3 



707. Rolling &c. -The object of rolling the leaves is to 

 distribute the juices contained inside the cells over the surface 

 of the leaves by breaking the cells up. The juices thus brought 

 to the surface are easily obtained in the tea infusion. In 

 the process of rolling a great deal of oxygen is also absorbed 

 and the tannin assumes a dark colour and becomes partly 

 insoluble and partly it combines with the albuminoids of the 

 leaf forming an insoluble leather-like substance. Chemical 

 changes during rolling should however be kept down as 

 much as possible and for this reason the rolling machine 

 should belsituated in the coolest part of the factory. After 

 rolling and re-rolling, the leaves should be passed through 

 a revolving sieve to break up any lumps and immediately 

 afterwards placed in a drying machine at 28oF., until the 

 leaves are fairly dry when they can be allowed to cool. When 

 sufficiently cool the heap is removed to the fermenting room. 

 If the heap is allowed to remain too long in the drying 

 machine room, it begins to get warm again by fermentation 

 which should be avoided in this room. The fermentation 

 room should be well removed from the engine room and it 

 should have even temperature which is secured by a double 

 roof. There should be a drain in the middle of the ferment- 

 ing room that the room may be washed and cleaned daily 

 after the day's operation is over. In cool temperature the 

 leaves are kept 6" or 8" thick and in hot weather 4" to 5" 

 thick and turned every half hour to prevent overheating, 

 About 85F. is the best temperature, and when the surround* 

 ing atmosphere is 90 or 95F. and rather dry, wet cloth is 

 put on the fermenting leaves to give them some moisture and 

 a cooler surrounding. Properly treated the leaves should be 

 of a bright green colour after the rolling operation, and of a 

 reddish tint half an hour after the rolling operation. This 

 change continues until the younger leaves and stems are a 

 bright coppery colour, while the older and less perfectly rolled 

 leaves are partly reddish and partly green. The leaf is now 



