70 CULTIVATION AND PREPARATION. 



is said to resemble the Chinese tea-plant very closely, both in appear- 

 ance, and quality. Attempts hitherto made to cultivate the tea-plant 

 elsewhere than in the places named have however failed, except in Ja- 

 va, chiefly from the difference in price of labor. The climate of Bra- 

 zil is very favorable, but the cost of labor has frustrated the attempts 

 to cultivate it there. That the leaves of many of our domestic plants 

 may be used as a good substitute for tea, except so far only as the fan- 

 cy and caprice of the drinker is concerned, we cannot doubt. The 

 young currant leaf is thus considerably used as a substitute, and very 

 frequently without being recognized. 



The, mode of cultivation and preparation are to plant 7 or 8 seeds in 

 holes 4 or 5 feet apart in rows ; this number of seeds being necessary 

 from the uncertainty of their vegetation. The plants then require lit- 

 tle further attention, except to keep out the weeds. In 3 years they 

 furnish a crop of leaves and three crops annually thereafter. In 7 

 years they acquire their height and are then trimmed down or remov- 

 ed and new ones planted. The leaves are picked one by one ; and 

 from 4 to 15 Ibs. are picked daily by one person. When gathered they 

 are exposed to the air or sun a few hours and then taken to houses 

 having from 5 to 20 small furnaces, 3 feet high, each having upon the 

 top a flat iron pan. This being heated, a pound or two of the leaves 

 are thrown on it, when they quickly curl up. They are then removed 

 with a small shovel to a long table covered with mats and surrounded 

 by workmen who rapidly roil small quantities in their hands in one di- 

 rection, while others fan them that they may cool and retain their curl. 

 This is sometimes repeated 2 or 3 times, or is repeated after the tea 

 is sent down to Canton ; the tea is then carefully picked over. With 

 finer sorts the heating is often dispensed with, and each leaf is rolled 

 with the hands into a small ball. The tea is then winnowed ; that 

 falling nearest the machines is the heaviest and best. When brought 

 to Canton it is there often winnowed and afterwards packed and stored. 

 The properties of tea have long been a subject of discussion. From 

 analytical experiments made at the Royal Institute, London, some time 

 since, no deleterious properties were detected in green or black tea ; 

 nor has a trace of copper ever been found. An analysis of black and 

 green tea gives results as follows : 



Black. Green. 



Tannin .... 40.6 - - 34.6 



Gum - 6.3 5.9 



Woody fibre - - - 44.8 - - 50.3 



Glutinous matter 6.3 - - 5.7 



Volatile matter and loss 2.5 - - 2.5 



A crystaline solifiable base called theina is said to be found in tea, 



though this is thought to be identical with caffein. Still, some have 



