340 NEW AMERICAN ORCHARDIST. 



earth, over the fire, and next dried by exposure to the sun. 

 But the green teas and those of the first quality are not 

 dried by exposure to the sun, as this causes them to turn 

 black. And in the preparation of some of the fine sorts, 

 especially that called Tchu-tcha, every leaf is rolled singly 

 in the hand, with great care; after drying, it is packed in 

 boxes lined with lead. 



The operation of rolling every individual leaf by hand, 

 of the finer sorts of tea, belongs exclusively to those coun- 

 tries where labor is cheap. By the aid of machinery, the 

 Americans will, if necessary, perform, at the cheapest rate, 

 this same task. It has been satisfactorily ascertained that 

 after drying to a certain degree, and the application of a pow- 

 erful pressure, the leaves of herbs, and of all other plants, 

 may be preserved, retaining all their virtues and fragrance 

 for a long time. The society of Shakers have success- 

 fully adopted this mode, for the preservation of all savory 

 herbs. The discovery is not new ; by this same mode are 

 the coarser kinds of teas prepared in some parts of China 

 at this day. Already do the Americans consume from 12 to 

 20,000,000 pounds, annually, of the imported tea of China, 

 and by this same most economical mode, will they, ere long, 

 prepare their own tea for their own immense consumption. 

 Transported to our shores, and to our own genial climate 

 and soil, the tea tree of China will here flourish spontaneous- 

 ly ; and the consumption must still increase, in proportion 

 as alcohol is renounced, and to an astonishing extent. 



By a statement in the Westminster Review, it would 

 appear, that next after the Chinese and Japanese, the Eng- 

 lish are the greatest consumers of tea. Great Britain con- 

 sumes 40,000,000 pounds annually ; and next after them, 

 the United States consume 10,000,000 pounds; while all 

 the rest of Europe and America consume but 15,000,000 

 pounds. Those European nations, and their descendants, 

 who consume less tea, use more coffee and chocolate. So 

 also the Mohammedans, who are forbidden the use of wine 

 or alcohol, drink largely of coffee and of tea. The Turks 

 and the Turcomans use extensively the fine green tea. 



In all Asia east of Siam and Camboja, tea is used by 

 all ages, sexes, and conditions, constantly and universally, 

 from morn to night ; often without sugar, and always 

 without cream. Here and on that side, a population of 

 370,000,000 are supposed to consume 500,000 tons an- 

 nually. The next greatest consumers are the Japanese. 



