573 



consist of earthy graphite or black lead. It was observed, that during 

 the prolonged soakiiig operation, to which these teas had been sub- 

 mitted, there was no tendency exhibited in either case to unroll or 

 expand, for a reason which will be presently obvious. One of the 

 samples was therefore treated with hot water, without, however, any 

 portion of a leaf being rendered apparent. It increased in size 

 slightly, was disintegrated, and then it was found that a large quan- 

 tity of sand and dirt had subsided ; this was separated by decanta- 

 tion, and collected; it was found to amount to 1*5 grains from 10 

 grains of the sample, or 15 in the 100 parts. It was evident, how- 

 ever, that much of the lighter particles must necessai'ily have been 

 lost in the process of decantation ; a weighed quantity of the sample 

 was therefore carefully calcined, until the ash was quite white, and 

 the whole of the carbonaceous matter burnt off; it yielded a result 

 equivalent to 37'5 on the 100 parts. During this operation also, no 

 expansion or uncurling of the leaf, as is generally to be observed when 

 heat is applied to a genuine tea, was seen ; in fact, it was quite evi- 

 dent that there was no leaf to uncurl, the whole of the tea being in 

 the form of dust. The question next presented itself as to how these 

 materials had been held together, and this was readily solved; for, on 

 examining the infusion resulting from the original soaking of the 

 sample, abundant evidence of gum was exhibited. 



The sample of green tea was of a precisely similar kind to the 

 black ; it yielded 4'55 grains of ash, &c., from 10 grains of the speci- 

 men, or 45*5 per cent. A specimen of Java gunpowder yielded 5 per 

 cent, of ash ; so that we have in this sample 40*5 per cent, of dirt and 

 sand over and above the weight of ash yielded by the incineration of 

 a genuine tea. 



Thus we have, then, in these samples a mixture of tea-dust with 

 dirt and sand, agglutinated into a mass with gummy matter, most pro- 

 bably manufactured from rice- flour, then formed into granules of the 

 desired size, and lastly dried and coloured, according to the kind 

 required by the manufacturer, either with black lead, if for black tea, 

 or with Prussian blue, gypsum, or turmeric, if intended for green. 



Since examining these two samples, I have obtained through a 

 friend another specimen of green tea, having a very different appear- 

 ance ; that is, better manufactured, or rather, I should say, more 

 likely to deceive the consumer, from its being made to imitate an im- 

 glazed tea. It is of a yellowish-green colour, scented and granulated 

 as the former samples, and not much dusted ; it yielded 34 per cent, 

 of ash, sand, and dirt. 



