256 TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. Chap. XV. 



Woo-e-shan and the surrounding country were grow- 

 ing under the following circumstances : — 



1. The soil was moderately rich, of a reddish 

 colour, well mixed with particles of the rocks of the 

 district. 



2. It was kept moist by the peculiar formation of 

 the rocks, and the water which was constantly oozing 

 from their sides. 



3. It was well drained, owing to the natural de- 

 clivities of the hills, or, if on the plains, by being a 

 considerable height above the watercourses. 



These seem to be the essential requisites as regards 

 soil, situation, and moisture. 



Temperature. — With regard to the temperature of 

 the country about Woo-e-shan, I must draw my con- 

 clusions from observations which were made at Foo- 

 chow-foo on the one side and Shanghae on the other. 

 At Foo-chow (lat. 25° 30' north), in the month of 

 June and in the beginning of July, the thermometer 

 ranged from 85° to 95° Fahr., and about the middle 

 of the latter month it rose to 100°, which I believe 

 it rarely exceeds. In the winter of 1844-5, during 

 the months of November, December, and January, 

 the maximum shown by the thermometer was 78°, 

 and the minimum 44°. Snow is sometimes seen on 

 the tops of the mountains, but it does not remain for 

 any great length of time. 



Shanghae is in latitude 31° 20' north. The vari- 

 ation of temperature here is much greater than at 

 Foo-chow-foo. In the months of June, July, and 



