for the very great difference existing between green and black tea. In 

 the southern districts the process is protracted, and the leaves, after 

 bemg gathered, are heaped together for some time before the ''firing,'' 

 or drying process, is commenced. In the northern districts, on the 

 other hand, the ''firing'" process is commenced immediately the leaves 

 are gathered, and is carried on as rapidly as possible till the leaves are 

 sufl&ciently diy for packing. Decomposition of the vegetable principles 

 is thus almost entirely prevented ; whereas, in the southern districts, 

 where the leaves are heaped together in the fresh state, a decomposi- 

 tion to some extent must take place : a species of fermentation is 

 in all probability set up, which, to a great extent, destroys or alters the 

 narcotic principle contained in the fresh leaf, but which, in the green 

 tea that is carried to the drying pans immediately it is gathered, is pre- 

 served unchanged ; and hence we may trace the powerful effects of 

 green tea upon the nervous system. The prolonged firing and sponta- 

 neous fermentation black tea undergoes is sufficient to account for the 

 peculiar chemical and physical difference existing between the green 

 and black teas when they leave the tea farmers' hands ; but at this time 

 none of that " beautiful bloom," so much esteemed in this country, is to 

 be found on the green teas, nor do the Chinese themselves appreciate 

 what the vitiated tastes of Europeans esteem so highly : for they never 

 consume the " blooming" green tea. 



Much has been said about the cause of the greenness, or " bloom," 

 of the green teas of commerce. It is most frequently attributed to 

 copper ; and the popular notion appears to be that the leaves are dried 

 in copper pans ; but this is too absurd a notion to be any longer enter- 

 tained. The fact is, that, when the teas reach the native merchants and 

 contractors, they have to go through a series of preparations to fit them 

 for the foreign markets, and the green teas are very ingeniously painted 

 to suit the fancies and tastes of their customers, who like, and will have, 

 a fine, bright "blooming" tea, in preference to the soft natural olive 

 green of the pure tea leaf. There are however two varieties of green 

 tea in the market, known as glazed and unglazed, or faced and unfaced ; 

 the one a " blooming " variety, the other almost in the natural state, as 

 delivered by the tea farmer to the native merchant. 



When these two varieties are examined by the aid of a powerful 

 magnifying glass, a vast difference is observable, and the character of 

 the " bloom" or facing may to a certain extent be readily seen. In all 

 the cases of glazed green tea, which have come under my notice, the 

 leaves have been covered with a very fine powder ; in some cases almost 

 white, and of a crystalline character ; in others it was more or less 



