1HE TEA TRIBE. 139 



in spreading them open, she found that there was 

 scarcely one in a perfect state, but all looked as if 

 they had been cut in small pieces. Yet, after 

 some search, she found one less injured than the 

 rest, and was surprised to see that it was a long 

 smooth leaf, pointed at the end, and slightly notched 

 at the edges. " This is more like a small laurel 

 leaf, or bay leaf," said she, " than it is like a 

 gooseberry leaf." 



" Exactly ; and when you see the TEA plant,* 

 you will say it is like a young laurel bush, or 

 rather like a camellia japonica, which, indeed, is 

 its near relation, and belongs to the same tribe." 



" Are those beautiful camellias of any use V 



"An excellent table-oil is extracted from the 

 seeds of one of the camellias,t but I believe the 

 chief use of which we are aware, is the beautifying 

 of our houses and conservatories by the rich red 

 or white blossoms of the flowers. Not far from 

 the camellias is a tribe of plants yielding gums 

 and resins, which also contains the mangosteen,^ 

 said to be the most delicious of all fruits." 



" What is it like ?" asked Eobert. 



* Tliea viridis* f Camellia d&ifera. 



% Garcinia mangostana. 



