NATURE OF THE SOIL. 55 



With this example before us, we must conclude 

 that the author, by his previous observations, means 

 more especially to point out the analogy which 

 exists between the strong soils of the department 

 of ancient Brittany and those of the Brazils, and 

 consequently their suitableness for the cultivation 

 of tea. He leaves the reader to draw his own con- 

 clusions respecting the superiority of Major da 

 Luz's plantations, they having less immediate 

 bearing on the object of his inquiry.* 



The reader will doubtless recollect, that among 

 the documents procured from Fokien, a tea is 

 spoken of as being worth two thirds more than 

 that produced in other parts of that province, with 

 the exception of the Yen or Gam tea grown in the 

 inner range of the Bohea mountains. And the 

 plantations here alluded to are described as being 

 " on plains rather low, the soil of which is very 

 compact, a little muddy, black," &c. (p. 48. § 6.) 



Thus a considerable discrepancy of opinion seems 

 to prevail regarding the soil the most favourable 

 for the cultivation of the tea plant ; but as it has 



* With respect to climate, he considers the cool climate of 

 St. Paul's, and the Serra dos Orgaos as the most favourable. 

 He says, — "the vigour with which the plant grows there is 

 wonderful." Although I found myself at St. Paul's in the middle 

 of summer, I was not incommoded by the heat, and it seemed 

 to me as if I were living in the south of Europe. He ascribes 

 this not so much to the difference of latitude between St. Paul's 

 and Rio de Janeiro, as to the heights of the table land of this 

 province. — (La Rev. Agricole, Fevr. 1840, p. 268.) 



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