constituting what wine 

 is to the French, beer to the German and ale to the Eng- 

 lish, and but without which no Chinese family could live 

 or thrive. 



Considering all this, the claim under the circumstances 

 that any other country is the " home of tea," as is 

 attempted at the present time by some English writers, is 

 about as futile and absurd as the endeavor to substitute 

 Americus for Columbus, or Bacon for Shakespeare. And 

 not only is China the original home of tea, but in addi- 

 tion, China Tea is the only true tea, surpassing that of all 

 other countries in every property and quality constituting 

 and distinguishing tea, and possessing certain distinctive 

 characteristics peculiar to and contained in no other variety 

 grown or known. Yet while grown to a greater or less 

 extent all over that vast empire, its cultivation for com- 

 mercial purposes appears to be chiefly confined to the 

 eastern provinces of Che-kiang, Kiang-see, Gan-hwuy 

 and Fo-kien, some little also being produced for export 

 in the western province of Sze-chuan. 



are produced principally in the provinces of Che-kiang, 

 Gan-hwuy and Kiang-see, and are known to trade- as 

 Sunglos, Moyunes, Hychows, Fychows, Tienkes, Ta'ysh- 

 ings, Pingsueys, Cantons, and Country green teas, district 

 terms and grading in the order named. These varieties 

 being again subdivided into Gunpowders, Imperials, 

 Hysons, Young Hysons, Hyson-Pekoes, and Hyson-Skin 

 appellations denoting age, size, style, or form of make. 



