Chap. XV. 
MAKING GREEN TEA. 
237 
time they give out a considerable portion of vapour. 
They remain in this state for four or five minutes, and 
are then drawn quickly out and placed upon the rolling 
table. 
The rolling process now commences. Several men 
take their stations at the rolling table and divide the 
leaves amongst them. Each takes as many as he can 
press with his hands, and makes them up in the form of 
a ball. This is rolled upon the rattan worked table, 
and greatly compressed, the object being to get rid of a 
portion of the sap and moisture, and at the same time 
to twist the leaves. These balls of leaves are frequently 
shaken out and passed from hand to hand until they 
reach the head workman, who examines them carefully 
to see if they have taken the requisite twist. When he is 
satisfied of this the leaves are removed from the rolling 
table and shaken out upon flat trays, until the remain- 
ing portions have undergone the same process. In no 
case are they allowed to lie long in this state, and some- 
times they are taken at once to the roasting-pan. 
Having been thrown again into the pan, a slow and 
steady charcoal fire is kept up, and the leaves are kept 
in rapid motion by the hands of the workmen. Some- 
times they are thrown upon the rattan table 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 be- 
coming black. They are of a dullish green colour, but 
become brighter afterwards.* 
The most particular part of the operation has now 
» I am not now alluding to teas which are coloured artificially. 
