146 Mr Bruce on the. Manufacture of Tea, and on the 



the cold season, when the men have nothing to sow or reap, 

 two or three hundred can he collected ; hut as soon as the 

 rains set in, all but those who have not bounds, or are not in- 

 volved in debt, go off to their cultivations, at the very time 

 when our tea-operations commence. As long as things con- 

 tinue in this state, the price of tea will be high ; but if this 

 draw^back were removed, there is nothing to prevent our un- 

 derselling the Chinese, except the experience of a few more 

 years. 



But let us return to our teas, and take a comparative view 

 of the qualities of the black and green teas, which may nearly 

 be as follows : Paho black tea leaf would make green tea, 

 some gunpowder, and some young hyson. Fouchong, although 

 classed as a second black tea, on account of the high price it 

 fetches in the market, is a thu*d-rate leaf, for it is rather larger 

 than the Souchong. Some of it would make young hyson, and 

 some skin tea. Souchong would make hyson and young hyson. 

 Toi/chong would make skin tea. — I will here mention the dif- 

 ferent kinds of black teas, to make the matter more clear to 

 those who take an interest in the subject. Thomung-Faho 

 (the Sung fa is the same leaf as this) is the downy little leaf 

 not expanded, and the one next to it that has just imfolded 

 a little. This tea^vhen made appears full of small white leaves, 

 which are the little downy leaves just mentioned. Twazee- 

 Paho is from the second crop, and nearly the same kind of 

 te.T, only a little older ; the leaf next the small downy one 

 (being a little more expanded) and the small leaf below this, 

 are taken, making three in all ; this has also numerous white 

 leaves, but not so many as the former. Souchong is the next 

 largest leaf ; this is well grown, but embraces all the leaves 

 above it. When the upper leaves have grown out of season for 

 Thowung-Faho and Tn-a:<ee-Faho, they are all plucked for the 

 Souchong from the third and fourth of the upper leaves. From 

 Souchong leaves the Minchong and Sychee teas are made in 

 the first crop, and no other. Fouchong is the next largest 

 leaf; it is a little older and larger than the Souchong. From 

 this leaf the Sychee and Minchong teas can be made in the 

 first crop only. The Fouchong is never made in the second 

 crop, on account of its not having a good flavour ; many of 



