278 



TEA DISTKICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. XVI. 



and rolled a second time. In about an hour or an 

 hour and a half the leaves are well dried and their 

 colour has become. fixed, that is, there is no longer any 

 danger of their becoming black. They are of a dullish 

 green colour, but become brighter afterwards.* 



The most particular part of the operation has now 

 been finished, and the tea may be put aside until a 

 larger quantity has been made. The second part of 

 the process consists in winnowing and passing the tea 

 through sieves of different sizes, in order to get rid of 

 the dust and other impurities, and to divide the tea 

 into the different kinds known as twankay, hyson 

 skin, hyson, young hyson, gunpowder, &c. During 

 this process it is refired, the coarse kinds once, and 

 the finer sorts three or four times. By this time 

 the colour has come out more fully, and the leaves 

 of the finer kinds are of a dull bluish green. 



It will be observed, then, with reference to green 

 tea — 1st, that the leaves are roasted almost imme- 

 diately after they are gathered ; and 2nd, that they 

 are dried off quickly after the rolling process. 



Black tea. — When the leaves are brought in from 

 the plantations they are spread out upon large bamboo 

 mats or trays, and are allowed to lie in this state for 

 a considerable time. If they are brought in at night 

 they lie until next morning. 



The leaves are next gathered up by the workmen 

 with both hands, thrown into the air and allowed to 

 separate and fall down again. They are tossed about 

 in this manner, and slightly beat or patted with the 



* L am not now alluding to teas which are coloured artificially . 



