ROASTING VESSELS. 215 



stove is horizontal, and the mouth of the Kuo is 

 placed above five inches below the surface. The 

 depth of the Kuo is about ten inches, thus forming 

 a depth of fifteen inches from the surface of the 

 stove. The diameter is about sixteen inches. The 

 inside of the Kuo is said to be quite bright from 

 constant friction. 



The Twankay Kuo is the same as that used for 

 black tea : but is placed obliquely in an angle of 

 about sixteen degrees, the surface of the stoves 

 being built with that inclination. The Kuo is placed 

 about nine inches below the surface, the depth of 

 the Kuo being about eight inches, and the diameter 

 twenty-four inches.* 



I shall now describe the mode in which I have 

 seen the roasting of the honan leaves performed, 

 after the manner of Hyson tea, by men from the 

 green tea districts. The reader will here remember 

 that the same description of leaves were employed 

 in the manipulation of black tea ; and indeed the 

 honan leaves are never otherwise employed by the 

 Chinese. 



The fire was prepared with dry wood, and kept 

 so very brisk that the flames rose above the surface 

 of the stove. The bottom of the Kuo soon became 

 red hot, and the heat intolerable. This excessive 

 heat, however, was not approved by the conductor 

 of the process. It must therefore be considered as 



* See plates in Appendix, 

 p 4 



