86 



TEA. 



Laving become reduced considerably in size, are removed into the 

 factory. They are put a second time into the roasting pan for three 

 or four minutes, and taken out and rolled as before. 



The charcoal fires are now got ready. A tubular basket, narrow at 

 the middle and wide at both ends, is placed over the fire. A sieve is 

 dropped into this tube and covered with leaves, which are shaken on 

 it to about an inch in thickness. After five or six minutes, during 

 which time they are carefully watched, they are removed from the fire 

 and rolled a third time. As the balls of leaves come from the hands 

 of the roller they are placed in a heap until the whole have been 

 rolled. They are again shaken on the sieves as before, and set over 

 the fire for a little while longer. Sometimes the last operation — 

 namely, heating and rolling, is repeated a fourth time ; the leaves 

 have now assumed a dark colour. 



When the whole has been gone over in this manner it is then 

 placed thickly in the baskets, which are again set over the charcoal 

 fire. The workman now makes a hole with his hand through the 

 centre of the leaves, in order to allow vent to any smoke or vapour 

 which may rise from the charcoal, as well as to let the heat up, and 

 then covers the whole over with a flat basket ; previous to this the 

 heat has been greatly reduced by the fires being covered up. The tea 

 now remains over the slow charcoal fire until it is perfectly dry; 

 it is, however, carefully watched by the manufacturer, who every 

 now and then stirs it up with his hands, so that the whole may be 

 equally heated. The black colour is now fairly brought out, but 

 afterwards improves in appearance ; the after processes, such as sift- 

 ing, picking, and refining, are carried on at the convenience of the 

 workmen. 



It is evident therefore that the main part of the preparation of 

 the tea is carried on upon the spots where it is grown, and that an 

 increased quantity could easily be prepared without any increase 

 either of machinery or hands for the purpose. 



The British Consul at Shanghai, in a report in 1868, stated: — 

 " The difficulty of judging the character of any tea in China has been 

 seriously enhanced by our approach to the tea districts. Formerly 

 this delicate herb required to be so well fired and packed by the 

 Chinese as to stand the long overland journey from the tea districts to 

 Canton, where it often came into the hands of the foreign shipper a 

 whole year after it had been picked. Now, within six months of the 

 time that the leaf was growing, we find the prepared article actually 

 in the hands of the home consumer. A careless manipulation and 

 an insecure kind of packing have thus been gradually adopted by the 

 Chinese, who find all that is wanted is, that the tea should arrive 

 unimpaired into the godown of the foreign merchant, often not three 

 days' journey from the up-country packing house. The fragrant 

 smell of the newly -dried herb deceives the buyer, whose home cor- 

 respondent comes into possession of a totally flavourless preparation. 

 The subordinate part allotted to the cultivation of the tea plant in 

 China is one of the most striking facts observed by the traveller in the 

 country. When he first arrives in the tea districts he is led to imagine 



