320 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



river, or a warm bath, twice every day during 

 the time of gathering, which is done with 

 such scrupulous nicety, that they never 

 touch the leaves but with very fine gloves. 

 The whole process of its preparation is at- 

 tended with the same ceremonious delicacy. 

 It is then packed up in costly vases, and es- 

 corted with great pomp by the superinten- 

 dent of the mountain, and a strong guard, to 

 the emperor's court. 



There is a secondary sort of this Imperial 

 tea, which comes from China by land to Eu- 

 rope, and is brought by the caravans to St. 

 Petersburgh. This is the most agreeable 

 tea we have met with ; and, although it is 

 some years since we received a present of it, 

 its flavour is now familiar to our recollection, 

 as being between that of the black and green, 

 and having a soft violet smell, which the teas 

 brought by sea have not, and which was very 

 different from the taste or perfume of those 

 teas which the Chinese make up by putting 

 orris root and other chaplets into the pack- 

 ages. 



The Chinese distinguish four principal tea 

 shrubs, viz. the Song-lo, the Wou-y, the Pou- 

 cul and the Long-an. The varieties of tea 

 which we receive in this country originate 



