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 the winnowing machine, which separates the different kinds of green teas.  The winnowing machine is divided into a series of divisions, which receive the different kinds according to their size and weight. 1st.  Coarsest Souchoo.  This tea, owing to its coarseness, is not marketable. 2nd.  Chounchoo.  This is a large, round-grained tea. 3rd.  Machoo.  This is also a round-grained tea, but finer than the former. 4th.  Hyson. 5th.  Gunpowder Hyson. 6th.  Chumat.  This kind of tea consists of broken particles of other kinds of tea.

On being separated, the different kinds are placed in baskets and picked by the hand, all the old or badly curled and also light-coloured leaves being removed, and others of different varieties, which by chance may have become mixed.  To make the bad or light-colored leaves marketable, they undergo an artificial process of coloring, but this I have prohibited in compliance with the orders of the Court of Directors, and therefore do not consider this tea at present fit for the market[13].  On the different teas being properly picked, they are again placed in the heated inclined pans, and undergo separately the process of being moved violently up and down and along the bottom of the pan for three hours in the manner already described.  The color is now fully developed.  If the tea feels damp, it is kept longer than three hours in the pan.  The tea is now ready to be packed.

Packing.—­As soon as the tea is prepared, boxes lined with sheet lead ought to be ready to receive it.  On being packed it is to be firmly pressed down, and the lead is then to be soldered.  Before the sheet lead box is placed in the wooden one it is covered with paper, which is pasted on to prevent any