lack tea. They
are then scattered most sparingly on large flat baskets and exposed
to the heat of the sun. If there is no sun the baskets are arranged
in frames, which are placed over the choolah, heated with charcoal.
During the drying the leaves are frequently made into balls and
rolled in the flat baskets, in order to extract the juice. The
drying process continues for about two hours, and on the leaves
becoming dry, those contained in two baskets are thrown together,
and then four basketsful into one, and so on until they are all
collected together. In this state the leaves still feel soft, damp,
and pliant to the hand, and are now brought back to the tea
manufacturing-room. Opposite to each of the inclined pans, which
have been properly heated so as to feel warm to the hand by wood
supplied to the ovens underneath, one of the Chinese stations
himself, and puts as many leaves into it as it will hold. He then
moves them in a heap gently, from before backward, making these
perform a circle, and presses them strongly to the sides of the pan.
As the leaves become hot he uses a flat piece of wood, in order that
he may more effectually compress them. This process continues for
about two hours, the leaves being compressed into at least half of
their bulk, and become so dry that when pressed against the back
part of the pan in mass, they again fall back in pieces. The tea, as
by this time it has assumed this appearance, is now placed in a bag
made of American drill or jean (the size depending on the quantity
of tea), which is damped, and one end twisted with much force over a
stick, and thus it is much reduced in size. After being thus
powerfully compressed and beaten so as to reduce the mass as much as
possible, the bag is exposed to the sun until it feels perfectly
dry. If there is no sun it is placed in the heated pan, and there
retained until it is so. This finishes the first day's process.

On the second day it is placed in small quantities in the heated
inclined pans, and moved up and down against the sides and bottom
with the palm of the hand, which is made to perform a semi circle.
This is continued for about six hours, and by so doing the colour of
the tea is gradually brought out.

The third day it is passed through sieve baskets of different
dimensions, then exposed to t