SPECIAL HERB AND LEAF CROPS 



203 



native of subtropical Asia, but grows wild in the Himalaya Moun- 

 tains and often reaches a height of fifteen to twenty feet in its 

 wild state. 



Tea has been cultivated in China and Japan for' hundreds of 

 years, and it is a very important industry in both countries. The 

 plant is very hardy, and is now being successfully grown in some of 

 the Southern States. The leaves are not considered fit for use 

 until the plants are three years old. The young leaves and the 



Picking tea, India. 



freshly opening buds make the best tea. The first picking is 

 generally in April, the second in May, and the third in June, and 

 sometimes a fourth picking may be made later in the season. The 

 average yield for each year is generally not more than a pound. 



In making green tea, the fresh leaves, almost as soon as they 

 are gathered, are roasted or steamed for a short time. Then the 

 leaves are placed on a table and rolled by hand and finally 

 taken back and roasted again for about an hour. They are 

 stirred constantly while the roasting goes on, and at the end of 

 the hour the tea takes on a decided green color. ' The leaves are 

 then sorted and prepared for shipment. The color of tea cannot 



