China.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 479 



forms, for the sake of drying. The root is of a tuberous and irregular 

 shape, bent and jointed, or knotted; its surface is somewhat wrinkled, and 

 its cortical part is marked, at certain distances, with a sort of circle or ring, 

 somewhat prominent, which surrounds it ; it is of a close texture, very 

 hard, and heavy. It will not cut freely with a knife, nor easily powder in 

 a mortar. When cut, it shews a smooth shining surface, of a dirty greyish 

 white, with an equal admixture of yellow. It is of a brisk aromatic smeJI, 

 somewhat resembling ginger, and of a pungent bitterish taste. It is to be 

 chosen in large firm pieces, as plump as can be, of the most fragrant smell, 

 and of an acrid taste. It is hardly liable to any adulteratiou, except putting 

 pieces of the long zedoary along with it, which is easily discovered by the 

 size and figure of the latter, (scarcely ever exceeding an inch in diameter, 

 frequently less), and by its internal white colour, when broken. 



China Hoot (C/tob Ckini, Hind.) is the root of the Smila.v, a species 

 of climber, in China; it is oblong and thick jointed, full of irregular knobs, 

 of a reddish brown colour on the outside, and of a pale red within; when 

 cut, it exhibits a close, smooth, glossy surface ; while new, it will snap 

 short, and look glittering within ; if old, the dust flies from it when broken, 

 and is light and kecky. China root should be chosen large, sound, heavy, 

 and of a pale red colour internally. It is of no value if the worm be in it. 

 11 Cwt. of China root are allowed to a ton. 



China Ware. — Connoisseurs divide China ware into six classes, ejtf, 

 the trouted China, the old white, the Japan., the Chinese, the Chinese 

 Japan, and the Indian ; these several appellations rather denote a difference 

 that strikes the eye, than a real distinction. 



I. Trouted China, from its resemblance to the scales of a trout, seems 

 the most ancient ; it has two imperfections — the paste is always very brown, 

 and the surface appears full of cracks ; these cracks are not only in the 

 glazing, but in the China ware itself, and therefore this sort has but a 

 small degree of transparency, does not sound so well, is very brittle, and 

 bears the fire better than any other. To hide these cracks, it is painted 

 with a variety of colours; in this kind of ornament its only value consists. 



II. The old white China, — This is very valuable, but very scarce, and 

 little used. The paste of it seems to be extremely short, and fit only for 

 small vases, figures, and other ornamental China ; it is sold in trade for 

 Japan, though it is certain that some very fine of the same kind is made in 

 ( hina. It is of two different hues, the one a perfect cream-colour, the 

 other a blueish white, which makes it look more transparent, and the 

 glazing seems to be more incorporated into this last. 



III. Japan China is not so easily distinguished, as most people ima- 



