SORTING. 137 



deficient in Pekoe ends or to a bold, Souchong class leaf with a few 

 ends mixed. We often meet with it applied to an unassorted Tea, 

 including perhaps Souchong, Congou, a few Pekoe ends, and some 

 broken leafs. Prices range from 2s. $d. to 2s. lod. 



The name of Broken Pekoe indicates as once what class of Tea 

 it is, namely, Pekoe which has been broken in the manipulation or 

 otherwise. It possesses the strength and fine flavour of a full leaf of 

 Pekoe, being therefore only inferior to it in point of leaf. In value 

 it is very little inferior to Pekoe, sometimes as valuable, or even 

 more so, as owing to the frangibility of the tender Pekoe ends, they 

 are sometimes broken off in very large quantity, thus adding to the 

 value of the broken Tea, though at the same time deteriorating the 

 Pekoe. Prices from 2s. 6d. to $s. ^d. 



Pekoe dust is still smaller broken, so small in fact as actually to 

 resemble dust. It is of great strength, though often not pure in 

 flavour, as frequently any dust or sweepings from other Tea is mixed 

 with it to make the lot larger. The price of Pekoe dust may range 

 from is. 6d. to 2s. 8d. 



A Tea only slightly broken is often called by the planter Pekoe 

 Dust ; again an Orange Pekoe is often called Broken Pekoe, and the 

 converse. A knowledge of the signification of these and other 

 terms would teach the grower to be very careful in marking his Teas, 

 as the nomenclature influences to a great extent the sale in the 

 home market 



Having described the finer Teas we now come to the considera- 

 tion of the classes of Tea which form the bulk of the manufacture of 

 a garden. 



Souchong may be taken as the medium quality, and when expe- 

 rience and skilled labour are employed in the manufacture as the 

 bulk of the produce of an estate. The qualifications for being 

 comprehended under this term are just simply an even, straight, or 

 slightly curved leaf, in length varying say from -J inch to i-J inch. 

 It has ifcot the deep strength of Pekoe, but is generally of good 

 flavour and of fair strength. The prices of Souchong are from 

 is. iod. to 2s. 8J. 



Congou comes next. It may be either a leaf of Souchong kind, 

 but too large to come under that class, or though of smallish-sized 

 leaf, too unevenly made, or too much curled (so as to resemble little 

 balls) to be so classified. The flavour is much the same as that of 

 Souchong, but the Tea has not so much strength. Some of the lower 



