BY PROCESS OF WITHERING. 291 



of the saccharine principle, which the Chinese 

 unconsciously seek, though they are perfectly aware 

 that a heating or fermentation is necessary. It 

 moreover explains why the black teas are not roasted 

 as soon as gathered, like green tea. It is a well 

 established fact also, that black tea may be pre- 

 served without injury to flavour a longer time than 

 green tea. May not this quality be due to the 

 same cause, the effect of fermentation of the 

 saccharine juices of the leaves, as in hay, tobacco, 

 &c. ? 



In the Hong Moey Pekoes it is apparent that 

 the process of withering borders on excess. This 

 is indicated by the greater redness of the leaf and 

 infusion ; and also by a compound flavour, which 

 partakes of a flavour between that of Pekoe and 

 Souchong. Occasionally these teas have been 

 significantly termed malty by the brokers. Many 

 Ankoy teas and some of Java participate in the 

 Hong Moey flavour. Thus the quality of this tea 

 may depend much on the management of this 

 process. If pushed to excess the leaves become 

 red, and the flavour sweet and vapid. Further, 

 the experiments already alluded to, made by ma- 

 nipulating leaves altogether in the sun without the 

 application of fire, show how the kneading and 

 working the leaves in the sun produced the redness 

 of leaf and infusion as well as an excess of sweet- 

 ness in the tea. 



If we compare the black-leaf flowery Pekoe with 



u 2 



