5516 J A P A N .
•years time it grows to the height o f a man ; its few leaves, at that
time are gathered, the fhrub cut down, and the moft plentiful
haiveft is obtained from the vigorous 11 loots o f the fucceeding
years.
T he leaves are gathered by laborers, peculiarly brought up
to the bufinefs; they muft not be taken by handfuls, but pulled
off one by one. The trees are not ffripped entirely, for there are
three gatherings in the year. The leaves are forted into three
parcels; the fineft, the fmall, tender, primaeval fhoots, are re-
ferved for princes and great men, and on that account called
imperial. They are next prepared by drying over the fire in an
iron pan, and after that rolled with the palm o f the hand on a
mat, -in order to fold them. Public laboratories are built for the
purpofe. All the proceffes are given at large by Kaempfer*.
T e a is. in as univerfal ufe in Japan as in China, and taken
two ways. The moft common is fimilar to the European, or rather
the mode we learned from the Ortentalifls; but the fflannef
of taking it is attended with the utmoft ceremony. The art is
called Sado anAlJianoi. We have our daricing-mafters, See. and
in my time M. Vejlris gave lectures to our quality on the manner
df eating gracefully their foup. The Japanefe matters are fo in—
ftru a in the manner of behavior at tea, how they are fo make
it, and how they are to prefent it in a polite manner.
T h e qualities o f tea are as much difputed in Japan as they
are in Europe; but filch is the charming infatuation, tfSt the
ufe is ftill followed in defiance o f thofe who take the fide o f depredation
in the old controverfy. Kaempfer gives us ah excellent
figure o f the plant, in vol. ii. tab. 38, and o f the protefs o f
^ See alfo Staunton’s Embafly to China, vol. ii, p. 464,
t h e
J A P A N - c S?7
the tea-table, and all its apparatus, in tab. 39, and o f the tea-
.cup; nor is the reprefentation o f its great founder Darma, forgotten,
with his vaft over-hanging eye-brows,
Arum dracontium, 233. Sp. pi. 4. p. 68. Kaempf. Atnoen. v.
p. 786. Flor. Coch. 6; r . Has a hot and purgative quality.
Dracontium Polypbyllum, 234. Sp. pi. 4. p. 74. From the acrid
root is prepared the famous medicine Konjakf.
Illicium amfatum, 235. Sp. pi. 2. p. 624. Kaempf. Amcen. v.
p. 880. feqq. fig. p. 881. Flor. Cocb. 432. The Bonzees believe
this plant to be peculiarly grateful to the gods ; they ftrew the
branches before their idols, and burn the bark as incenfe to them.
The leaves are ufed to increafe the virulence of the poifon o f the
Tetraodon ocellatus.
Ocymum crifpum, 248. Kaemp. Amoen. v. p. 784.
Bignqm'a catalpa,251. Sp.pL 3. p. 155. Kaeynp. Amcen. v. p.,841.
fig. p. 842. The leaves ufed in nervous cafes, the ppds in
allhmas.
Sefamum Orientate, 254. Sp. pi. 3. p. 188. Kaempf. Amoen. v.
p. 835. -Flor.,Cocb. 464. Ufefui for the qil exprefled frpm it;
conftitutes in Japan an article of fo.od; and alfo a medicine, on
.account of, its. emollient, virtues,
Clerodendrum trichoiomuni, ,$56. Kaempf. Amcen. v ,.p . 827.
Children are often made to fwallpw the larva o f an. infedt bred
on this plant, as a cure for the w;orms.
Plaxus ftuejfera, 275. .¿Sp. pi. .4. p., 280. Kaempf. ,fmpsn,y. p.
814. fig. p. 815, The interpreters who are obliged to ftand long
at. court eat the nuts, to enable them to retain their urine for a
great length o f time.
Von. HI. F f Citrus