recurvate, of the length of the ftamens, preffed together, and as if united in one by the thickfet furrounding ftamens (D) fig. 6, 9, 10.; but after the petals and ftamens have fallen off they part, spread open, increase in length, and wither on the germen, fig. 1, 12.; the Aigmas fimple, t, fig. 1, 9,

IC, 12.

*

The tea plant, which is an evergreen, grows to the height of five or fix feet; Le Compte fays ten or twelve. The leaves, which are the only valuable part of it, are about an inch and a half long, narrow, indented, and tapering to a point, like those of the fweet briar, and of a dark green colour. The root is like that of the peach tree, and its flowers resemble those of the white wild rofe. The ftem fpreads into many irregular branches. The wood is hard, of a whitish green colour, and the bark is of a greenish colour, with a bitter, nauseous, and aftringent tafte. The fruit is fmall, and contains feveral round blackish feeds, about the bigness of a bean or large pea.

'This plant delights in valleys, is frequent on the floping fides of mountains and the banks of rivers, where it enjoys a fouthern exposure. It flourishes in the northern latitudes of Pekin as well as round Canton, but attains the greatest perfection in the mild temperate regions of Nankin. It is faid only to be found between the 30th and 45th degree of north latitude. In Japan it is planted round the borders of fields, without regard to the foil; but as it is an important article of commerce with the Chinese, whole fields are covered with it, it is by them cultivated with care. The Abbé Rochen fays, it grows equally well in a poor as in a rich foil; but that there are certain places where it is of a bet ter quality. The tea which grows in rocky ground is fuperior to that which grows in a light foil; and the worst kind is that which is produced in a clay foil. It is propagated by feeds; from fix to twelve are put into a hole about five inches deep, at certain distances from each other. fon why so many feeds are fown in the fame hole is faid to be, that only a fifth part vegetate. Being thus fown, they grow without any other care. Some, however, manure the land, and remove the weeds; for the Chinese are as fond of good tea, and take as much pains to procure it of an excelfent quality, as the Europeans do to procure excellent

wine.

The rea

The leaves are not fit for being plucked till the fhrub be VOL. XVIII. Part I.

of three years growth. In feven years it rifes to a man's height; but as it then bears but few leaves, it is cut down to the stem, and this produces a new crop of fresh fhoots the following fummer, every one of which bears nearly as many leaves as a whole fhrub. Sometimes the plants are not cut down till they are ten years old. We are informed by Kaempfer, that there are three feafons in which the leaves are collected in the ifles of Japan, from which the tea derives different degrees of perfection.

The first gathering commences at the end of February or beginning of March. The leaves are then small, tender, and unfolded, and not above three or four days old: these are called ficki-tfiaa, or tea in powder," because it is pulverifed; it is alfo called imperial tea, being generally referved for the court and people of rank; and sometimes also it is named bloom tea. It is fold in China for 20 d. or 2 s. per pound. The labourers employed in collecting it do not pull the leaves by handfuls, but pick them one by one, and take every precaution that they may not break them. However long and tedious this labour may appear, they gather from 4 to 10 or 15 pounds a-day.

The fecond crop is gathered about the end of March or beginning of April. At this feafon part of their leaves have attained their full growth, and the reft are not above half their fize. This difference does not, however, prevent them from being all gathered indifcriminately. They are afterwards picked and afforted into different parcels, according to their age and fize. The youngeft, which are carefully feparated from the reft, are often fold for leaves of the first crop, or for imperial tea. Tea gathered at this season is called too-tfiaa, or "Chinese tea," because the people of Japan infuse it, and drink it after the Chinese manner.

The third crop is gathered in the end of May or in the month of June. The leaves are then very numerous and thick, and have acquired their full growth. This kind of tea, which is called Ben-tfiaa, is the coarseft of all, and is referved for the common people. Some of the Japanese collect their tea only at two leafons of the year, which correfpond to the fecond and third already mentioned; others confine themselves to one general gathering of their crop, towards the month of June: however, they always form afterwards different affortments of their leaves.

The finest and most celebrated tea of Japan is that which grows near Ud-£, a fmall village fituated clofe to the fea, and not fer diftant from Meaco. In the district of this village is a delightful mountain, having the fame name, the climate of which is faid to be extremely favourable to the culture of tea; it is therefore inclofed by a hedge, and furrounded with wide ditches, which prevent all accefs to it. The tea fhrubs that grow on this mountain are planted in regular order, and are divided by different avenues and alleys.

The care of this place is entrusted to people who are or dered to guard the leaves from duft, and to defend them from the inclemency of the weather. The labourers who are appointed to collect the tea abftain frem every kind of grofs food for fome weeks before they begin, that their breath and perfpiration may not in the leaft injure the leaves. They gather them with the moft fcrupulous nicety, and never touch them but with very fine gloves. When this choice tea has undergone the proceis neceffary for its T t

pre

point.

preparation, it is escorted by the fuperintendant of the mountain and a strong quard to the emperor's court, and referved for the ufe of the imperial family.

As the tea fhrub grows often on the rugged banks of fteep mountains, accels to which is dangerous, and fome. times impracticable, the Chinefe, in order to come at the leaves, make use of a fingular ftratagem: Thefe fteep places are generally frequented by great numbers of monkeys, which being irritated and provoked, to revenge themselves tear off the branches, and fhower them down upon those who have iniulted them. The Chinese immediately collect thefe branches, and ftrip them of their leaves.

When the tea leaves have been collected, they are expofed to the fteam of boiling water; after which they are put upon plates of copper, and held over the fire until they be come dry and fhrivelled, and appear fuch as we have them in Europe. According to the teftimony of Kaempfer, tea is prepared in the fame manner in the ifles of Japan. "There are to be seen there (fays this traveller) public buildings erected for the purpose of preparing the fresh gathered tea. Every private perfon who has not fuitable conveniences, or who is unacquainted with the operation, may carry his leaves thither as they dry. Thele buildings contain a great number of small ftoves raifed about three feet high, each of which has a broad plate of iron fixed over its mouth. The workmen are seated round a large table covered with mats, and are employed in rolling the tea leaves which are fpread out upon them. When the iron plates are heated to a certain degree by the fire, they cover them with a few pounds of fresh gathered leaves, which being green and full of fap crackle as toon as they touch the plate. It is then the bufinefs of the workman to ftir them with his naked hands as quickly as poffible, until they become fo warm that he cannot easily endure the heat. He then takes off the leaves with a kind of fhovel, and lays them upon mats. 'T'he people who are employed in mixing them, take a small quantity at a time, roll them in their hands always in the fame direction; while others keep continually flirring them, in order that they may cool fooner, and preferve their fhrivelled figure the longer. This procefs is repeated two or three times, and even oftener, before the tea is depofited in the warehouses. These precautions are neceffary to extract all the moisture from the leaves."

The people of Japan and China generally keep their tea a year before ufing it, becaufe, when quite fresh and newly gathered, it poffeffes a narcotic quality which hurts the brain. Imperial tea is generally preferved in porcelain vales, or in leaden or tin canisters covered with fine mats made of bamboo. Common tea is kept in narrow-mouthed earthen pots; and coarfe tea, the flavour of which is not so easily injured, is packed up in baskets of straw.

An infufion of tea is the common drink of the Chinefe; and indeed when we confider one circumstance in their fitu ation, we must acknowledge that Providence has difplayed much goodness in scattering this plant with fo much profufion in the empire of China. The water is faid to be unwholesome and naufeous, and would therefore perhaps, without fome corrective, be unfit for the purpofes of life. The Chinele pour boiling water over their tea, and leave it to infule, as we do in Europe; but they drink it without any mixture, and even without fugar. The people of Japan reduce theirs to a fine powder, which they dilute with warm water until it has acquired the confiftence of thin foup. Their manner of serving tea is as follows: They place before the company the tea equipage, and the box in which this powder is contained; they fill the cups with warm water, and taking from the box as much powder as the point of a knife can contain, throw it into each of the cups, and

The first European writer who mentions tea is Giovanni Botero, an eminent Italian author, who publifhed a treatife about the year 1590, Of the Caufes of the Magnificence and Greatnefs of Cities. He does not indeed mention its name, but describes it in fuch a manner that it is impoffible to mistake it. "The Chinese (fays he) have an herb out of which they prefs a delicate juice, which ferves them for drink inftead of wine: it alfo preferves their health, and frees them from all those evils which the immoderate ufe of wine produces among us * *55

Tea.

* Anderfon's

vol ii.

P. 138.

Tea was introduced into Europe in the year 1610 by Commerce, the Dutch East India Company. It is generally faid, that it was first imported from Holland into England, in 1656, by the lords Arlington and Offory, who brought it into fashion among people of quality. But it was used in coffeehoufes before this period, as appears froin an act of parliament made in 1660, in which a duty of 8 d. was laid on every gallon of the infufion fold every gallon of the infufion fold in these places. In 1666 it was fold in London for 60 s. per pound, though it did not coft more than 2 s. 6 d. or 35. 6 d. at Batavia. It continued at this price till 1707. In 17.15 green tea began to be used; and as great quantities were then imported, the price was leffened, and the practice of drinking tea defcended to the lower ranks †. In 1720 the French began + Hanway's to fend it to us by a clandeftine commerce. Since that period Journal. the demand has been increasing yearly, and it has become almost a neceffary of life in feveral parts of Europe, and among the lowest as well as the highest ranks.

The following table will give an idea of the quantity of tea ported annually into Great Britain and Ireland fince 1717:

From 1717 to 1726

1732 to 1742.

1755 near

1765

1785 about

1794 from

700,000 lbs. 1,200,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

I 2,000,000 16 to 2,000,000

+ Raynal, vol. i. and

Befides these immenfe quantities imported into Britain and Ireland, much has been brought to Europe by other nations. In 1766 the whole tea imported into Europe from China amounted to 17 millions of pounds; in 1785 it was computed to be about 19 millions of pounds ‡. Several refearches have been made in Europe to deter Robertfon's mine whether the tea plant grows fpontaneously; but thefe India. researches have been hitherto in vain. When Captain Cook vifited Teneriffe in his laft voyage, Mr Anderfon his fargeon was informed by a gentleman of acknowledged vera. city, that a fhrub is common near Santa Cruz which agrees exactly with the description given of the tea-plant by Linnæus. It is confidered as a weed, and large quantities are rooted out of the vineyards every year: But the Spaniards who inhabit the island fometimes make ufe of it, and afcribe to it all the qualities of the tea imported from China.

Many attempts have been made to introduce this valuable plant into Europe; but from want of proper precautions most of these attempts have miscarried. The feeds, being of an oily nature, are apt to grow rancid during a long voyage, unless proper care is taken to preserve them. There are two methods of preserving these feeds: The firit is, to inclose them in wax after they have been dried in the sun; the fecond is, to leave them in their husks, and shut them up clofely in a box made of tin: but neither of these methods has been attended with general fuccefs, whatever

day. Whether Bontikoe in this cafe acted as a phyfician, or, being a Dutchman, was eager to encourage the fale of an important article of his country's commerce, is not éafy to say. On the other hand, the pernicious effects of tea upon the nervous system have been often repeated, and very oppofite effects have been afcribed to it. Some affirm that green tea is mildly aftringent; others fay it is relaxing: Some fay it is narcotic, and procures fleep; while others contend, that taken before bed-time it alluredly prevents it.

Dr Lettfom, who has written the Natural History of the Tea Tree, made several experiments to determine its chemical qualities. He found an infufion of it preferved beef fresh; it is therefore antifeptic: and from its ftriking a purple colour with the falt (fulphate) of iron, he justly cons cludes that it is aftringent. He concludes alfo, that the effential qualities of tea refide in its fragrant and volatile* parts.

care has been taken to obtain fresh feeds, or to preferve them. 'I'he best method would be, to fow fresh feeds in fine light earth immediately on leaving Canton, and to cover them with wire to fecure them from rats and other animals that might attack them. The boxes ought not to be too much exposed to the air, nor to that kind of dew which rifes from the fea. The earth in the boxes muft neither be hard nor dry, and should from time to time be gently watered with fresh or rain water; and when the fhoots begin to appear, they ought to be kept in a flight moisture, and fheltered from the fun. The tea-plants to be found in England have been procured by thefe means only; and though feveral of the young rifing fhoots perifhed, the laft method propofed is probably that which may be followed with greateft fuccefs. The fineft tea-plant known in England was raifed in Kew gardens; it was carried thither by Sir J. Ellis, who brought it from feed: but the frft that ever flourished in Europe was one belonging to the Duke of Northumberland at Sion, from a drawing of which our engraving is taken. The plants which are cultivated in the gardens near London thrive well in the green-houfe during winter, and fome ftand that season in the open air. Linnæus, who obtained this fhrub in its growing ftate, contrived to preserve it in the open air in the northen latitude of Sweden. France has alfo procured fome plants. There can be no doubt, but they would fucceed in many countries of Europe, if proper care were paid to their cultivation till they became inured to one climate. It will be a great advantage if we can rear that plant, which can never fuffer fo much from change of foil as from growing mufty during the long voyage from China. Befides, the demand for tea is now become so great, that the Chinese find it neceffary, or at least profitable, to adul terate it. Bad tea is now become an univerfal complaint. The Abbé Grofier tells us, that there is a kind of mofs which grows in the reighbourhood of the little city of Mang. ing-hien, which is fold as a delicate fpecies of tea. If this delicious commodity is adulterated in China, can we flatter ourlelves that none comes to us but what is pure and unmixed? How would our fine ladies like to be told, that inftead of tea they drink nothing but the infulion of mofs from the rocks of Mang-ing-hien (F)?

Of the chemical qualities and effects of tea on the confitution, many various and oppofite opinions have been formed. About a century ago, Bontikoe, a Dutch phyf. cian, bestowed extravagant encomiums on the benefits of tea. With him it was good for every thing; and any quantity might be drunk, even to the amount of 200 dishes in a

We have heard much of the bad effects of tea, but we have neither felt nor obferved it. If it were so pernicious fo as it has been reprefented by fome, its effects muft certainly be evident in China, where it is drunk by all ranks; yet so far from being thought hurtful in that country, it is in high eftimation. The prefent emperor has compofed a kind of eloge on the virtues of tea. We are told by thole who have written the history of China, that inflammatory dif eafes are lefs frequent there than in many other countries, which is afcribed folely to the liberal use of tea. It muft be obferved by all, that tea is an antidote against intemperance, and that he who relishes the one feldom runs inte the other. Raynal fays, that tea has contributed more to the fobriety of this nation than the feverest laws, the most eloquent harangues of Chriftian orators, or the best treatifes of morality. We have no doubt but it may be hurtful to fome conftitutions in particular circumftances; but we fulpect that the nervous disorders fo often attributed to tea, are rather owing to hereditary diseases, to want of exercife, and to irregularity in food or fleep, than to tea. “Weak tea drunk too hot (fays Dr Leake) will enervate, and if very strong, may prove equally pernicious by affecting the head or stomach. But when it is drunk in moderation, and not too warm, with a large addition of milk, I believe it will feldom prove hurtful, but, on the contrary, falutary. After ftudy or fatigue it is a moft refreshing and grateful repaft; it quenches thirst, and cheers the fpirits, without heating the blood; and the pleafing lociety, in which we so often partake of it, is no inconfiderable Tt 2

addi