300 A TEXT-BOOK OF BOTANY 
Lemons also are cultivated in Florida and California; 
but they are not so hardy as the orange, and hence their 
cultivation is more restricted. The chief foreign sup- 
ply comes from Italy, Spain, and Portugal. The lemon 
is a variety of the citron (Cttrus medica); and another 
variety is the lime, which furnishes the commercial lime- 
juice. 
(5) Tra.—The tea plant is a shrub native to sub- 
tropical Asia, and its dried leaves are one of the most im- 
portant articles of com- 
merce (Fig. 288). It has 
been cultivated in China 
and Japan for many cen- 
turics, and in the last cen- 
tury extensive plantations 
were established also in 
India, Java, and Ceylon. 
There are three distinct 
pickings in a _ season; 
some of the young leaves 
are picked in April for 
a fine quality of tea 
(young hyson) which can- 
not stand shipping to a 
distance; the ordinary 
picking for the general 
market begins in May; 
and later there is a third 
picking, which makes a low-grade tea. Different qualities 
and colors are produced by the different treatment of the 
same leaves, the numerous varieties being either green tea, 
in which the leaves are roasted quickly, or black tea, in 
which they are dried slowly until they are almost black. 
Outside of oriental nations the chief tea drinkers are the 
Russians, the British, and the Dutch. 
Tig. 288.—F lowering branch of the tea 
plant.—After BaiLon. 
