Chap. XV. SIZE OF TEA-FARMS — PACKING. 



261 



sible. By this means a chop of 620 or 630 chests 

 is made, and all the tea of this chop is of the same 

 description or class.* If it was not managed in this 

 way there would be several different kinds of tea in 

 one chop. The large merchant in whose hands it is 

 now has to refire it and pack it for the foreign 

 market. 



When the chests are packed the name of the chop 

 is written upon each. Year after year the same 

 chops, or rather chops having the same names, find 

 their way into the hands of the foreign merchant. 

 Some have consequently a higher name and com- 

 mand a higher price than others. It does not follow, 

 however, that the chop of this year, bought from the 

 same man, and bearing the same name as a good one 

 of last year, will be of equal quality. Mr. Shaw 

 informed me that it was by no means unusual for the 

 merchant who prepares and packs the tea to leave 

 his chests unmarked until they are bought by the 

 man who takes them to the port of exportation. 

 This man, knowing the chop names most in request, 

 can probably find a good one to put upon his boxes ; 

 at all events he will take good care not to put upon 

 them a name that is not in good repute, 



Route of teas from the black-tea country to Canton 

 and Shanghae, — My principal object in collecting 

 the information that follows was to ascertain, if 

 possible, the precise amount of charges upon each 



* Sometimes a chop or parcel is divided into two packings, consisting 

 generally of 300 chests each. — Ball's " Cultivation, and Manufacture 

 of Tear 



