74 CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION. 



Country Greens Are uncultivated teas gathered in 

 outlying districts, rough and uncouth in appearance, 

 bitter and astringent in liquor, wild or " grassy " in flavor. 

 The leaves when infurled are exceedingly large, rough 

 and uncouth in the cups, having every appearance of a 

 wild or uncultivated tea-leaf. 



o* 



Gunpowder Termed by the Chinese Choo-cha or 

 " Pearl tea," so named from its small, round and "shotty " 

 form. It is generally prepared from the smallest and 

 youngest leaves of the tea plant, its quality correspond- 

 ing to the picking and district of growth. The product 

 of first crop is sometimes known as " Pinhead," from its 

 extremely small, globular and granulated appearance. 

 That prepared from the second crop is larger and not as 

 hard rolled, while the third and fourth pickings are 

 respectively still larger and more irregular in form, but, 

 while darker and heavier in liquor, they are not near 

 as delicate or fragrant in flavor. 



Imperial Derives its trade name from being the 

 make or style of tea used in the Imperial household and 

 the wealthier Chinese. That exported is prepared from 

 the larger and older leaves of the respective pickings 

 and rolled in the same manner as the former, from which 

 fact it is sometimes called " Big Gunpowder" and " Pea-leaf." 

 But while larger and bolder in make it possesses much 

 the same drawing and drinking qualities, excepting that 

 it is heavier and darker in liquor and not as delicate or 

 aromatic in flavor. 



The true Imperial tea, known in China as " Flower tea," 

 not because it is prepared from the flower or blossom of 

 the tea-plant, as is erroneously supposed, but from its 

 being considered the " perfection of tea." This variety 



