600 ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [China. 



kinds of Souchong. Tliat which is small and broken, and smells musty 

 or disagreeable, should be rejected. 



Pekoe, or Pe-how, white first leaf, is made from the leaves of trees 

 three years old, and from the tenderest of them, gathered just after they have 

 been in bloom, when the small leaves that grow between the two first that 

 have appealed, and which altogether make a sprig, are downy and white, and 

 resemble young hair, or down. This tea is esteemed superior to Souchong. 

 The quantity imported into England is inconsiderable. This tea should be 

 chosen with small white leaves, or flowers at the ends of the leaves ; the more 

 ilower it has, the more it is esteemed. It has a peculiar flavour, and a smell 

 somewhat resembling new hay; it greatly improves Souchong on being 

 mixed with it : that which is old, small, broken, and with little flavour, 

 should be rejected. 



The following are a few of the chops of Souchong teas brought to 

 the Canton market, with the number of chests usually contained in a 

 chop, and a description of their quality, according to the technical terms 

 of the trade. 



Chat: 



Wapoo I, an Htin^ U10 middling- 



Chti Ktv 210 but middling. 



QuontfTay 3110 ditto. 



Yi»g Tay ■ • - 220 tfwd middling. 



I .au Tay 2BH frvnb and g« wd . 



Hmnn Vw 302 middling. 



ChaU. 



W'w Kit , 454 middling. 



Alien Ktv 558 ditto. 



Ly Kec 4fl0 good middling. 



Quong Woe . . '.WO middling. 



Chic Km> 204 guod middling. 



Una Me* 202 ditto. 



Ee Kce ... 405 ditto, | Prwi|iw Wi*Lb [*70 hut middling. 



Green Teas are cured in the following manner. When the leaves 

 are gathered, they are directly tatched, and then very much rubbed by 

 men's bands to roll them, after which they are spread to divide them, for 

 the leaves in rolling are apt to stick together ; they are then tatched very 

 dry, and afterwards spread on tables to be picked : this is done by girls or 

 women, who, according to their skill, can pick from one to four catties each 

 day. Then they are tatched again, and afterwards tossed in flat baskets, 

 to clear them from dust ; they are then again spread upon tables, and picked, 

 and then tatched for a fourth time, and laid in parcels, which parcels arc 

 again tatched by ten catties at a time, and when done, put hot into baskets 

 for the purpose, where they are kept till it suits the owner to pack them in 

 chests or tubs ; before which the tea is again tatched, and then put hot 

 into the chests or tubs, and pressed into them by the hand. When the 

 tea is hot, it does not break, which it is apt to do when it is cold. Singlo 

 tea being more dusty than Hyson tea, is twice tossed in baskets ; Hyson only 

 once. It appears that it is necessary to tatch these teas whenever they 



