Cuar. IX.] OLD ACHING. 155 
second season. They are sold according to the 
number of flower-buds they may have upon them, 
many of them fetching rather high prices. 
One of the old gardeners here speaks the English 
language very well, and carries on a considerable 
trade in seeds with the English and American resi- 
dents, but, unfortunately, he has got a bad name, 
owing to his seeds generally failing to grow when 
they are sent home. It is now currently reported 
that the old man boils them, in order that his trade 
may not be spoiled by some enterprising propagator 
in England or America. Such, however, is not the 
case; on the contrary, I am quite certain that he 
does every thing in his power to preserve them, but 
very likely some may be a year or two old before 
they are dispatched to Europe. Besides, the long 
voyage round the Cape—during which the seeds 
have twice to cross the tropics—is very prejudicial 
to their germination. There is, however, no great 
loss in these seeds not growing, as there is nothing 
amongst them new, or of any value, for they are 
gathered from the plants common in the Fa-tee gar- 
dens, the greater part of which have been years 
ago introduced to our gardens at home. I would, 
therefore, strongly advise my friends in China not 
to spend their money upon such seeds. 
Although the botanist can find little that is new 
to him in these gardens, yet they are well worthy 
of a visit; and in the spring months, when most of 
the plants are in bloom, they have a singularly gor- 
geous and imposing appearance, and really deserve 
