122 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



I do not believe in any present or future machine for 

 sifting Tea, inasmuch as it is an operation which, to be well 

 done, has to be continually varied. More will be said on 

 this head further on. 



I have now detailed shortly all the Tea machines or 

 contrivances I know, or have heard of, and I think there is 

 plenty of room yet for inventors.* The machine, as before 

 observed, most to be desired is one to separate the small 

 Pekoe leaves from the others, ere the rolling of the leaf is 

 commenced. If such a machine existed, it would much 

 increase the value of all Indian Teas, and if the Agricultural 

 and Horticultural Society are inclined to offer a prize for 

 any machine, it should be this. 



At the point where the separation should take place, the 

 stalk is much tenderer than elsewhere, and this led me to 

 think a blow or concussion on the mass of green leaf might 

 effect the object. I attached a bow by the centre to an 

 immovable board, placed at right angles to the plane of a 

 table (like the back of a dressing table), and then, causing 

 leaf to drop from above, subjected it to sharp strokes from 

 the string of the bow. It effected the object partially, for 

 many Pekoe ends were detached, but it bruised and cut the 

 other leaf too much also. I believe a revolving barrel, with 

 blunt but thin narrow iron plates inside, which would strike 

 the leaf placed within, as the barrel was turned, would 

 perhaps answer. I give the above idea for what it is worth, 

 for any inventive genius to improve on. 



As it is impossible, as far as I can see, to construct any 

 machine which should cut the stalk only in the right place, 

 ergo, I believe some arrangement which would take advan- 

 tage of the fact, that the stalk is tenderer there than else- 

 where, is the only one that could answer. 



* I now believe Jackson's rolling-machine, previously alluded to, will finish 

 the rolling entirely. 



