NATURE OF THE SOIL. 53 



included fragmented stones, as decomposing por- 

 phyritic rock, granite, and felspar, mica in a finely 

 divided state, small siliceous stones, and one or two 

 specimens of some heavy greenish black particles. 

 The proportion of sand differed very much, and 

 the quantity of oxyde of iron was also remarkable. 

 None gave evidence of containing carbonate of 

 lime, except one, and in that only a single piece 

 was observed, which was probably accidental." 



Dr. Guillemin, botanical assistant at the Museum 

 of Natural History at Paris, was charged with a 

 mission to the Brazils with a view to obtain in- 

 formation respecting the culture and preparation 

 of the tea plant, and introduction of that shrub into 

 France. In his report to the minister of agricul- 

 ture and commerce, made on his return, he states, 

 that " the general character of the cultivated soil 

 at the Brazils is a ferruginous clay, derived from 

 the decomposition of granitic gneiss, and more or 

 less mixed with humus. This soil, which is ana- 

 logous to the strong earths of the departments of 

 ancient Brittany, is perfectly suitable to tea." He 

 saw " tea cultivated in different exposures which 

 received the mild winds of these countries, but the 

 sides of the hills with a sunny aspect seemed to 

 suit it best."* Whether this exposure had any in- 

 fluence on the quality of the plant, his inquiries 

 did not enable him to determine. This question, 



* La Revue Agricole, Fevrier, 1840, p. 268. 



e 3 



