l6 RESEARCHES ON THE MANUFACTURE 
III. Flat Tea (Tencha). 
This kind of tea is characterized by not being twisted at 
all, like all other kinds of tea, but as its name implies, it pre¬ 
serves the original flat shape of the leaf. It is now prepared 
only to a very limited extent. To prepare tea of this descrip¬ 
tion, the leaves from a special tea plantation, (the so-called 
covered garden 1 ) are used. The leaves most carefully gathered, 
are, before being subjected to steaming, freed from broken or 
old leaves, dust and rubbish, and only the best ones are steamed. 
For firing the leaves, in which process the greatest possible 
precaution is taken, no iron object is allowed to touch the leaves, 
since it might spoil their fine verdant tint. In general, two or 
three bamboo sticks are put across the furnace, upon which 
is a net of split bamboo. Thus arranged, about 300 me of the 
properly steamed and well cooled leaves are thinly spread upon 
large thick paper, and the whole is placed upon the bamboo 
net, resting upon the furnace. During firing, the leaves are 
not rolled at all, nor are they touched with the naked hand, 
but are simply and very carefully collected by lifting the paper 
and again spreading by means of bamboo sticks. This alter¬ 
nate collecting and spreading is repeated until the leaves 
become nearly dried, when they are removed from the furnace, 
fanned, and finally freed from broken or yellowish leaves. 
Only the best leaves are again fired in the above way until they 
are pretty dry. It is necessary during drying, to keep the 
temperature of the furnace as uniform as possible. Finally 
the still remaining moisture is removed by exposing the leaves 
to a very gentle heat during the night. Next morning, the 
leaves are examined, and when they are completely dried, they 
are sortimented into three classes and kept for sale. The 
leaves thus prepared are of a favourite verdant colour. For 
preserving them, the leaves are put into a small tin pot with 
double stopper, which is again kept in a large box of Paullow- 
nia imperialis filled with inferior tea. In case of need the 
i In the garden the plants are kept in darkness by means of straw mats 
for a week or two just before ^picking. 
