515 



" 2nd. That out of the above number of samples, twenty-three were 

 genuine and twelve adulterated. The genuine leas were the Congous 

 and Souchongs, &c., and the adulterated teas samples of scented 

 Pekoe and scented Caper, Chulan or black gunpowder, as well as imi- 

 tations of these made from tea-dust. 



" 3rd. That the adulterations detected consisted in facing (so as to 

 improve the appearance of the teas) the surfaces of the leaves with 

 black lead, powdered mica, indigo, and turmeric." 



Series II. shows : — 



" 1st. That the fabrication of spurious black tea is extensively car- 

 ried on at the present time in the metropolis and other towns of the 

 kingdom. 



" 2nd. That two processes of fabrication are adopted : in the first, 

 the exhausted tea-leaves are made up with gum and re-dried ; black- 

 lead, powdered mica, rose-pink and carbonate of lime being some- 

 limes added to bloom or face the leaves, as well as sulphate of iron 

 to darken their colour and to give astringency ; in the second, 

 leaves other than those of tea (the kind matters but little) are used. 

 These after being dried are broken down, and mixed with gum cate- 

 chu made into a paste ; the leaves are then re-dried, and further bro- 

 ken down, and sometimes coated with gum. The spurious tea made 

 from exhausted leaves is seldom sold alone, but is used either for 

 mixing with genuine black, or is converted into green tea in the man- 

 ner to be described hereafter ; while that made from British leaves 

 and catechu is either mixed with black lea in the form of dust, or 

 else is faced and bloomed until it is made to resemble green tea." 



Series III. shows : — 



" That out of twenty-four samples of black lea purchased of tea- 

 dealers and grocers resident in the metropolis, twenty were genuine 

 and four adulterated ; the former being Congous and Souchongs, and 

 the latter samples of scented Pekoe and scented Caper. 



" In reference to the four adulterated samples of tea, it is right to 

 slate that not the slightest blame is attached to the dealers from whom 

 they were purchased, they being in all probability wholly unaware of 

 the fact of these particular descriptions of tea being adulterated or 

 faced in the manner described. The samples were introduced in 

 order to show that these teas do really reach the consumer in an adul- 

 terated condition." 



It thus appears that while the great bulk of the black tea used in 

 this country — viz.^ Congou and Souchong — are delivered to the con- 

 sumer in a genuine state, the scented leas — viz., the Pekoes and 



