THREE GATHERINGS. 93 



become large, and are called the first gathering 

 {Teu Chan). These are thick and substantial, 

 fragrant in smell, and sweet in flavour. 



" When the leaves of the first gathering are 

 exhausted, wait till they shoot out anew, about 

 Chung (6th June), when they must be gathered and 

 made. These are called the second gathering 

 ( Ul Chun), the flavour of which has no fragrance, 

 and the colour of the leaf is of a dingy black. 



" The leaves shoot out again at the summer 

 solstice (Hia Chy) : these are called the third 

 gathering {San CI tun), and are of a light green 

 colour and coarse in smell." 



The Yu Ye Shan Chy* (the statistical work of the 

 black tea country already alluded to) states that 



" The first gathering is fragrant in smell and 

 full flavoured. 



" The second has no smell and is weak in 

 flavour. 



" The third has a little smell, but is also weak 

 in flavour." 



A Chinese manuscript gives the following ac- 

 count of the qualities of the different gatherings of 

 the Congou tea which forms the bulk of the black 



* This work also observes, that the leaves gathered between 

 Tsing Ming and Ko Yu are called Teu Chun ; after Ly Hia, 

 Ul Chun ; and after Hia Chy, San Chun. Teu Chun, Ul Chun, 

 and San Chun, signify first, second, and third gatherings. Tsing 

 Ming, Ly Hia, and Hia Chy are periods of the year, viz : the 

 5th of April, the 5th of May, and the 21st of June. 



