TEA. 325 



must also preserve much of the flavour. The 

 more curious are put into glass bottles well 

 corked, others into square boxes varnished 

 and lined with lead and then neatly papered. 

 In about six days, this tea is again spread on 

 a table and all the leaves that have been over 

 dried or scorched, are taken out and put with 

 common tea. It is often dried a fifth time, 

 to make it more secure for keeping. 



The second gathering takes place about 

 the end of March, or beginning of April, when 

 part of the leaves have attained their full 

 growth, and others not half above their size ; 

 they are however gathered indiscriminately, 

 and afterwards sorted into different parcels 

 according to their size, the young leaves be- 

 ing esteemed next to those of the first ga- 



■& 



thering: this crop is called Too-tsiau, or Chi- 

 nese tea. 



By the end of May, or the beginning of 

 June, other leaves have opened, and become 

 thick, and full grown. This is the tea least 

 esteemed, and is called Ben-tsiaa. This ge- 

 nerally undergoes a selection, and the larger 

 and coarser leaves are sold to the common 

 people. The coarsest and most acrid tea in 

 China is sold to the neighbouring Tartars, 

 who find it facilitates the digestion of the 



