I 



DEHRA 229 



Between the finest and coarsest qualities there were 

 several gradations. All were indicated by different 

 Chinese-sounding designations. The coarsest and most 

 inferior tea, that prepared from the largest leaves, was 

 the Congo ; the tea of the first excellence, made from 

 the very youngest and smallest leaves, was that termed 

 "fine Souchong." As the leaves were picked they 

 were carried away in baskets to the factories, those 

 long white buildings I have already alluded to. There 

 they were piled in great heaps on the floors, each quality 

 of leaf having a heap or heaps of its own. The leaves 

 being now picked and piled in heaps, next followed the 

 operation of drying, or, as it was technically termed, 

 of " firing," them. The operation was thus conducted. 



Down each side of the long building was a row of 

 small, square masonry structures. They were built 

 close against the wall, a few feet apart from each other, 

 and, with their flat tops, they had much the appearance 

 of altars. A large iron bowl was let into the surface 

 of each, and in the recess below was a fire that heated 

 it. Into these iron bowls the leaves were emptied, 

 and allowed to remain till perfectly dry, all the while 

 being constantly moved and stirred by an attendant 

 with a long, thin iron rod. When the drying was 

 completed the leaves had assumed that curled, shrivel- 

 led appearance with which all drinkers of tea are 

 familiar. 



The process of the drying seemed to the last degree 

 simple and easy ; nevertheless I was told that it re- 

 quired for its proper performance much experience, 

 skill, and also a certain amount of manual dexterity, 



