98 SUCCULENT LEAVES ONLY EIT EOR TEA. 



themselves. In these cases each leaf is said to be 

 plucked separately from the shrubs ; and the leaves 

 of such shrubs as are known to resemble each other 

 in flavour are mixed together and kept apart 

 throughout the whole manipulation. They are 

 also packed in small paper parcels, each weighing 

 about eight or twelve ounces, sometimes bearing 

 on them, in large flowing Chinese characters, the 

 name of the flower they are supposed to resemble 

 in odour ; and sometimes the name of the hill of 

 their growth in small neatly written characters. 

 These symbols can hardly have escaped the observa- 

 tion of the dealer and consumer. This care, how- 

 ever, is only bestowed on the finest description of 

 Paochong tea, which is collected in very small 

 quantities. It is evident, from the quantity of 

 stalks found in even the finest teas which formed a 

 part of the East India Company's Investment, or 

 even in most Paochong teas, that no such mode 

 had been adopted in their gathering. Nor is any 

 particular attention paid to the state of the weather, 

 so far as teas for the European markets are con- 

 cerned. It is generally admitted by the Chinese 

 that much Congou tea is hastily and rudely gathered, 

 some even by whole branches at a time, in all 

 weathers, and at any time of the day. It is obvious 

 that the Chinese must use their leaves, however 

 unfavourable the state of the weather may be ; and 

 thus a further difference of quality is created, depend- 

 ent on season, as in all other vegetable productions. 



