the drying-basket; in the centre a small passage is
left for the hot air to ascend; the fire that was before bright and
clear has now ashes thrown on it to deaden its effect, and the
shakings that have been collected are put on the top of all; the tap
is given, and the basket, with the greatest care, is put over the
fire. Another basket is placed over the whole, to throw back any
heat that may ascend. Now and then it is taken off, and put on the
receiver; the hands, with the fingers wide apart, are run down the
sides of the basket to the sieve, and the tea gently turned over,
the passage in the centre again made, &c., and the basket again
placed on the fire. It is from time to time examined, and when the
leaves have become so crisp that they break by the slightest
pressure of the fingers, it is taken off, when the tea is ready. All
the different kinds of leaves underwent the same operation. The tea
is now, little by little, put into boxes, and first pressed down
with the hands and then with the feet (clean stockings having been
previously put on).

There is a small room inside of the tea-house, seven cubits square,
and five high, having bamboos laid across on the top to support a
network of bamboo, and the sides of the room smeared with mud to
exclude the air. When there is wet weather, and the leaves cannot be
dried in the sun, they are laid out on the top of this room, on the
network, on an iron pan, the same as is used to heat the leaves;
some fire is put into it, either of grass or bamboo, so that the
flame may ascend high; the pan is put on a square wooden frame, that
has wooden rollers on its legs, and pushed round and round this
little room by one man, while another feeds the fire, the leaves on
the top being occasionally turned; when they are a little withered,
the fire is taken away, and the leaves brought down and manufactured
into tea, in the same manner as if it had been dried in the sun. But
this is not a good plan, and never had recourse to if it can
possibly be avoided."

In 1810, a number of tea plants were introduced into Brazil, with a
colony of Chinese to superintend their culture. The plantation was
formed near Rio Janeiro and occupied several acres. It did not,
however, answer the expectations formed of it, the shrubs became
stunted, cankered and moss grown, and the Chinese fi