230 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



besides extreme care and attention. If the firing was 

 too quick or too slow, or too long continued, or in any 

 point defective, then, however excellent the leaf, the 

 flavour of the tea would prove defective. 



When the plantations were first established the 

 operation of " firing " was performed only by Chinese, 

 who had been brought from China for the purpose. 

 It was now, at the time I am describing, done almost 

 entirely by natives of India, whom the Chinese had 

 instructed. A little of the " firing " was, however, still 

 conducted by Chinese, and then as they bent over the 

 bowls in their long robes and quaint -looking caps, 

 slowly stirring the leaves with the thin iron rods, they 

 had much the aspect of necromancers in the act of 

 performing incantations. 



I used often to stroll into the factories when the 

 preparation of the tea was going on, and in the course 

 of my visits I learnt the answer to a question that 

 in former days used to be much debated in England. 

 It was whether black and green tea were produced 

 from the leaves of the same or of different plants. 

 I learnt that the leaves are the same. The difference 

 in the teas is the result of the difference of preparation. 

 The black tea leaves are simply fired ; those of the 

 green tea are previously damped and allowed to slightly 

 ferment. 



When the firing was completed the tea was carried 

 to another building and there stored ; it was subse- 

 quently packed in tin cases and boxes of various sizes. 

 The boxes were covered with yellow paper, ornamented 

 with characters and designs of Chinese appearance. 



