their customary color, and their mild odor and taste; while Japan
Black teas are now produced from the same leaf. Japan teas are
favorites with many persons who do not relish the herby taste of
other Black teas, and with whom Chinese Green teas disagree.



CHAPTER VI.

Tea Manufacture.

The tedious, long-drawn-out details of tea manufacture, of the
repeated, meaningless, tossing back and forth and Chinese
juggling with the abused tea leaves, are but too familiar to
students of the subject: and too disappointing also, when we are
moved to ask--Why all this manipulation? What is the nature of
the chemical changes which take place?

So far as we can ascertain by diligent inquiry and reading, no
competent authority has answered these questions satisfactorily.
We have been deluged with generalities and opinions which
contradict themselves, but when we search for a categorical
answer to a simple question, experts hide under a shower of
meaningless phrases. We, alas, are not an expert, nor a chemist,
but just a simple enquirer in search of knowledge expressed in
plain English. Therefore be patient dear reader with our
endeavors to represent or interpret existing conditions of expert
knowledge of tea manufacture at this time. Peradventure a feeble
ray of light may illuminate the darkness of the subject.
Corrections and additions will be welcomed in our future editions