I30 TROPICAL AGRICULTURE chap. 



How the tea large Square box is raised on posts some feet above the 

 IS u ed. ground, and at the bottom of the box a square hole is made, 

 and so closed with a sliding trap door that the outlet can be 

 enlarged or reduced according to necessity. The door being 

 closed, the tea is put into the box in thin layers — one quality 

 on the top of the others. The trap is then opened, and the 

 tea runs out from the top taking a portion from each layer in 

 its downward course. So as to ensure that all the tea runs 

 out evenly, it will be well to make the bottom of the box 

 slope slightly towards the central aperture. The principle 

 of this plan is the same as that of the sand-glass. It is very 

 simple and at the same time efficacious. 



Sorting. — On large tea plantations the tea is sorted into 

 various classes. Before tea cultivation was taken up in 

 India, the greater part of that consumed in the world came 

 from China, and it was believed that each kind was the 

 produce of a different variety of the tea plant. Afterwards 

 it was discovered that all kinds of tea came from the same 

 bushes, the different qualities being produced mainly by 

 Different sorting operations. Thus pekoe is produced from the 

 Tea. ^ ° delicate opening bud of the leaf, and it gives the strongest 

 tea in the cup. Pekoe Souchong is the next finest kind. 

 Souchong is a tea somewhat coarser in appearance, 

 Sorting on a and in Congou the leaves are larger still. On a small 

 small scale, g^^^j^^ ^^^ j^^y j^g sorted on trays by boys and girls, 

 whose quick fingers can accomplish a good deal of this light 

 work in a short time. Whilst the various qualities of teas 

 are separated, all red leaves, and useless and foreign matters, 

 must be picked out, as otherwise the tea would be deteriorated. 

 Sorting with The various classes of tea may also be separated by sieves 

 with different sized meshes ; and, when the process has to 

 be gone through on a large scale, machinery is employed. 

 Machinery The tea industry of India and Ceylon has become so large 

 m the East. ^^^ important that anything money and skill could accom- 

 plish has been utilised in producing machinery as perfect as 



