Chap. X. 



SCENTING TEAS. 



201 



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 in the 

 order in which they are valued ; thus the " Mo-le " 

 and the " Sieu-hing " are considered the best, and 

 so on : — 



1. Eose, scented (Tsing moi-qui-hwa). 



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

 2*. Jasminum Sambac (Mo-le-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-bwa). 



7*. Gardenia florida (Pa'c-sema-liwa). 



It has been frequently stated that the Chloran- 

 tlius is largely used. This appears to be a mistake, 

 originating, no doubt, in the similarity of its Chi- 

 nese name to that of Aglaia odorata. The Chlo- 

 ranthus 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 lbs. to 100 lbs. of tea ; 

 of Aglaia there are 100 lbs. to 100 lbs. ; and of 

 Jasminum Sambac there are 50 lbs. to 100 lbs. 

 The flowers of the Sieu-hing {Jasminum panicu- 

 latum) are generally mixed with those of the 

 Mo-le {Jasminum Sambac)^ in the proportion of 

 10 lbs. of the former to 30 lbs. of the latter, and 

 the 40 lbs. thus produced are sufficient for 100 lbs. 



