FEELING OR PRESSING.
Judging a sample of Tea by feeling or pressing in the hand is more applicable to the curled, twisted or Black Tea sorts than to the rolled or Green Tea kinds. For instance, if the leaves of the former make so tested be really choice, they will be found smooth, crisp and elastic in the hand and capable of resisting a gentle but firm pressure without breaking. But if the leaves be old and sapless they will be found tough and chaffy to the touch, very brittle, breaking easily and crumbling under the same conditions.