G 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. I. 



which are seen on the sides of the Hong-kong hills. 

 It is near the centre of the new town of Victoria, and 

 is one of its greatest ornaments. On one side nothing 

 is seen but rugged mountains and barren hills, but 

 here the eye rests upon a rich and luxuriant vegeta- 

 tion, the beauty of which is greatly enhanced by the 

 contrast. 



Every one interested in Chinese plants has heard 

 of the garden of the late Mr. Beale at Macao, a friend 

 of Mr. Reeves, and like him an ardent botanical 

 collector. Nearly the whole of the English residents 

 left Macao and went to Hong-kong when that island 

 was ceded to England, and all the plants in Mr. 

 Beale's garden which could be moved with safety 

 were brought over in 1845 and planted in the garden 

 at " Green Bank." 



On entering the garden at its lower side there is a 

 wide chunamed walk leading in a winding manner up 

 the side of the hill, in the direction of the house. 

 On each side of this walk are arranged the trees and 

 shrubs indigenous to the country, as well as many of 

 the fruits, all of which grow most luxuriantly. Ficus 

 nitida, the Chinese banyan, grows on the right-hand 

 side, and promises soon to form a beautiful tree. 

 This is one of the most valuable trees for ornamental 

 purposes met with in the south of China. It grows 

 rapidly with but little care, its foliage is of a glossy 

 green colour, and it soon affords an agreeable shade 

 from the fierce rays of the sun, which renders it pecu- 

 liarly valuable in a place like Hong-kong. The 

 India-rubber tree (Ficus elastica) also succeeds well 



