236 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. XV. 
coloured. When the operations were completed, the 
samples were so like the teas of commerce, that nine- 
teen persons out of twenty would never have suspected 
them to be anything else. Here, then, were very fair- 
looking green teas made from the leaves of a large tree, as 
unlike the tea-shrub as it could well be. And an article 
as closely resembling black tea could have been just as 
easily made out of these leaves. 
It is not my intention to enter minutely into the sub- 
ject of the manipulation of black and green teas, but I 
will point out, in as few words as possible, the method of 
treating each kind during the process of manufacture. 
These methods, it will be observed, differ from each 
other in some material points, which are quite sufficient 
to account for the difference in colour. It is scarcely 
necessary to remark that both kinds of tea are gathered 
from the bushes in the same way, and are made from 
the same description of leaves, namely, those which are 
young and lately formed. 
Green tea. — When the leaves are brought in from the 
plantations they are spread out thinly on flat bamboo 
trays, in order to dry off any superfluous moisture. They 
remain for a very short time exposed in this manner, 
generally from one to two hours ; this however depends 
much upon the state of the weather. 
In the mean time the roasting-pans have been heated 
with a brisk wood fire. A portion of leaves are now 
thrown into each pan and rapidly moved about and 
shaken up with both hands. They are immediately 
affected by the heat, begin to make a crackling noise, 
and become quite moist and flaccid, while at the same 
