234 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. XV. 
country of Hwuy-chow, and the black-tea districts about 
Woo-e-sban, and during tbese long journeys I have seen 
no reason to alter the opinions I had previously formed 
upon the subject. 
It is quite true that the Chinese rarely make the two 
kinds of tea in one district, but this is more for the sake 
of convenience and from custom than for any other 
reason. The workmen, too, generally make that kind 
of tea best with which they have had most practice. 
But while this is generally the case in the great tea dis- 
tricts, there are some exceptions. It is now well known 
that the fine Moning districts near the Poyang lake, 
which are daily rising in importance on account of the 
superior character of their black teas, formerly produced 
nothing else but green teas. At Canton green and 
black teas are made from the Thea holiea at the 
pleasure of the manufacturer, and according to demand. 
But I must relate an occurrence that took place on 
my arrival at Calcutta, which is more curious than the 
making of black and green teas from one variety or 
species of the tea-plant I was then on my way to the 
Government tea-plantations in the north-west provinces 
of India, with six Chinese tea-manufacturers, and a large 
supply of plants and implements used in making tea. 
Dr. Falconer, of the Calcutta garden, with whom we 
were staying for a few days, expressed a wish to see the 
process of tea-manufacture, and asked me to communi- 
cate his wishes to the Chinamen. He also invited the 
late Mr. Bethune and some other friends to witness the 
operation, I told the Chinese what was proposed, and 
desired them to unpack a sufficient number of imple- 
