GROWTH*?/ TEA. 207 
fecond drying necefiary, it is never fo well packed, but it may 
be diftinguifhed from other chefts or tubs. 
Green tea is not cured exadly after the fame manner as bohea, 
for in order to preferve its color, after being partly cured by fire, 
it is completely finifhed in the fun, which, at certain times, is 
intenfely hot in china. 
You will pleafe to obferve, that befides tutanague, a metal 
well known, in fome refpeds refembling tin, and which abounds 
in china, they have a white copper, refembling filver, which is 
very dear. But thefe torches are faid to be of common cop- 
per, which is yet of a fuperior quality to ours. Thefe vefiels 
are made very thin and light, as our dutch tea-kettles : the 
Hollanders, of whom we learned this manner of working cop- 
per, were taught it in china or japan. 
Some entertain a notion, that the Chinese ufe art to heighten 
the color of green tea ; and that a degree of verdegreafe is em- 
ployed for this purpofe. Nor muft we be furprized if this could 
be proved, when we confider that modern European cookery 
has introduced “ a little poison, which/’ we fay, “ does not 
kill not only in high fauces, but even in common pickles of 
the fineft color. I have often thought I tafted copper in green 
tea : and what is more, I am fure I have felt a diforder in my 
bowels, as if I had received a noxious aliment. The former 
might be the effed of imagination ; but wherever there is cop- 
per, you may be fure there is fome degree of verdegreafe, as we 
fee even in the alloy of gold, when it is lain- by, after being 
moift. Whether there is more or lefs harm in thefe torches, 
than 
