212 



OEANGE PEKOE. 



Chap. X. 



convert " caper " into " imperial " and " gunpow- 

 der," and tliis, too, is often done. Our Chinese 

 guide informed us, with a peculiar grin on his 

 countenance, that, when there is a large demand 

 for green teas, caper " is converted into " impe- 

 rial " and " gunpowder " by dyeing it with Prus- 

 sian blue and gypsum ! 



The " orange pekoe " of commerce, which is 

 produced in the same district as the " caper," is 

 somewhat like congou in make, but the leaf is 

 much more wiry and twisted, and is of a lighter 

 complexion. The infusion produced by this tea 

 has a yellow or orange tint, and hence the name 

 of orange pekoe which it bears. Like hyson 

 pekoe amongst green teas, this is made from the 

 young leaves soon after they unfold themselves in 

 spring, and hence many of the leaves are covered 

 with white hairs which are formed at this season 

 of the year. These hairy leaves are called " pekoe 

 ends " by the trade. A large quantity of this tea 

 is gathered and dried by itself, while another por- 

 tion is taken out of that of which the " caper " is 

 ultimately made. 



Canton enjoys the unenviable notoriety of manu- 

 facturing what are commonly called " lie teas " 

 or " lie capers." These are made out of tea-dust 

 mixed with other rubbish, and which is taken up and 

 held together by a glutinous substance consisting 

 of rice and water. Thin showers of this substance 

 are thrown over the layers of dust, and, as each 

 little globule of the fluid comes in contact Avitli it, 



