332 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. Chap. XIX. 



denias, and a host .of other things, all natives of China, 

 and most of them much better grown, and brought to a 

 greater state of perfection in England than amongst 

 the Chinese themselves. And why should one of the 

 most delightful plants of China be so neglected? 

 All that is required is a span-roofed conservatory, 

 where the bushes can be planted out in the bed, and 

 liberally supplied with fresh air. During the summer 

 months, when they are growing, they must be kept 

 warm and moist, in order that the young wood may 

 be well matured. In the autumn let them be kept 

 rather dry, and give the house little or no artificial 

 heat during winter. The plants will thus be subjected 

 to a system of treatment similar to that which they 

 receive in their native country. In the central and 

 northern provinces of China, where the plant succeeds 

 much better than it does in the warmer climate of the 

 south, the winters are often extremely cold. The ther- 

 mometer (Fahr.) is sometimes within a few degrees 

 of zero. The summers are very hot : in the 

 months of June, July, and August, the thermometer 

 ranges, during the day, between 80 and 100 degrees, 

 and the weather is generally very wet in May and June. 



The flowers of the Kwei-wha are a source of great 

 profit to the Chinese cottager, as w r ell as to the nur- 

 serymen, who produce them in large quantities for 

 the market. There is a great demand for them in 

 all the large towns. Ladies are fond of wearing 

 wreaths of them in their hair; they are also dried and 

 placed in ornamental jars, in the same way as we do 

 rose-leaves in Europe, and they are used largely for 



