36 TEA 



which are laden more than half-way up with shallow 

 trays full of leaves, you will see men in white knee- 

 breeches, white jackets and amber-tinted head-dress, 

 throwing leaves up to the trays on the shelves above 

 their heads. And if it has already been your good 

 fortune to witness a Battle of Flowers, I am sure that, 

 as you stand in this Withering Room, you will tell 

 yourselves you are now watching a Battle of Leaves 

 which is an equally picturesque carnival scene. 



In bright, dry weather the leaves are withered by 

 the sun ; in wet weather they undergo a hot-air 

 treatment. 



After watching a big body of withered leaves set 

 forth on their journey to the ground-floor via a canvas 

 shoot, we take to the staircase and make for the 

 spacious machinery department in which they undergo 

 further treatment. And in visiting one after another 

 of the operating chambers, we see to the finish the 

 various performances, in the nature of transformation 

 scenes, by which tea leaves are prepared for the whole- 

 sale market. 



Rolling. — The rolling machines serve a double 

 purpose. They bruise the withered leaves to enable 

 the cell juices to become mixed ; and they give a curl- 

 like twist to them. 



Roll-Breaking. — During the rolling process, the 

 green leaves turn yellowish and get stuck together 

 into little lumps. The roll-breaking machines scatter 

 the masses and again give individuality to the leaves. 

 In connection with a breaking machine there is a sieve, 

 which separates the finest leaves from the coarser ones. 



Fermenting. — ^At fermentation stage, the most 

 critical point in tea manufacture has been reached. 



