92 TIME OF GATHERING. 



seems not to be governed by any rule of this nature. 

 The gathering takes place during the season of 

 spring, when the rains fall copiously, and the shrubs 

 shoot forth their leaves vigorously and abundantly. 

 This period of gathering lasts at intervals of ten 

 or more days, from about fifteen days after the 

 vernal equinox to about the same number of days 

 after the summer solstice. There is also an au- 

 tumnal gathering ; but such teas are weak and not 

 esteemed of good quality. Most of the Chinese 

 accounts agree, that the gathering of the leaves 

 commences with the Pekoe tea, and lasts from the 

 5th to the 20th April. This tea consists of the 

 convoluted leaf-bud. The first gathering of the 

 expanded leaf commences between the 20th April 

 and the beginning of May ; the second, about the 

 6 tli June; the third, after the 21st June, or, in 

 other words, in the beginning of May, June, and 

 July respectively ; and the autumnal gathering in 

 August and September. The coarse leaves, which 

 form the common Bohea, are collected in September 

 and October. 



The Chinese manuscript already quoted states, 

 " In the mild and temperate season of spring the 

 shrubs shoot forth their leaves, when such as are 

 young and delicate must be chosen. Those that 

 are partly unfolded, long like a needle and covered 

 with down, must be gathered to be made into 

 Pekoe. 



" A few days after Ko Yu (20th April), the leaves 



