338 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. XIX. 



whole clump, and formed a pretty arbour underneath. 

 When I saw it last it was in full flower, and had a 

 most charming appearance. 



The Chinese are fond of growing the Glycine on 

 trellis-work, and forming long covered walks in the 

 garden, or arbours and porticos in front of their doors. 

 I have already noticed a large specimen of this 

 description in the garden of the British consulate at 

 Shanghae. There is another remarkable one in the 

 garden of a mandarin at Ning-po. Growing in com- 

 pany with it is the fine new variety introduced lately 

 by the Horticultural Society of London, and described 

 in the Journal of the Society. In foliage and general 

 habit the two kinds are nearly alike, but the new one 

 bears long racemes of pure white flowers. The kind 

 old gentleman to whom the garden belonged (he is 

 dead now) allowed me to make layers of this plant 

 on the top of his house, and during the summer 

 months, when I was travelling in other districts, at- 

 tended to them and watered them with his own 

 hands. When I saw him about a year ago he told 

 me he was then nearly eighty years old. One of the 

 gentlemen who accompanied me (Dr. Kirk, of Shang- 

 hae), being introduced to him as a medical man, was 

 asked if he could live one year more. The old man 

 said he knew he must die soon, but he was most 

 anxious to live for another year, but feared he should 

 not. His presentiment was but too correct, for the 

 next time I visited Ning-po, about six months after, 

 I found the door of the mansion bricked up, and the 

 garden neglected and overrun with weeds. 



