40 Transactions of the 



Green teas may generally be divided into five varieties, hoanJcay, 

 hyson-sMn, Jiyson, gunpowder, and young hyson. 



Twankay tea has always formed the bulk of the green teas 

 imported into this country, being used by the retailers to mix 

 with the finer kinds. The leaf is older, and not so much twisted 

 or rolled ; there is altogether less care and trouble bestowed on 

 its preparation than that of other kinds. 



Hyson-skin is so named from the original Chinese term, in 

 which connection the skin means the refuse, or exterior portion 

 of anything. In preparing the fine tea called hyson, all those 

 leaves that are of a coarser, yellower, and less twisted appearance, 

 are set apart and sold as the refuse or 'skin-tea,' at a much 

 lower price. 



The word hyson is corrupted from the Chinese name which 

 means, ' flourishing spring,' this fine sort of tea being, of course, 

 gathered in the early part of the season. 



Gunpoioder tea, as it is called, is nothing but a more carefully 

 picked hyson, consisting of the best rolled and roundest leaves, 

 which give it that granular appearance whence it derives its name. 

 It is called by the Chinese choocha, ' pearl-tea.' 



Young Hyson, the native yu-tsien, ' before the rains,' was the pro- 

 duce of the gathering of delicate young leaves in the early spring. 

 But the demand for it was so great by the Americans, and as it 

 could not be fairly produced in sufficient quantities to meet the 

 call, other green, and even black teas were substituted for it. 

 The original or genuine young hyson is, therefore, seldom seen in 

 this country. 



In the preparation of tea, the refuse and decayed leaves and 

 twigs are pressed into moulds, and sold under the name of brick- 

 tea. These bricks are often made harder by mixing the leaves 

 with the serum of sheep and ox blood. This inferior variety is 

 chiefly consumed in Northern China and Thibet. 



Tea is imported from China in wooden chests, always lined with 

 thin sheet-lead, within which the tea is wrapt in a thin, though 

 tough, silky unsized paper, which the Chinese manufacture from 

 the liber or inner bark of the mulberry {Broussonetla papyrifera). 

 The boxes are filled by the hand with tea, and then pressed down 

 with the feet, after which the boxes are nailed up and stamped 

 with the name of the grower or manufacturer. 



In China, tea is the staple and almost sole beverage of the 

 people. It is sold in their public-houses and towns like beer is 

 in England. They drink it, however, unmixed with milk or sugar, 

 and never qualified with stimulant, as is so often done elsewhere. 

 The strength of the exhilarating herb is simply drawn out with 

 boiling water. 



