PREPARATION OF GREEN TEAS.
When the leaves are brought in from the gardens, they are spread out thinly on flat bamboo trays, where they are allowed to remain exposed from one to two hours, in order to evaporate any superfluous moistures, the time depending much on the state of the weather, after which they are removed to terraces or verandahs built expressly for the purpose of firing and curling, and containing from ten to twenty small furnaces about three feet high, each having at the top a series of shallow pans, termed Kuo, built into brick-work, low in front, but rising gradually at the sides and back, having a flue beneath and a fireplace at one end. The pans are heated to a certain degree by a charcoal fire made in the furnaces underneath. Charcoal being used exclusively for the purpose, as smoke of any kind would injure the flavor of the tea. A limited quantity of raw leaves are thrown into the Kuo at a time, rapidly moved about and shaken up with both hands until they become affected by the heat, making a cracking noise and give out considerable vapor, the freshest and juiciest cracking first.
The operators meantime continue to stir them rapidly as possible with their bare hands until they become too hot to be endured, the object being to expose them equally to the action of the heat, and at the same time prevent them from burning or scorching. When the heat becomes too intense they are lifted rapidly above the Kuo and allowed to fall gradually to cool them, any burned leaves being instantly removed. After being allowed to remain in this state from four to five minutes, during which they become moist and flaccid, they are quickly removed with a shovel resembling a fan and transferred to a long, low table made of split bamboo and covered with matting and surrounded by several Saihoos, who divide the leaves among them, each taking as many as he can hold in his hands, rolling them from left to right with a circular motion into the form of a ball, which is compressed and rolled upon the table, to rid them of any excess of sap or moisture, and at the same time curl or twist the leaves. During this process they are frequently shaken out and passed from hand to hand with a rapid motion, until they reach the head workman, who examines them carefully to see if they have attained the requisite twist, after which they are separated and spread out in bamboo trays until the remainder have undergone the same process. A second set of operatives now collect them and turn them over and over, toss and retoss them in the air to a considerable height, while a third keeps fanning them in order that they may cool more speedily and retain their curl longer, those containing the most sap curling quickest, tightest and retaining it the longer. When the firing and curling operations are completed, the leaves are again exposed to the action of the air, so as to admit the passing away of the expressed moisture and at the same time impart a crisp appearance.
When a sufficient quantity of leaves has been rolled they are again placed in the Kuos, under which a slow but steady charcoal fire has been kept burning and stirred with a rapid motion by the hands of the Saihoo until they become thoroughly dried and the green color permanently fixed, that is, until there is no longer any danger of them turning black. At this stage the leaves are of a dull-green color, becoming brighter as they cool, in which state they are termed by the Chinese Mao-cha or “Cat tea.” The next and last process consists of winnowing or passing the leaves through sieves of varying sizes to free them from stems, dust and other extraneous matter, and separate them into the different kinds of Green Tea known to commerce. After which they are again refired, the coarser leaves once and the finer grades three to four times in order to bring out the color more fully and make them retain their curl longer. In the