Oct. 1, 1902.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
237 
01 
u ,A 
0 00 
6C 
p g 
sH 
S u 
c O 
~H 
3 
CO 
3 
h. m. 
h, m. 
h. m. 
h. m. 
San-diyiog and carling 
.. 30 
7 
13 
30 
1st indoor 
.. -2 00 
1 30 
1 40 
2 20 
2ud do 
.. 2 Oil 
1 30 
2 
2 10 
ist Firing 
5 
5 
5 
Ist Rubbing and Pressing 
3 
3 
3 
3 
2nd Firing 
4 
4 
4 
4 
2nd Rubbing and Pressing 
4 
4 
4 
4 
1st Drying over Fire 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2ud do do 
2 
2 
2 
2 
3rd do do 
... 3 00 
2 30 
3 00 
3 00 
Total... 7 50 5 57 7 13 8 2o 
Questions addressed to tea planters with regard to 
variation in quality of teas elicited the opinion that 
this depende t greatly on the care and attention given 
to the fonr steps of taming over, drying, rubbing 
and firing. If the turning OJei- is carried on for too 
long a period, the leaf bjiones soft and loses its 
aromi. Especial care must also be taken that the 
leaf be turned over uniformly. If the pan-firing pro- 
cess is too quick it leaves a raw smell in theleaS 
and if is too slow it dissipates the aroma. It is im- 
portant that every part of the leaf should be brought 
into contact with the pan. It it is subjected to aa 
insufficient rubbing the leaf will no; curl. It ia 
better to rub too much rather thi'i too little as 
tlie rubbing and rolling have ii great effect in pro- 
ducing a good scent. If the leaf is in sufficiently 
fire-dried it will not yield a good aroma, and owing 
to the moisture remaining in it will easily deterio- 
rate in quality afterwards On the other hand if 
the fire-drying is too prolonged or the leaf is ex- 
posed to too much leaf heat, a poor aromi ia th3 
result. Great care has to be exercise! therefore to 
insure a properly graduated drying. Four catties 
(.53'J lb.) of raw leaf yield oue catty of rough prepared 
tea: therefore, as 10,000 plants give 20 piouls (1 picul 
=100 cattief) of raw leaf, the same number of plants 
will yield five pijuls or 66.) lb. of prepared tea. The 
final firing of the tei in the godowns of the mer- 
chant reduces the weight by another 10 or 15 per 
cant. The last process consists of sorting the tea 
by hand and sieve (see plates 13 and 14), when it 
is fired lor some 12 hours, with an interval of cool- 
ing tor oue or two hours after 7, 8«or 6 hours' firing, 
and is then picked for shipment, 'rhe merchants are 
of opinion that the final firing is the crucial step of the 
whole p ocesB. 
H.B.M. Consulate, R. de B. Layard. 
Tamoui-Formosa, I'Jlh May 1903. Consul. 
AN ACCOUNT OP THE CULTIVATION AND MANUFAC- 
TURE OP FOEMOSA TEA, PUBLISHED BY THE 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE 
OP THE GOVERNMENT OP FORMOSA. 
(Translated from the French.) 
FORMOSA TEA, 
In the North of Formosa between 1S> and 25^ 
10 North L aitnde, there stretches a district of from 
100 to 170 kilometers in leug h and 80 to 120 kilo- 
meters in breadth, intersected everywhere by chains 
of mountains which occupy two-thirds of its surface. 
This tract of laud, which is entirely cleared, is the 
C,nl,re of the production of the tea called " Oolong " 
who83 quility is renowned. The numerous villages, 
which cover the valleys there, are inhabited by Tta 
P.anters. For the most part these plantations are 
iu terraces on chvyey slopes which facilitate drainage ; 
this advaut,n,geou3 position joined to a climate parti- 
cularly favourable gives them a solid prosperity. 
The temperalnre does not rise above 28"^ centigrade 
(82° Fahrenheit) in the highest summer heat, nevtr 
ial;ng beljw 1L° (55° Fahrenheit) in the depth of 
winter. The yearly raiufill is, 2003 m/ui. The 
pUnlatioas are therefore esempted from aa iutenae 
heat and a vigorous cold, which would both be in- 
jurious to their fertility. Jn this region, so privileged 
by nature, the cultivation of tea has succeeded in 
reaching an extraordinary extension, so much bo, 
that the* slopps and the valleys are entirely covered 
with this luxuriant vegeta*.ion. Of all the plant- 
ations the best known are those of Tokanpo, 
Haisoanpo, Chuteupo, P^ichipo and Bunsoaopo 
situated on the upper course of the River Tamsui, 
in the valleys of Toakoham, Keelung and Shintiam. 
The origin of tea cultivation in Formosa is obscure, 
but it is believed that the tea plant was imported 
thither from China, about 100 years ago. 
At the commencement, the cultivation wa? limited 
only to a few unimportant plantations started on 
the outskirts of Taipei by some private individuah 
for their personal use ; but from 1855, it bepran to 
develop, and from that date steadily extended year 
by year. At the sametime, owing to the choice o( 
varieties of tea and to the improvement in the 
process of preparation, the yield and the quality 
of the product did not cease to improve, so that 
to-day the north of Formosa ia endowed with an 
abundant wealth. Eight varieties of tea have been 
introduced there according to the soils that suit each 
of them. The different varieties cultivated reach a 
height varying between 0 m3ter3.4 and 0 meters 7 or 8, 
Generally the plants are obtained by sprigs. 
Transplanted, they begin to yield after 4 years, and 
from the 13lh to the IGth year whi;:h follows their 
transplantation, they undergo a stump cutting. The 
picking of the leaves takes place 6o: 7 times during 
the year, from April to November. They pick only 
the young terminal leaves which are plucked by 
the hand, three at a time with the greatest care. 
The teas are known according to ths season of the 
picking. There are the Spring. Summer, Autumn and 
Winter crops. The extent of the plantations varies 
from 100 square metres (about 1-40 th acre) to 300 
square kilometers (74,114 a^res). Their outturn ia 
about 1,200 kilogrammes--(2645 lbs.) of green leaf per 
10,000 square meters (2 471 aores)=1070 lb. per acre. 
The cultivation is simple and easy, the soil naturally 
fertile claims only four tillages during the year 
and it does not require any manure which, far from 
being useful, wonld deprive the tea of its character- 
istic flavour, as has been proved by experience. 
The tea of Formosa is prepared in two different 
methods, according to which it is either called Tea 
Oolong" or " Tea Pawohong." " Oolong " Tea is of 
long standing in Formosa, but the production of 
Pawchong tea is rather recent. We shall now sum 
ufv briefly the Processes of Preparation of the two 
above-mentioned kinds of Tea. 
OOLONG TEA. 
The preparation is two-fold. The fiirst which is but 
temporary is made at the Tea maker's. The second 
which is the final one, on the premises of the Tea 
m jrchant. 
A. Tempobary Preparation. 
As the work is done by men's hands only and 
without any machinery, the result depends on clever- 
ness, which is acquired only after years of practice ; 
in fact it is a question of real art which is grasped 
by workmen of experience, who reach a perfection 
absolutely inimitable, and which entirely depends 
on the individual himself. This is the process of the 
Temporary Preparation of Tea : — The picked leaves 
are spread on a cloth called '"Moa-po-tia" and put 
out to dry in the sun, in order to obtain a first 
softening. Then they are stored in a room, where 
they undergo a second softening, heaped up in 
"kalei," (a sort of frame or round board made out of 
bamboo strips interwoven) placed one over the other. 
Poured back into vases called " kam wo, " they are 
submitted to a third and last softening, before being 
warmed iu pots. The softening, having for ita object 
to perfume the tea by the fermeiitition that it 
produces, is a dolicate and important operation which 
roqu'res from the woikmen ^reat cleveruesa. In 
order to obtain a goo:l reanU from the three aao- 
