162 THE SCENTING OF TEA. 



i 



mode as described by Koempfer may be considered 

 the one most in use, which corresponds with the 

 mode of manufacturing Twankay tea in China. 



THE SCENTING OF TEA. 



The Chinese seem universally to agree, in ancient 

 as in modern times, that no factitious scent can be 

 given to tea which at all equals its natural fra- 

 grance ; in short, they say, that " only common tea 

 requires scenting." Those persons who have had 

 the opportunity of drinking some of the finest 

 kinds of Souchong tea, will perhaps agree with the 

 Chinese in this opinion. There are, however, many 

 scented teas, which, so far from being inferior, are 

 even costly, and much esteemed both in China 

 and in Europe. Of these the Chu Lan, or Cowslip 

 Hyson, may be considered the best. I shall there- 

 fore now explain the manner in which I have seen 

 this process performed ; which, indeed, does not 

 differ greatly from that in practice 900 years ago, 

 as described in the Keun-fang-pu, a Chinese herbal. 

 The flowers may be gathered at any time of the 

 day, but those are considered the best and most 

 fragrant which are gathered while the dew is yet 

 on the leaves. 



The tea about to be scented must be taken hot 

 from the last roasting, which immediately precedes 

 the packing, and poured into a Hyson chest, so as 

 to form a layer of two inches in height from the 



