304 RECAPITULATION OF ■ PROCESSES. 



During this change the leaves become flaccid, and 

 slightly tinged or spotted with red or brown co- 

 louring matter; and give out a peculiar odour, 

 approximating to, or, as some think, identical with, 

 the odour of tea. A certain change in this odour 

 is carefully watched by the workmen, this being an 

 indication that the roasting must not be delayed. 

 It is not necessary to wait till the leaves become 

 spotted with red. They are then roasted in an iron 

 vessel, and afterwards rolled with the hands, to 

 express their juices. The roasting and rolling are 

 repeated so long as any juices can be expressed 

 from the leaves in the act of rolling. Finally, they 

 are dried in sieves placed over a charcoal fire in 

 drying-tubes, during which the leaves are occasion- 

 ally taken from the fire, and turned until com- 

 pletely dried. It is in this last stage of the process 

 that the leaves turn black, though this change of 

 colour is mainly due to the process of manipulation 

 previously to roasting, and not to the action of 

 heat. 



The leaves of the green teas are roasted, also, in 

 an iron vessel, but as soon as gathered, without 

 any previous manipulation, all heating or fermenta- 

 tion of the leaves being studiously avoided : they 

 are then rolled as black tea, and finally dried in 

 the same vessel in which they have been roasted, 

 by constantly stirring and moving them about. 

 They are also fanned to hasten evaporation, and 

 the drying and formation of the peculiar charac- 



