206 



SCENTING TEAS. 



Chap. X. 



of the information thus obtained were, that sixty 

 jDOiinds of this highly-scented mixture were capable 

 of scenting one hundred pounds of unscented tea, 

 and no doubt it is sometimes used in even smaller 

 proportions. 



In all investigations of this nature one is very 

 apt to be misled by the Chinese ; not, perhaps, 

 so much intentionally as from ignorance or care- 

 lessness as to whether the information given be 

 correct or otherwise. And having once made an 

 assertion, a Chinese does not like to confess him- 

 self mistaken or in the wrong; but this propen- 

 sity is not confined to the inhabitants of the 

 Celestial Empire. Unless one sees a process with 

 his own eyes, he must in all cases use some dis- 

 cretion when he has to take his information at 

 second hand. With ordinary care, however, and 

 a little common sense, the truth may generally be 

 arrived at, even from the Chinese. 



Having satisfied myself as to the mode of 

 scenting teas, I was now anxious to know how 

 the kinds called " Caper " and " Orange Pekoe " 

 are manufactured, as they are quite different in 

 appearance from teas made in the great black-tea 

 provinces of Fokien and Kiang-si. As large 

 quantities of these teas — indeed, the whole which 

 are exported — are made up near Canton, it was 

 not difficult to find out where some of the factories 

 were situated, or to gain admission to witness the 

 process. M. C. Morrison, Esq., her Majesty's Yice- 

 Consul at Canton, whose knowledge of the Chi- 



