24S Tea. 



TEA. 



Notwithstanding the many different kinds of Tea exporte 1 

 from China, there is good reason to believe that they are al 

 the produce of one species ; and that the differences of qualitv 

 are the result of variations in the character of the plant, which 

 are induced by differences of soil, climate, &c, in the exten 

 sive tract over which it is grown, and in the age of the trees 

 the time of gathering the leaves, and the mode of preparino 

 them. The tea districts of China extend from about the 27th 

 to the 33d degree of North latitude ; but the plant may be 

 cultivated in regions more distant from the equator, if the 

 climate be mild and equable. It seems to succeed best on 

 the sides of mountains, in dry rocky places, where there is but 

 little accumulation of vegetable mould. The plants are raised 

 from seeds sown where they are to remain. Three or more 

 are dropped into a hole four or five inches deep, and come on 

 without further trouble, requiring little culture except that of 

 removing the weeds, until the plants are three years old. The 

 first crop of leaves is then gathered, at three periods during 

 the year, — about the middle of April, in June, and in August. 

 After the shrubs have attained the age of six or seven years, 

 their produce becomes so inferior that they are removed to 

 make way for others. The gathering is performed with care 

 and selection, the leaves being plucked oflf one by one. Those 

 which are earliest gathered are of the most delicate color and 

 flavor ; leaves of the second gathering are full grown, and of 

 less valuable qualities than the first ; while those of the last gath- 

 ering are still coarser and of still less value. The first form 

 what is called imperial tea ; but as to the other names by 

 which tea is known in other countries, the Chinese themselves 

 know nothing ; and the compounds and names are supposed 

 to be made and given by the merchants at Canton — who, from 

 the great number of varieties brought to them, have ample op- 

 portunity of doing so. Formerly, it was thought that green 

 tea was gathered exclusively from one species, but that is now 

 considered untrue ; though it is certain that there is what is 



