CHINA. 1751. 251 



It is almoft incredible what quantities of tea 

 are annually exported into Europe and other 

 pans ; and what innumerable hands are em- 

 ployed in fo unnecefTary an article. The coun- 

 tryman mud with great care plant and nurfe 

 the tea fhrubs ; pluck every leaf in due time ; 

 feparate the new leaves from the old, and dry 

 them with extreme accuracy. The green tea 

 is faid to differ from the others only by con- 

 fiding of young leaves, or by means of repeat- 

 ed dryings. But fince fome fort of brown tea 

 likewife confifts of tender young leaves, the 

 afore-mentioned reafon is not probable. I 

 imagine the difference arifes from the plates on 

 which (according to their own accounts) the 

 tea is dried. It is not unlikely that green tea 

 is dried on copper plates, and the brown on 

 iron plates : which is the more likely, fince 

 green tea occafions purging, which feems to be 

 the effect of verdigreafe: but brown tea hath 

 the contrary effect. At laft when the merchant 

 has got the bafkets of tea, at a low rate, from 

 the country people, he muft often take care of 

 it for years together ; and is always uncertain 

 when or at what price he mail fell it. When 

 the Europeans have fixed upon a place where 

 they will make their bargains, they empty the 



baJkete 



