152 
Selected Articles. 
The Chinese all agree that there is but one species of the 
tea plant, and that all the difference observable in the teas ot 
commerce, are owing to the soil and preparation. This is a 
well known fact, and was first stated by Lord Macartney 
and Sir George Staunton, who observed it in their passage 
through the tea district, in the progress of their embassy from 
Pekin to Canton. Besides which, Chou-qua states that many 
cultivators, especially about Ankoi, mix the leaves of several 
other plants with those of the tea shrub. This may be veri- 
fied by examining the tea of commerce, by immersing it in 
warm water and unrolling the leaves, all the leaves which 
are not dentate are spurious. 
The different species of tea are: artificial. Thus the Bohea 
may be changed into Hyson at will, and it is the same with 
all the other kinds. But Chou-qua affirms that experience 
has shown, that much depends on the cultivation and soil 
so that the Bohea will make good or indifferent Hyson, accor- 
ding to the locality ; however, in the province of Tokein, 
w r hich is emphatically the tea district, Hyson is manufactured 
in large quantities. 
The Bohea district, which forms part of this province, is 
very mountainous, though the plants are cultivated both on 
the elevated grounds and in the vallies. 
The author has shown that the true Souchong is very rare 
and commands a high price. That sold to foreigners as 
Souchong, is only the first quality of Congo, and the Congo 
of the Canton market, is again the first quality of Bohea. 
In a tea plantation, (situate on a hill,) there is perhaps but 
one shrub which furnishes a sufficiently good product to be 
termed Souchong. And even in this case, the finest, and 
youngest leaves only are classed as such, whilst the rest fur- 
nish Congo and Bohea, 
Tea harvest. There should be but three gatherings of the 
leaves, or at most four, (for Souchong but one.) Any at- 
tempt to strip the bush beyond this, militates against the 
goodness of the crop of the succeeding year. The first, 
which takes place from the middle of April to the end of May, 
is termed Loro4chune; the second, from the middle of June 
