CULTIVATION AND PREPARATION. 6 1 



the time depending much on the state of the weather, 

 after which they are removed to terraces or verandahs 

 built expressly for the purpose of firing and curling, and 

 containing from ten to twenty small furnaces about three 

 feet high, each having at the top a series of shallow pans, 

 termed Kuo, built into brick-work, low in front, but rising 

 gradually at the sides and back, having a flue beneath 

 and a fireplace at one end. The pans are heated to a 

 certain degree by a charcoal fire made in the furnaces 

 underneath. Charcoal being used exclusively for the 

 purpose, as smoke of any kind would injure the flavor of 

 the tea. A limited quantity of raw leaves are thrown 

 into the Kuo at a time, rapidly moved about and shaken 

 up with both hands until they become affected by the 

 heat, making a cracking noise and give out considerable 

 vapor, the freshest and juciest cracking first. 



The operators meantime continue to stir them rapidly 

 as possible with their bare hands until they become too 

 hot to be endured, the object being to expose them 

 equally to the action of the heat, and at the same time 

 prevent them from burning or scorching. When the 

 heat becomes too intense they are lifted rapidly above 

 the Kuo and allowed to fall gradually to cool them, any 

 burned leaves being instantly removed. After being 

 allowed to remain in this state from four to five minutes, 

 during which they become moist and flaccid, they are 

 quickly removed with a shovel resembling a fan and 

 transferred to a long, low table made of split bamboo and 

 covered with matting and surrounded by several Sat- 

 hoos, who divide the leaves among them, each taking as 

 many as he can hold in his hands, rolling them from left 

 to right with a circular motion into the form of a ball, 

 which is compressed and rolled upon the table, to rid 

 them of any excess of sap or moisture, and at the same 



