252    INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  TEA  PLANT  INTO  THE  U.  STATES. 
be  added  to  the  others,  and  the  whole  formed  into  a  mass,  I  think 
it  might  be  very  safely  left  in  the  hands  of  the  operator  to 
choose  for  himself  whether  combination  would  be  most  conve- 
niently effected  by  the  use  of  the  mortar  or  the  water-bath  Lon- 
don Pharm.  Journ.  Feb,  1860. 
INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  TEA  PLANT  INTO  THE  UNITED  STATES. 
A  few  years  ago  the  United  States  Government  was  led  to 
take  measures  for  the  introduction  of  the  tea  plant  into  the  con- 
federation, with  a  view  to  establishing,  if  possible,  the  prepara- 
tion of  tea  in  some  of  the  States.  The  success  that  had  attended 
Mr.  Fortune's  operation  for  the  East  India  Company,  having 
induced  them  to  consult  that  gentleman,  it  was  finally  arranged 
that  he  should  again  proceed  to  the  Celestial  Empire,  for  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  as  abundant  a  supply  of  plants  for  the  west 
as  he  had  secured  for  the  east.  His  mission  has  been  attended 
with  the  most  complete  success.  A  minute  of  the  United  States 
Patent  Office  now  before  us,  states  that  he  was  despatched  in 
March,  1858,  that  he  had  obtained  seeds  enough  to  plant  100 
acres,  a  large  portion  of  which  had  arrived  by  the  20th  June, 
1859,  and  was  flourishing  in  a  propagating  house,  especially 
constructed  at  Washington  for  their  reception.  Applications 
for  plants  were  even  then  made  in  such  numbers,  that  it  had 
become  necessary  to  refer  to  Congress  for  instructions  as  to 
their  disposal. 
Mr.  Fortune  returned  to  England  some  time  ago,  and  has 
favored  us  with  the  following  interesting  report  upon  the  final 
result  of  his  expedition  : — 
"  It  will  be  seen  by  the  accompanying  papers  that  the  results 
of  my  expedition  to  China,  for  the  Government  of  the  United 
States,  has  been  very  satisfactory.  In  little  more  than  one  year 
about  50,000  tea  plants,  and  many  other  vegetable  productions 
useful  in  the  arts,  or  of  an  ornamental  character,*  have  been 
introduced  to  America  from  the  tea  countries  of  China. 
*  For  example  :  the  Camphor  and  Tallow  trees,  Chusan  Palm,  green 
dye  plant  (Rhamnus),  manure  plants  (Trifolium  and  Coronilla),  Wax- 
insect  tree  (Fraxinus  chinensis),  Yang-mae  (Myrica  sp.),  southern  fruits, 
such  as  the  Lee-chee,  Longan,  Wampee,  &c.  &c. 
