The composition of theine may be re presented by the chemical formula, whence it appears to con tain no less than 29 per cent. of nitrogen or azote.
Peligot found, on an average, in 100 parts of Parte soluble in boiling Water.
Dried black teas 432 — Green teas 47.1 Black teas, as sold ...... 38.4 Green teas, (lino Tea, by Mulder's general analysis, has a very complex constitution ; 100 parts contain— Green. Black.
Essential oil (to which the flavor is due) 0.79 0.60 Chlorophyle (half.green matter) 222 028Resin Gum 8•56 7.28 Tannin 17 80 12•:4 TheMe 043 046 Extractive matter 2280 1988 Do. dark colored — 1.48 Coloring matter separable by mu riatic acid 23.60 19.12 Albumine.. 300 Vegetable fibre 1703 2832 Ashes 5.56 By the enterprise of Dr. Jnnius Smith, the cultivation of the tea-plant in the Unit ed States has been introduced, it having recently been grown in South Carolina, un der circumstances which would indicate that the question of its success may soon be decided. Partial attempts have before been made by planting a few seed. But Dr. Smith has brought out plants of seven years growth. In a letter respect ing this fact, he says, that on the 15th and 16th of December, 1848, he planted out at Greenville, South Carolina, the tea seed which lie carried with him, and went to work preparing the ground for the reception of his tea plant*, which he adds, " was no slight labor in this hilly, rocky, stumpy, rooty domain." His
packages of plants arrived some time after him, and on opening them, he says several of the plants were in full bloom, with their leaves fresh and green, as if growing in China ; others with the blos som bud just showing its ivory breast ready to develope all its beauties.
"You may say, therefore, that the tea plant is in blossom in South Carolina. On Tuesday, the 20th of December, he planted out the first tea shrubs ever cul tivated in the Llitited States for agricul tural and commercial parposes. Ont of five hundred plants lie found five which he thought of doubtful vitality, and these he transferred to the infirmary, and subjected them to vigilant nurs ing." There is a large tract of our country which falls within the latitude in which tea is most successfully raised in China. In Dr. Smith's pamphlet on the subject., he says it grows there most luxuriantly between the parallels of 20° and 45 north latitude. "In the geographical and physiological views of that portion of the United States, presumed to be best adapted to the growth of the tea plant," he save "We may assume the latitude of as the northern, and the Gulf of Mexico as the southern limits of the tea growth." That the tea plant can grow in our country is now a settled fact ; but the high price of labor will retard its into nto market, until machinery here can compete with the enormously low price of labor in China.