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TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. Chap. XIX. 



the plants, and the whole of them were taken down 

 to Hong-kong under my own care. They were then 

 divided and sent on to Calcutta by four different 

 vessels, in case of accident. 



As soon as I had got all the plants put on board I 

 left Hong-kong again for the north. My object now 

 was to engage some first-rate tea manufacturers for 

 the Indian plantations, to procure a supply of the 

 implements used in the best districts for the manu- 

 facture of tea, and to get together another large 

 collection of tea-plants. 



I reached Shanghae in the month of April, 1850. 

 The winter had passed away, and spring was just 

 commencing. Trees and shrubs were bursting into 

 leaf and flower, birds were singing gaily in every 

 bush, and all nature was teeming with life and joy. 



Taking advantage of the fine weather and a few 

 days of leisure I determined to make a tour of the 

 gardens near Shanghae, some of which are of con- 

 siderable interest. 



The first I visited is about two miles from the 

 south-west corner of the city, and is now well known 

 to the foreign residents as the " South Garden." It 

 was one of those in which I had found many new 

 plants on my first visit to China. 



This little garden covers about an acre of land, 

 and is surrounded, like many of these places, by 

 a ditch, which is connected with canals through which 

 the tide ebbs and flows. On entering the gate, the 

 first object which one notices is the gardener's house. 

 It is a. rude building of one story, and contains the 



