358 [Assembly 



from Holland a quantity, which was sold in England for sixty 

 shillings sterling per pound. In 16G7, the first order was given 

 by the East India company for one himdied pounds, for the pur- 

 pose of making presents to tlicir friends at court. In 1C78, 5,000 

 pounds were imported.' In 1845, about 50,000,000 of pounds 

 were imported, and the duty amounted to 4,603,000 pounds. 



Until lately, the world generally has been deficient in accurate 

 information with re spect to the tea plant, as it was cultivated 

 principally in China and Japan, — countries to which strangers 

 were forbidden access. 



Linnams imagined that there were two species, one of which 

 produced green, and the other black j this idea has not been con- 

 firmed. Botanists ai*e now of opinion that the various qualities 

 of teas depend upon varieties produced by soil, climate, and the 

 age at which the leaves are plucked, as well as upon tlicir man- 

 agement afterwards. Wlien the leaves of black and green teas 

 are expanded by hot water, a slight difference of character is ob- 

 served ; but not suficient to consider them distinct species. 



The tea shrub belongs to the class and order Monadelphia 

 Polyandria, in the Linnsean system. More recently it lias been 

 considered to belong to the order Theaceaj, which includes our 

 beautiful camellia. It frequently grows to the height of 6^ feet, 

 when oiltivated and kept within proper bounds ; but if allowed 

 to run wild, sometimes reaches twenty feet. 



In China, tea is generally cultivated in small plantations, and 

 resembles very nearly the myrtle; tlie blossoms are perfectly 

 white, and exceedingly fragrant: when they perish, soft green 

 capsules appear, each containing three seeds, extremely white. 

 The capsules are pressed for the oil tliey contain, which is used 

 throughout China. 



The tea plajit docs not require a tropical climate, but flourishes 

 remarkably well in temperate regions ; the best section for its cul- 

 tivation in China, is between the twenty- seventh and thirty-first 

 degrees of nortli latitude, though it thrives not only to the north, 

 but south of these parallels. 



