In comparing with standards examiners are fo teat all teaa on these points, namely, for cup quality, for any foreign matter on the surface of the infusion, sometimes called scum, and for quality of leaf after infusion. by drawing, according to the custom of the tea trade, with the weight of a half dime to the cup. In country green teas, imperials, hysons, coarse leaf gunpowders and extra young hysons are to be compared with hyson standards, and all other young hysons and small leaf gunpowders with must be equal to standard, but the flavour the young hyson standard. The quality may be that of a different district as long it is equal in sweetness. As an illustration, a Teenkai may be equal to a Moyune, but a distinctly smoky or rank Fychow or Wenchow of sour character must not be considered as equal to the two first mentioned.
In order to test for floating colouring matter or scum, and also for the quality of infused leaf, a second drawing should be made of double the foregoing weight. Before disturbing the infusion examination should be made for any floating substance, and after pouring off the water the infused leaf should be taken out so as to exhibit the lower side which rested against the cup. Should the mass show a larger quantity of exhausted, decayed or inferior leaf, or foreign substance than the standard, it shall be considered inferior in quality, and the tea must be rejected. In greens and Japans, particularly, the brightness of the leaf should be considered as an evidence of quality.
Should a tea prove, on examination, to be inferior to the standard in any one of the requisites, viz: cup quality, scum, or quality of infused leaf, it shall be rejected, notwithstanding that it be superior to the standard in some of the qualifications, Al consideration of the appearance or so-called style of the dry leaf shall be omitted.
It is recommended that Macao or Canton Congous be compared with the standard for South China Congou, and that brick tea be compared with the standard for the district whence it com The mustiness or damaged flavour exhibited in certain Canton teas imported for Chinese sumption shall be considered as sufficient cause for rejection.
'TESTING FOR DUST, The dust and fannings in all Formosa, Foochow and Amoy Oolongs, Canton teas, stricted to 10 per cent when sifted through Congous, Indias and Ceylons must be re-
8 sieve of No 16 mesh, made of brass wire. In order that the needle leaf and Pekoe tips may not be confounded with dust they must be returned with the dust to the sieve for a second una third sifting until separated, Tu the case of the Ceylon and India teas
separated by passing them together with the needle leaf and Pekoe tips shall be the dust through No. 26 pite of brass ire, after the tea has been first sifted through a No 16 sieve, Dust and fanrings in Japan teas must not exceed 4 per cent when tested by a No. 30 sieve of brass wire. Before con-dernning any tea for dust, examiners shall siove'at least two packages.
Examiners should preserve in tin for one year samples of all tess examined, for future reference, in case of complaints, and the Board' of General Appraisers ould also retain a portion of all samples sent them on appeal for the same object. To this end, examiners should always send the Board samples of at least half a pound, and never otherwise than in tin cana securely labelled.
Valuable statistics showing the quantities of various kinds of teas, admitted and rejected, can readily be furnished by examiners' should you see fit to instruct that records be preserved which heretofore have been omitted, The following are the standards adopted '—Foochow Oolong.—Amoy Oolong (to be adopted later).
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.