112 ADULTERATION OF TEA. 



5 ; Congou. 



6 &quot; Bohea. % 



These may have different names, as Yen-Pouchang, 

 &c., from places, or from the times of the season they 

 are made in ; for both soil and season will affect their 

 qualities ; and would, therefore, render it necessary for 

 Pouchang or Souchang, &c., to have different significa 

 tions, to denote such, differences. The bohea is a very 

 old leaf, and the substance in a manner is dried before 

 the leaf is collected from the tree ; and, in fact, what is 

 now called congous, is little better. These reddish 

 leaves are colored black ; sometimes with the sap of a 

 particular tree, and sometimes by green grass burned, 

 and various other ways. The dealers in London may, 

 for all I know, use Day & Martin s shoe blacking, for 

 their black teas is to be seen in the windows, of a 

 polished black. All that would of course give the 

 tea a deep color when poured out ; so it suits the eye for 

 sale, and it suits the eye in drinking.* I do wonder, 

 however, that doctors often forbid the use of tea, although 

 they must know that the unadulterated is anti-bilious, 

 and the most healthy beverage that can be made use of. 

 Milk and sugar help to change its qualities. It is 

 only white people who use either. In fact the Chinese 

 and people of the N. East of India consider milk an 

 excrement, and will not use it. 



* &quot; I visited a tea, manufactory a few miles north of Can 

 ton, where about 600 men, women and children were engaged in 

 converting coarse looking refuse leaves into several soi ts of green tea.&quot; 

 Martin. 



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