TEA MACHINERY. 233 



roll or twist to the leaf. Formerly this was always done by 

 hand (it is so done in China, I believe, to this day), but the 

 process was lengthy, expensive and dirty. I might perhaps 

 add inefficient, for doubtless machine-rolled Tea is better 

 done (better in appearance, better in liquor) than hand-rolled. 



I will now consider 



Tea Rolling Machines. 



The inventors are Jackson, Kinmond, Haworth, Lyle, 

 Greig and Thompson. There may be others, but I have not 

 heard of them. 



Jackson has invented five machines. The details of each, 

 how much each can do, the testimonials regarding them, 

 c., would fill many pages. All can be seen in the illustrated 

 catalogue he supplies, so I will only offer a few general 

 remarks. All planters know Jackson's rollers, and they are 

 held in high estimation. His last invention (if I mistake 

 not) is the Rotary Tea Roller, which is on quite a different 

 principle to the others. It consists of an elongated revolving 

 barrel or cylinder, with a polygonal internal surface, and a 

 roller with a fluted external surface, mounted within the said 

 barrel its whole length. These revolve in opposite directions 

 (the roller the quicker) and the leaf is rolled in the annulus 

 between. It is not yet known what the success of this last 

 invention will be. Not so with his Cross-action and Excel- 

 sior Rollers. These are first-rate machines, and all who 

 have tried speak well of them. 



Kinmond invented the first Tea roller (see page 117), 

 many years ago. Many improvements resulted, eventually, 

 in his " Improved Double Action Tea Roller," which is 

 a very good machine and has given satisfaction to the 

 many who have used it. From all I have heard and seen, 



