532 
CHINESE  METHOD  OF  SCENTING  TEA. 
40  lbs.  to  lOOlbs.  of  tea  ;  of  Aglaia  there  are  100  lbs.  to  100  lbs.  ; 
and  of  Jasminum  Sambac  there  are  50  lbs.  to  100  lbs.  The 
flowers  of  the  Sieu-hing  (Jasminum  paniculatum)  are  gen  r  lly 
mixed  with  those  of  the  Mo-le  (Jasminum  Sambac}  in  the  pro- 
portion of  10  lbs.  of  the  former  to  30  lbs.  of  the  latter,  and  the 
40  lbs.  thus  produced,  are  sufficient  for  100  lbs.  of  tea.  The  4  Qui- 
ll wa  '  {Olea  fragrans)  is  used  chiefly  in  the  northern  districts  as 
a  scent  for  a  rare  and  expensive  kind  of  Hyson  Pekoe, — a  tea 
which  forms  a  most  delicious  and  refreshing  beverage  when  taken 
d  la  Chinoise,  without  sugar  and  milk.  The  quantity  of  flowers 
used  seemed  to  me  to  be  very  large ;  and  I  made  particular  in- 
quiries as  to  whether  the  teas  that  are  scented  were  mixed  up 
with  large  quantities  of  unscented  kinds.  The  Chinese  un- 
hesitatingly affirmed  that  such  was  not  the  case,  but  notwithstand- 
ing their  assertions,  I  confess  I  have  some  doubt  on  this  point. 
''The  length  of  time  which  teas  thus  scented  retain  the  scent 
is  most  remarkable.  It  varies,  however,  with  the  different  sorts. 
Thus,  the  Olea  fragrans  tea  will  only  keep  well  for  one  year;  at 
the  end  of  two  years  it  has  either  become  scentless,  or  has  a  pe- 
culiar oily  odor,  which  is  disagreeable.  Teas  scented  with  Orange 
blossoms  and  with  those  of  the  Mo-le,  will  keep  well  for  two  or 
three  years,  and  the  Siu-hing  kinds  for  three  or  four  years.  The 
Aglaia  retains  the  scent  longer  than  any,  and  is  said  to  preserve 
well  for  five  or  six  years.  The  tea  scented  with  the  Sieu-hing 
is  said  to  be  most  esteemed  by  foreigners,  although  it  is  put  down 
as  second  or  third  rate  by  the  Chinese. 
44  Scented  teas  for  the  foreign  markets  are  nearly  all  made  in 
Canton,  and  are  known  to  merchants  by  the  names  of  4  Scented 
Orange  Pekoe,'  and  4  Scented  Caper.'  They  are  grown  in  and 
near  a  place  called  Tai-shan,  in  the  Canton  Province.  Mr.  Walkin- 
shaw  informs  me  that  other  descriptions  of  tea,  both  black  and 
green,  have  been  scented  for  the  English  market,  but  have  been 
found  unsuitable.  True  '  caper  '  is  to  black  tea  what  the  kinds 
called  '  imperial '  and  4  gunpowder  '  are  to  green  :  it  assumes  a 
round,  shot-looking  form  during  the  process  of  manipulation,  and 
it  is  easily  separated  from  the  other  leaves  by  sifting  or  by  the 
winnowing  machine.  It  is  a  common  error  to  suppose  that  4  im- 
perial '  or  'gunpowder  '  amongst  green  teas,  or  4  caper  '  amongst 
black  ones,  is  prepared  by  rolling  each  leaf  singly  by  the  hand. 
