20 TEA PLANTING IN 



rolled between the expert palms of natives, set apart 

 for the purpose, and a matting covering a table. It is 

 now that the tea receives the curl or twist which 

 through its various vicissitudes it never loses, until 

 eventually macerated in the teapot. Having thus 

 received the proper shape, it is laid in the sun on trays 

 to dry and fix, after which, being again cooked in the 

 pans, it is placed on sieves and thoroughly baked over 

 a charcoal fire. Large boxes now receive it, where for 

 several months it remains, until all the pickings and 

 cookings are finished for the season. It is then recalled 

 from obscurity, and the busy process of sorting, which 

 we had the good fortune to witness, commences. 



A winnowing machine and various sized sieves are 

 used to separate the unsorted mass into the first 

 leading divisions of small and large teas. Heaps of 

 these kinds are placed on trays which are immediately 

 surrounded by the workmen. Each well-rolled, com- 

 pact, fragrant leaf is separately picked out, and gra- 

 dually a goodly mass is accumulated, which, being added 

 to many others, becomes a formidable whole. A semi- 

 rolled, less firm, but still excellent tea forms the second 

 quality ; this rejoices in the name of Pouchong ; and it 

 is but little inferior to the celestial Souchong.* A third 

 quality is collected from those dirty brown dingy- 

 looking leaves, which have taken unkindly to the fire, 

 and in which no artistic twist is discernible, either from 

 natural incapacity in the leaf itself or inattention on 

 the part of the maker. 



To this last class belong the old stalks, the dust, and 



* First quality. 



