THE SEVERAL PROCESSES. 117 



Nor did I perceive any material difference in the 

 mode of manipulation as performed by these men. 



The newly gathered leaves were first spread 

 about an inch thick on small sieves, and suffered 

 to remain in the sun about twenty minutes. The 

 leaves of each sieve were then taken in succession, 

 and turned and tossed with the hands for a consi- 

 derable time, as already described in the process 

 of To Ching, when they were again spread out and 

 exposed to the sun. When the leaves began to 

 " wither and give," and become soft and flaccid, 

 the leaves of two or three sieves were then mixed 

 together, and the tossing of the leaves and exposure 

 to the sun again repeated until they began to emit 

 a slight degree of fragrance. They were then re- 

 moved into the shade, formed into still larger par- 

 cels, turned and tossed as before, and finally placed 

 on stands in a room exposed to a free current of 

 air, as in the process of Leang Ching. In a short 

 time they gave out what the workmen deemed the 

 requisite degree of fragrance, when each parcel 

 was again tossed in the shade, and roasted in suc- 

 cession. 



No attention was paid to any change of colour 

 in the leaves, nor did any appear red or brown 

 previously to roasting, though some few had a 

 reddish purple appearance afterwards. The tea, 

 when completely dried, resembled a black leaf 

 Congou ; but, while the Honan tea was agreeable, 

 and drew a red infusion, the Pack Yuen Shan tea 



i 3 



