156 PEKOE TEA. 



ployed in the manipulation of Pekoe tea ; it would 

 obviously injure the hair or down of the leaves. 

 If of superior quality, it evidently can require 

 none, for the bud is already more compact in its 

 natural state than any process of art can make it. 

 Yet, as I have seen tea made after the manner of 

 Pekoe, a slight, but very slight degree of rolling 

 or pressure took place during the process of chao, 

 whilst the leaves were yet in the roasting vessel; 

 and I imagine this mode may prevail with such 

 Pekoes as have little flower, and where the bud is 

 partly expanded. It has already been explained, 

 that the process of rolling is simply to express the 

 j uices from the leaves ; the twist of the leaf is a 

 mere accident. This tea requires little roasting, 

 and a very moderate fire. Its principal drying 

 takes place in the poey long. It may have been 

 remarked in England, as in China, that Pekoe teas, 

 and especially such as have much flower, have 

 sometimes a musty smell and flavour, which I 

 imagine arises from the juices not having been suf- 

 ficiently evaporated in the process of roasting, little 

 or no pressure being used. 



The gathering of this tea properly takes place be- 

 tween the 5th and 20th of April (from Tsing Ming 

 to Ko Yu) ; though it is obvious that it may be 

 gathered at any time when the leaf is found in the 

 state of bud. Most Chinese say that the newly 

 gathered leaves are first placed in the sun, and 

 afterwards in the air to cool. The Hong Moey 



