COLOUR NOT DUE TO HIGH TEMPERATURE. 273 



green, could be reduced to an equally fine powder. 

 He also observed very little difference between 

 them while working them under the hand. But, 

 as he justly remarked, the same degree of dryness 

 may be obtained by opposite methods, that is, by 

 a higher temperature employed for a short time, 

 or a low temperature continued for a long time. 

 It was his opinion that both teas were reduced 

 to an equal state of dryness. 



The hygrometric state of tea can afford no solu- 

 tion to this question ; because, should any water 

 remain in the leaves after the usual processes of 

 desiccation, it could not be distinguished from water 

 afterwards absorbed from the atmosphere. It is well 

 known that tea readily imbibes moisture, even when 

 packed in chests containing leaden canisters well 

 soldered down. Tea kept through the summer at 

 Canton termed " winter-tea" increases in weight: 

 and as it is dried at a high temperature, the whole 

 of the water driven off in analysis is most probably 

 water of absorption. However, so far as this test 

 is concerned, the loss of water in green tea is less 

 than in black. Agreeably to Peligot, green tea 

 loses only eight per cent of water by desiccation, 

 whereas black tea loses ten per cent. Gunpowder 

 he states at six, and Souchong at 11 '7 per cent.* 

 Mulder makes the loss of water and essential oil 

 very trifling, and nearly equal; viz. Hyson 4*44, 



* Monographic du The, par J. G. Honssaye, p. 90. 



