Tea-Plant. A small evergreen shrub, a native of Japan, China, and Tonquin. In seven years the shrub rises six feet, and being cut down to the stem produces fresh shoots, each of which bears as many leaves as a whole shrub. The culture of tea In the Uuited States is an attempt the importance of which is not fully known. The trade with China is rapidly increasing. In 1849 we imported 18,000,000 pounds, and in 1858 the import reached about 40,000,000 pounds.