The natural history of the tea-tree, with observations on the medical qualities of tea, and effects of tea-drinking / By John Coakley Lettsom.
- John Coakley Lettsom
- Date:
- 1772
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The natural history of the tea-tree, with observations on the medical qualities of tea, and effects of tea-drinking / By John Coakley Lettsom. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![/ L a5 ] afterwards expofe them to the fleam of boiling water to foften them; and as foon as they are penetrated by it, they draw them over copper plates (n) kept on the fire, which dries them by degrees, till they grow brown, and roll up of them- felves in that manner we fee them. However it is certain, from the Chinefe drawings, which exhibit a faithful pidure, though rudely executed, of the whole procefs from beginning to end, that the Tea tree grows for the mofl part in hilly countries, on their rocky fummits, and fleep declivities, inacceffible in many places; and it would feem by the pains the Chinele are at, in making paths, fixing a kind of fcaffolds, and even employing the vengeance of monkeys to aflifl them, that thefe places afford the fineft Tea. It appears from thefe drawings, that the trees in general are not much taller than man’s height: The gatherers of the leaves are never reprefented but on the ground, they make life of hooked flicks indeed, but thefe feem rather intended to draw the branches towards them, when the trees hang over brooks, rivers, or inacceffible places, than to bend down the tops or upper branches of the trees on plain ground. They pick the leaves as foon as gathered into different forts, and cure them nearly in the manner defcribed to be pradifed by the Japanefe. They build a range of floves, like thofe in a chymift’s laboratory, or great kitchen, where the men work, and curl the leaves in the pans themfelves. It feems alfo that they repeat the drying. They dry it like- wife, after having fpread it abroad in flhallow bafkets, in the (n) Upon this fubjeft, See Sect. VII. and VIII. It may be doubted alfo whether the conclufion of Le Compte’s relation is not erroneous, as it is impro¬ bable that any leaves fhould of themfelves take fo perfect a curl, as that in which Tea is brought into Europe. fun j](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b3041104x_0041.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
