TEA AND SILK FARMING IN NEW ZEALAND. 215 



that a chop may be composed of leaves collected from hundreds 

 of separate gardens scattered throughout a whole district, and 

 that a single bush may produce at different periods within a few 

 days flowery pekoe, orange pekoe, pekoe, souchong, congou, and 

 even bohea. The few tender buds which, plucked to-day, may 

 form flowery pekoe, will, if left a little, take no higher rank than 

 ordinary congou, and at the end of the week may perhaps be 

 scarcely fit to be called bohea. This is an extreme case, which 

 is seldom allowed to occur to any extent, through the unceasing 

 vigilance exercised during the leaf harvest, aided by a vigorous 

 and fearless system of pruning ; but it gives an idea how varied 

 any one plucking of leaves may be, and how necessary for the 

 homogeneity of the result that the whole should have been 

 thoroughly mingled together. Accordingly, attached to every 

 Chinese tea factory there is an extensive bulking chamber, 

 capable of containing from thirty to fifty tons of tea in bulk, 

 with ample floor space left for turning over. During the short 

 time the tea remains here a strong heat is maintained, and the 

 seasoned packages being in readiness, it is immediately packed 

 in a hot condition, covered with soft paper, and the lead at once 

 soldered down. This is done with a flat iron bolt, about a quarter 

 of an inch thick, four inches broad, and six inches long. The 

 bar of solder, dipped from time to time in the flux, which is 

 usually in a state of solution, is held against the front of the 

 bolt, when the workman dexterously runs it along and seals up 

 the packages in less time than it takes to describe the process. 

 Nothing now remains to be done beyond heading up the chests, 

 pasting on the ornamental edging around the lids, strapping with 

 split bamboo, and despatching to the shipping port. 

 To epitomise the foregoing information, it will be seen 



1. That with the exception of flowery pekoe and caper, all 

 black tea is manipulated in a similar manner to green tea; but, 



2. That unlike green tea, black tea undergoes a period of fer- 

 mentation. 



3. That whereas green tea is allowed only two hours' exposure 

 to the sun's rays before being roasted, black tea gets twelve hours 

 exposure. 



4. That this lengthened exposure, combined with growth on a 

 ferruginous soil, fermentation, and prolonged manipulation, con- 

 fer or rather elicit its characteristic colour and properties. 



5. That the scenting of green tea and black tea are differently 

 managed ; that a greater variety of fragrant flowers is employed 

 for tlie latter ; and that perfuming is a protective measure as 

 much as a means of enhancing value. 



G. That all China tea intended to form a chop is bulked and 

 mingleil together before being packed. 



7. And, that black tea, equally with green, is packed whilst 

 hot. 



