ADDENDA. 295 



" The question whether delicacy is due to altitude alone and not 

 to manufacture might be ascertained by experiment. Let a quantity 

 of green leaf be sent down from one of the Neilgherry gardens, and 

 worked up in the plains at the foot of the hills, and an equal quantity 

 sent up from one of the Assam gardens, say to Shillong, and manu- 

 factured on the Neilgherry principles there, and the result then 

 compared. This experiment would cost little and determine a not 

 unimportant question : for all engaged in Tea are interested in using 

 their best endeavours to fit it for public consumption, and to guard it 

 against Chinese in any shape or form whatever." 



Note by the Author. That " delicacy of flavour," and " want of 

 strength " with it, is due to altitude has long ago been admitted, and 

 any experiments on that head would, I think, be quite unnecessary. 

 The experiments as to manufacture on the Neilgherries are interesting, 

 and should be further looked into. E. M. 



I have at last completed experiments with a view to do away with 

 the use of charcoal in Tea manufacture, and I think with success. 



The "Furnace Teas," for so I purpose naming them, have in most 

 cases been pronounced by the Calcutta brokers to be superior to 

 similar samples of the same day's leaf, made in the usual way over 

 charcoal. 



Nothing but the heat generated by any fuel placed in furnaces 

 sunk under ground outside the Tea-house is used. No motive power 

 of any kind is employed. The apparatus is very simple. It is cheap 

 to erect and very durable in character. 



As the apparatus with which the Teas up to the present time have 

 been made is a rude and imperfect one, having disadvantages which 

 must tell more or less on the excellence of the Teas so manufactured, 

 and as, even with these disadvantages, the Teas are pronounced by the 

 brokers at least equal to charcoal -dried Teas, it is not too much to hope 

 that with a perfect apparatus (one of which will be erected immediately) 

 Teas will be improved in value by this new invention. The following 

 will be shortly the advantages of this new process, even supposing the 

 Teas are no better : 



i. Economy. This will possibly be even greater than what is set 

 out in the extract of the local paper below ; for the fact that the Tea 

 is never placed over charcoal until the whole is ignited, and has become 

 " live charcoal," is not there recognized, much of the caloric thus 

 escapes. 



