EXTRACTS.— NATURAL HISTORY. 
569 
first picking takes place in June, the second in July, and the third in August.” 
Kaempfer’s figure of the Japanese Tea-Plant^ which is evidently the plant in 
general cultivation in that empire, is the T. Bohea, not the T. viridis. The 
native country of both species is, probably, various parts of China, and the cul 
tivation seems to be confined to the temperate zone, extending to the northern 
provinees of the empire, and as far as the 45 deg. of latitude, in Japan. But the 
Tea-districts properly so called, are thus stated by Dr. Abel: “ That of the green 
tea is in the province of Keang-nau, between the 29th and 41st degrees of north 
latitude, at the north-western base of a ridge of mountains, which divides the 
province of Che-Keang and Keang-nau. The black tea district, in the province 
of Fokien, is contained within the 27th and 28th degrees of north latitude, and 
is situated on the south-eastern declivities of a ridge of mountains dividing the 
province of Fokein from that of Keang-si.” 
M. A. Baron de Schilling has given the names of thirty-six soi'ts copied from a 
Chinese manuscript. These are divided into seven heads. 1. Teas of the dis¬ 
trict of the city of Sou-ugan-tcheon, in the province of Keang-mu, eight 
sorts. 2. Green teas Soung-Io, of the district of the city of Hoey-tcheon, in the 
province of Keang-nau-Soung-lo, eleven sorts. 3. Teas of the district of Hang- 
tcheon-fou, in the province of Tehe-Kiang five sorts. 4. Tea of the province 
of Hoii-Kouang, one sort. 5. Black teas, Wou-y or Bohea, of the province of 
Fou-kian, ten sorts : and which, if we may judge from the names, are the most 
esteemed—such as, Lao, Kiun mei, or venerable old man’s eye-brows; Pekao, 
white hairs, or Peko tea; Cheou mei, eye-brows of a very advanced age; Kieou 
Khin lain, sin, hearts of water-lilies of Kieou Khin: Ouang nin Jung, tea of the 
pick-axe of the king’s daughter; Ta hainig phao, large red tails; and Sian jin 
tchang, palm of the immortals, &c. G. Tea of the province of Yunnan, one 
sort. 7. Teas of the province of Szu-tchhouan, two kinds. But this list, it is 
said by the editor of “ Abel Remusat,” is not yet complete; and he adds fifteen 
others, several of which appear to be the kinds best known in Europe. Wou- 
i-tchha, Wou-i Tea. Wou-i is the name of a celebrated mountain in the pro¬ 
vince of Fou-kian; thence comes the common name of Bohea tea. Hi-tchun- 
tchha. Hyson tea. Phi-tchha, Skin tea; that speeies of JSyson tea eommouly 
called Skin. Siao-tchoung-tchha, a small kind, the Saotchoun or Souchong tea 
of the merchants. Pao-tchoung-tchha, a species sold in small packets; the 
Ponchong of commerce. Soung-tseu-tchha, Sonchais tea. Koung-fou-tchha, 
Carnphon or Congo tea. (.'hang-koung-fou, Camphon tea of a higher quality, 
or Camphon Campony. Tchu-tchha, Pearl tea. Ya-toung-tchha, winter tea. 
Tun-ki-tchha, Twankay tea. Kian-peii-tchha, or Tseu-tchoung, a second species 
of Campony tea. On-tchha, black tea, the leaves serve to die stulFs black. Ye- 
tehha. Desert tea. The flowers of this species of tea are of a golden colour, the 
stem is high, and the leaves of a bright green : they use it in the same manner 
as the common tea. Chan-tchha, mountain or wild tea. All these difl'erent 
kinds of tea may be distinguished by the experienced merchant, merely by taste. 
The situation of Assayer of Teas at Canton, requires this sort of talent, and the 
individual who holds it enjoys a salary of £1,000. per ann. for tasting tea only! 
The quantity of tea produced in China must be enormous; it is spread over 
a square area of 1,372,450 square miles. Its use in China reaches to a very 
high antiquity, for they have a tradition that an Indian prince, a holy and 
religious character, of the name of Darma, visited China about the year 516 of 
