120 TiMEHRI. 



are tested by being thrown in water, those that float 

 being discarded and those that sink being sown 3 round 

 each peg. After the plants have grown to about 6 or 8 

 Inches in height, one sturdy plant is left at each peg ; the 

 others are pulled out and used for supplying any spots in 

 which the seeds have failed to sprout. After this all the 

 work to be done for two years is to keep the place clear 

 of weeds and to arrange such a system of drainage 

 as it may require ; this drainage is not for draining 

 the land as the tea is planted on the slopes of the hills ; 

 but it is to prevent a rush down the hills of an accumu- 

 lation of water during heavy showers, which would wash 

 out the young plants. 



When the young plants have grown into shrubs, which 

 they do in about 3 years, the tops are trimmed flat, much 

 as a gardener trims a cherry fence, after which the first 

 shower sends out a " flush" of young green shoots which 

 is the material from which Tea is made. These young 

 bright green shoots are then picked by hand, the picker 

 nips them off with his thumb nail in the middle of the 

 3rd leaf. These shoots when picked, are crisp and 

 brittle, and an attempt to " roll" them would result in 

 breaking up the leaf, so they are placed for a few hours 

 on mats in the sun, to " wither;" this renders the leaf 

 flaccid and comparatively tough, and so able to stand the 

 " rolling," which is the next process. For the rolling a 

 long table is necessary, a row of labourers (8 or 10), 

 stand along this table, at one end of which is a pile of 

 withered " leaves," the first man takes up as much leaf 

 as will when pressed together, form a ball about 5 inches 

 in diameter, he rubs this on the table, squeezing out the 

 juice, rolling the leaves for a certain time, then he passes 



