210 TEA AND SILK FARMING IN NEW ZEALAND. 



the fermentation be only slightly overdone they can mitigate the 

 evil during the next process, although, were they acquainted with 

 the action of permanganate of potash in similar cases, they might 

 easily save themselves both trouble and anxiety. From the 

 fermenting chamber the trays of leaves are quickly borne into 

 the manipulating room, where any that may seem a little over- 

 done are immediately transferred to the heated pans. Further 

 acidity is thus arrested, but at the expense of contracting a 

 burnt, and sometimes even a tarry flavour, which is apt to lessen 

 the value in the London market. Should the fermentation have 

 been checked at the proper moment, the leaves are rolled, twisted, 

 and passed from hand to hand, shaken violently on sieves, and 

 frequently tossed up in the air as confectioners do when making 

 comfits. They are now ready for roasting, and are poured into 

 the heated pans, and constantly stirred for five minutes ; the 

 furnaces being maintained at a steady glow by means of an in- 

 genious little blower, with wind chest and double pistons at- 

 tached to each. From the pans the rolling and twisting process 

 is repeated and continued for about half an hour, when the 

 leaves are again exposed for three hours in the oxygenising 

 shed. Sunshine is not considered now so necessary ; indeed, 

 at this stage the Chinese profess to prefer simply a dry and 

 moderately cool atmosphere, so that every leaf may be aftected. 

 Deprived as they now^ are of most of their moisture, the leaves 

 show signs of frailty, and must be more tenderly handled when 

 once more consigned to the heated pans for five minutes, and 

 then rolled slightly and twisted. Yet with all the care that can 

 be bestowed, a portion of the leaves get much broken, and some 

 are reduced to powder, which, if permitted to remain, would 

 materially detract from the market value of the result. Accord- 

 ingly the whole is passed at intervals through a winnowing 

 machine, which roughly separates the tea consigned to it into 

 three classes, namely, good leaf, broken leaf, and fannings, the 

 dust being wafted off and separately secured during the opera- 

 tion. Of the two latter products a large proportion is exported 

 at the end of each season, to swell the accumulations in the 

 London docks, the remainder being worked up into caper, brick- 

 tea, and to impart an appearance of truth to the curious con- 

 coction the Chinese themselves term "lie tea," expressly pre- 

 pared for adulteration. Perhaps as lively a picture as any con- 

 nected with the preparation of tea in China, is to be seen at this 

 stage, when the finer kinds of black tea are carefully picked by 

 hand. Seated on low benches, in large airy halls capable of 

 containincj with comfort from five hundred to a thousand indi- 

 viduals, the pickers may be seen at work, singing and chatting 

 over their pleasant and light employment. Every encourage- 

 ment is given to the grouping of families together ; a mother 



