hered in the autumn. But they forget that the tea-plant does
not interfere with any other crop, and when once planted it does not
soon require a renewal.

I have sometimes felt this impatience myself, and longed for a cup
of tea of my own growing, but I have never had one. As a husbandman,
I must wait some time longer, and let patience have her perfect
work."

Again, under date May 1, 1850, he states that he has succeeded
admirably in the culture. The plants bear the winter well, and their
physiology and general characteristics remain unchanged by the change
of climate and soil. The leaf puts out at the same period of the year
that it does in China.

On the 27th of May, 1850, Dr. Smith received a further batch of
trees, fresh, green and healthful, as if still growing in the
plantations of China; after a passage of little more than five months.
These plants, together with the seedlings and nuts, were of the green
tea species, and obtained from a quarter situated about 700 miles from
Canton.

In a letter, dated Grenville, S.C., June 17th, 1850, with which I have
been favored, he adds:--

"I never heard of the failure of the tea-crop. All vegetation may be
retarded, or lessened, or augmented, in its production, in a slight
degree, by excessive rains, or drought, or cold, or heat, or
atmospheric action; but the tea-plant is sure to produce its leaf.
From all I have observed, a decided drought is the most detrimental
to the health of the tea plant. The almost continued rains which
marked the advance of the past spring, seemed perfectly agreeable to
the tea-plant, and facilitated the germination of the tea-nuts.
Where any vitality remained in the nut, it was sure to germinate.
Curiosity, on this point should be restrained, and no picking and
pawing up of the nuts permitted. I have seedlings with tap roots
four inches in length, where no appearance of germination is visible
upon the surface of the ground. The chances are ten to one that the
seedling would be destroyed by the tamperings of idle curiosity. Let
nature have her own most perfect work, and see that the enemy, the
drought, is vanquished by an abundant supply of water.

From experience, I notice that nothing is more congenial to the
germination of the tea-nut than a good stiff blue, clayed soil. The
marly colour of the soil is undoubtedly the result of a rich loa