1855.] 



CHINESE METHOD OF SCENTINa TEA. 



313 



petals were easily separated from the stamens and smaller ones. In 

 100 parts 70 per cent, were used and 30 thrown away. When the 

 orange is used, its flowers must be fully expanded, in order to bring 

 out the scent; but flowers of jasmine may be used in the bud, as they 

 will expand and emit their fragrance during the time they are mixed 

 with the tea. When the flowers had been sifted over in the manner 

 described they were ready for use. In the meantime the tea to be 

 scented had been carefully manipulated, and appeared perfectly dried 

 and finished. At this stage of the process it is worthy of observing, 

 that while the tea was perfectly dry the orange flowers were jusl as 

 they had been gathered from the trees. . Large quantities of the tea were 

 now mixed up with the flowers, in the proportion of 401b. of flowers to 

 lOOlb. of tea. This dry tea and the undried flowers were allowed to lie 

 mixed together for the space of twenty-four hours. At the end of 

 this time the flowers were sifted out of the tea, and by the repeated 

 sifting and winnowing processes which the tea had afterwards to 

 undergo they were nearly all got rid of. Sometimes a few stray ones 

 are left in the tea, and may be detected even after it arrives in Eng- 

 land. A small portion of tea adheres to the moist flowers when they 

 are sifted out, and this is generally given away to the poor, who pick 

 it out with the hand. 



" The flowers, at this part of the process, had impregnated the tea 

 leaves with a large portion of their peculiar odours, but they had also 

 left behind them a certain portion of moisture which it was necessary 

 to expel. This was done by placing the tea once more over slow char- 

 coal fires in baskets and sieves prepared for the purpose of drying. 

 The scent communicated by the flowers is very slight for some time, 

 but like the fragrance peculiar to the tea leaf itself, comes out after 

 being packed for a week or two. Sometimes this scenting process is 

 repeated when the odour is not considered sufficiently strong ; and the 

 head man in the factory informed me he sometimes scented twice with 

 orange flowers, and once with the " Mo-le" (Jasminum Sambac). 



"The flowers of various plants are used in scenting by the Chinese, 

 some of which are considered better than others, and some can be had 

 at seasons when others are not procurable. I considered it of some 

 importance to the elucidation of this subject to find out not only the 

 Chinese names of these various plants, but also by examining the plants 

 themselves, to be able to give each the name by which it is known to 

 scientific men in all parts of the world. The following list was pre- 

 pared with great care, and may be fully relied upon. The numbers 

 prefixed express the relative value of each kind in the eyes of the 

 Chinese, and the asterisks point out those which are mostly used for 

 scenting teas for the foreign markets : — 



1. Rose, scented (Tsing raoi-qui hwa). 



1 or 2. Plum, double (Moi hwa). 

 2*. Jasminum Sambac (Mo-lc-hwa). 



2 or 3*. Jasminum paniculatum (Sieu-hing-hwa). 

 4*. Aglaia odorata (Lan-hwa, or Yu-chu-lan), 



5. Olea fragrans (Kwei hwa). 



6*. Orange (Chang hwa). 



7*, Gardenia florida (Pak-sema hwa). 

 It has been frequently stated that the Chloranthus is largely used. 

 This appears to be a mistake, originating, no doubt, in the similarity 

 of its Chinese name to that of Aglaia odorata. The Chloranthus is 

 called 'Chu-lan;' the Aglaia ' Lan' or 'Yu-chu-lan.' 



" The different flowers which I have just named are not all used in 

 the same proportions. Thus, of Orange flowers there are 40 lb. to 100 

 lb. of tea ; of Aglaia there are 100 lb. to 100 It). ; and of Jasminum 

 Sambac there are 50 lb. to 100 ft. The flowers of the Sieu-hing 

 (Jasminum paniculiitnm) are generally mixed with those of the Mo-lo 

 [Jasminum Sambac) in the proportion of 10 ft. of the former to 30 lb. 

 of the latter, and the 40 ft. thus produced are sufficient for 100 ft. of 

 tea. The ' Qui-hwa' {Olea fragrans) is used chiefly in the northern 

 districts as a scent for a rare and expensive kind of Hyson Pekoe, — a 

 tea which forms a most delicious and refreshing beverage when taken a 

 la Chinoise, without sugar and milk. The quantity of flowers used 

 seemed to me to be very large ; and I made particular inquiries as to 

 whether the teas that are scented were mixed up with large quantities of 

 unscented kinds. The Cliincso unhesitatingly affirmed that such was 

 not tlio case, but notwithstanding their assertions, I confess I havo 

 some doubt on this point. 



"The length of time wiiicli teas thus scented retain the scent is re- 

 markable. It varies, however, with the different sorts. Thus the Olea 

 fragrance tea will only keep well for one year; at the end of two years 

 it has either become scentless, or has a peculiar »ily odour which is 

 disagreeable. Teas scented with Orange blossoms and with those of 

 3 



the Mo-le will keep well for two or three years, and the Sieu-hing 

 kinds for three or four years. The Aglaia retains the scent longer 

 than any, and is said to preserve well for five or six years. The tea 

 scented with the Sieu-hing is said to be most esteemed by foreigners, 

 although it is put down as second or third rate by the Chinese. 



" Scented teas for the foreign markets are nearly all made in Canton, 

 and are known to merchants by the names of ' Scented Orange Pekoe,' 

 and ' Scented Caper.' They are grown in and near a place called 

 Tai-shan, in the Canton Province JNIr. Walkinshaw informs me that 

 other descriptions of tea, both black and green, have been scented for 

 the English market but have been found unsuitable. True ' caper' is 

 to black tea what the kinds called ' imperial' and ' gunpowder' are to 

 green : it assumes a round, shot-looking form, during the process of 

 manipulation, and it is easily separated from the other leaves by sift- 

 ing or by the winnowing machine. It is a common error to suppose 

 that 'imperial' or 'gunpowder' amongst green teas, or 'caper' amongst 

 black ones, is prepared by rolling each leaf singly by the hand. Such 

 a method of manipulation would make them much more expensive than 

 they are. One gathering of tea is said to yield 70 per cent, of 

 orange pekoe, 25 of souchong, and 5 of caper. The quantity of true 

 caper would therefore appear to be very small ; but there are many 

 waj's of increasing the quantity by peculiar modes of manipulation. 



"In a large factory, such as this at Canton, there is, of course, a 

 considerable quantity of diist and refuse tea remaining after the 

 orange pekoe, caper, and souchong have been sifted out of it. This is 

 sold in the country to the natives at a low price, and no doubt is often 

 made up with paste and other ingredients into those lie teas which 

 now-a-days find a market in England. Nothing is lost or thrown 

 away in China. The stalks and yellow leaves which have been picked 

 out by women and children are sold in the country ; while the flowers 

 which have done their duty in the scenting process are given to the 

 poor, who pick out the few remaining tea leaves which had been left 

 bj' the sieve or winnowing machine. Some flowers, such as those of 

 the Aglaia for example, after being sifted out from among the tea are 

 dried and used in the manufacture of the fragrant 'joss stick,' so 

 much used in the religious ceremonies of the country. 



" It appears from these investigations that many kinds of fragrant 

 flowers besides those used by the Chinese would answer the purpose 

 equally well, and therefore in places like, India, where tea is likely 

 to be produced upon an extensive scale, e.xpcriments in scenting 

 might be made with any kinds of Jasmines, Daphnes, Aurantiaceous 

 or other fragrant plants indigenous to the country." — R. F. 



Coustunptiou of Smoke* 



The following synopsis of conclusions arrived at by the General 

 Board of Health (Eng.), with reference to che operations of inventions 

 for the consumption of smoke, has been submitted to Viscount Pal- 

 merston by the Board. 



1. That the emission of smoke is the effect and may be taken as the 

 proof of imperfect combustion, and is therefore always attended with 

 waste of fuel. 



2. That the fuel wasted is not only the visible smoke, which is un- 

 burnt carbon, but generally a far larger portion in the form of gas, 

 both common coal gas and that called carbonic oxide, which is only 

 half-burnt carbon, and which therefore has not produced the heat which 

 it would have generated if it had been perfectly consumed. 



3. That the chief impediment to the prevention of smoke in manu- 

 factories is the insufficient boiler surface in proportion to the steam 

 required ; a deficiency which causes waste in two ways ; first because 

 much of the heat produced escapes up the chimney uselessly, and next 

 because this deficiency has to be made up by over-firing, whence 

 imperfect combustion and consequent waste of fuel. 



4. Tho employers of furn.aces labour under great difficulty as to the 

 best and most economical use of fuel, because ordinary makers of 

 furnaces seem to be guided in their construction by little better than 

 empirical rules, instead of acting upon well established scientific prin- 

 ciples or the results of accurate experiments. 



5. That notwithstanding this great difficulty many persons haTe snc- 

 ceoded in entirely preventing the escape of visible smoke, except while 

 first lighting their furnaces, and many others have reduced tho time dur- 

 ing which smoko is emitted to a small fraction of its former amount. 



G. That experience has fully proved that there is no truth in the 

 common allegation, that if smoke be prevented, there must bo increased 

 difficulty in getting up and maintaining steam. 



7. That successful modes of preventing smoke, if there bo proper 

 boiler surface, may bo adopted without tho infringement of any patent 



