OF VARIOUS KINDS OF TEA. 
9 
the leaves normally grown, and by the destruction of nitrogen- 
free matters by the continuous respiration in the shaded leaves. 
It is, indeed, a fact that grapes, apples, and many other fruits 
differ in flavour according as they are ripened in the shade or 
in the sun-shine. This may, perhaps, hold good also in the 
case of the tea plant. But chemical analysis, in its present 
state, is far from being able to decide such a delicate question. 
Hence we may only conclude from the result of the analysis 
that the tea originated from the darkened plants acts more 
strongly upon the human frame than that from the normal 
plants. 
Before communicating the results of my main research, it 
is worth while to describe the outline of the methods of pre¬ 
paring the principal kinds of Japanese tea, since the literature 
on the manufacture of tea is not abundant in the Empire, and 
is still less so in foreign countries. 
I. Green Tea. 1 
The preparation of green tea consists of the following opera¬ 
tions. 
Steaming. This operation is resorted to in order to deprive 
the leaves of their elasticity, and to remove the raw flavour 
common to all green leaves. The action of steam is also 
the cause of the preservation of the green colour of the 
product. This operation is very simple, yet a certain degree 
of personal experience is required to conduct it properly. The 
utmost care must be taken not to steam the leaves too little 
or too much. By under-steaming the leaves are not sufficiently 
softened, and consequently they are liable to be broken during 
the subsequent operations, and the tea made therefrom has 
the original raw flavour. By over-steaming, the favourite 
X By the term green tea, we mean scncha (infusion-tea.), which though 
most commonly known by foreigners under that designation is different from 
that of the Chinese, the latter being similar to our haviairi (pan-roasted tea) 
to be afterwards described. 
