124 



seldom couiain even the fractional part of a per centage of tea. Very 

 large quantities of Lie teas are annually imported into this country for 

 mbcing with teas of higher qualities ; but much larger quantities are sent 

 to America. It is therefore a commodity of pretty considerable manu- 

 facture. The process is simple and interesting. Large quantities of 

 sand, or substances of a similar nature, ai'e introduced into a large tub 

 or other vessel, together with a number of pounded leaves, of various 

 kinds, and vegetable dust, or, in fact, anything containing vegetable 

 matter ^vill do ; for they are not very particular. These are well mixed 

 with a kind of plaster of Paris, and sprmkled with water in which rice 

 has been steeped. This being glutinous, the composition, by stirring, 

 is collected into small balls. In the course of a short time, and with 

 dexterity of manipulation, the whole tub full of this fraudulent mix- 

 tui'e acquires a granular sti'ucture. The granules thus formed have 

 next to be faced or coloured : some are coloured green with the bloom- 

 ing compound already described to imitate gunpowder tea ; others are 

 painted black, to imitate flowering caper tea, with black lead. When 

 these lie teas are mixed with genuine gunpowder or caper tea, it is almost 

 impossible for the inexperienced eye to detect the fraud. 



Doubtless the public has benefited by the throwing open of the tea 

 tmde : for, although more genuine teas were obtained during the East 

 India Company's charter, yet larger supplies of really good and medium 

 quality teas are now obtained. For instance : during the continuance of 

 the Company's charter, the consumption of Bohea, the commonest kind 

 of black tea, was about 20 per cent, of the whole, whereas now Bohea is 

 scarcely known in the market. 



With regard to the production of tea in our East Indian possessions at 

 Canton, the experiment, so far as it has gone, has proved as satisfactory 

 as could be expected ; and there seems but little doubt that the tea leaf 

 will form an important article of commerce with the east, and that the 

 trade with China wall be materially affected by the change. 



Assam teas are stronger, and have hitherto been coarser in flavour 

 than those from China ; but this latter imperfection is now nearly reme- 

 died, Chinese workmen having been obtained, and^ their experience in 

 the cultivation and preparation of the leaf having wonderfully improved 

 the quality of the tea. 



Mr. Geo. Hamilton read a paper on '• The Law of Gravitation." 



