TEA PLANTING.

R5

“flush,” and the object of cultivation and pruning is to
ensure large, frequent, and regular flushing. In the colder
climates of China and Assam flushing ceases in winter, but
in Ceylon it goes on all the year round.
Tea manufacture consists essentially in the plucking of
the young shoots of the flush and their subsequent treatment
by withering, rolling, fermenting, and dryingto form tea.
In Ceylon the flush is plucked every eight to twelve days
by women and children working in gangs under kanganies.
They soon become remarkably quick and expert at the work.

SORTING LEAF IN THE FIELD.

Plucking is designated as “fine” when the bud at the tip of
the shoot and the two young leaves just below it are taken,
“ medium ” when the bud and three, “coarse ”” when the bud
and four leaves are taken. At present fine plucking is much
the most usual. The coarser the plucking, the poorer the
average quality of the tea produced, though the greater the
quantity. Fine plucking produces the various teas known
as pekoes, while older leaves give souchongs and congous,
Pekoes consisting only of the buds or tips are known as
“flowery,” those containing also the first young leaf as
“ orange’ pekoes.