FINAL DESICCATION OF BLACK TEA. 133' 



within a continuous piece of brickwork coated with 

 plaster, extended round three sides of a long narrow 

 room. The brickwork is about 5^ inches in height 

 and 2 or 3 feet in depth, from the front to the wall. 

 The receptacle for the charcoal must be in propor- 

 tion to the diameter of the drying- tube. Mr. Jacob- 

 son gives the following as the dimensions of the 

 tube used at Java: height 2ft. 10^ in. ; diameter 

 2ft. 4Jin. ; diameter of centre, 1ft. ll^in. 



The process of Poey is used for every denomination 

 of black tea, manufactured with care, whether Pao- 

 chong, Souchong, Sonchy, Pekoe or Congou. I 

 shall now describe this process as I have seen it 

 performed, and as I have performed it myself. 



A bright charcoal fire is prepared in a common 

 Fu-Gong, or chafing-dish, containing about three or 

 four pounds of charcoal : the drying-tube is then 

 placed over the fire, one end resting on the ground. 

 The roaster then takes a quantity of leaves and 

 sifts them, to prevent any dust or small leaves from 

 falling into the fire. When properly sifted, he 

 first spreads them equally in the sieve, and then 

 makes a small aperture in the centre of the heap 

 with the finger, about an inch and a half in dia- 

 meter, in order to afford a free vent to any smoke 

 which may accidentally be formed. The sieve is 

 then placed in the Poey Long, upon the cross wires 

 before described. A circular flat bamboo tray is 

 placed over its mouth, about one third of which is 

 left open to admit a free evaporation of the steam 



K 3 



