It is refreshing in these days when so much is being done persuade the Chinese to bring their industrial methods into line with European standards and more than a little is being done in the shape of Sino-Foreign ce-oper@fion towards the same end, to find Here and there progressive Chinese, who, realizing the necessity for departing from "ole custom" are themselves taking steps to remedy the faults they perceive about than.
When such cases are noticed they are of indubitable importance _because they preach a stronger tale than any similar endeavours made with the assistance of foreigners. Where a foreigner steps in to assist with money and service in the alteration of existing Chinese _processes of manufacture, there isa danger that the conservative native will discount the whole business with the remark that the foreigner is merely anxious to improve the products for his own advantage in the selling to other countries, and that the Chinese with him are danger of reaping little else but increased expenditure:—When. however. the Chinese does such a thing himself it means that he has appreciated the necessity for bringing his goods to a standard set by the demand and that he is con-vineed that by doing so he, himself, will profit.
There is a great deal that is not commonly known about the fragrant leaf that infuses its de liciousness and fragrance in so many parts of the world to the delight of dozens of races. General knowledge may be summed a rough sort of definition that ter is the leaf of a shrub which, when picked, subjected to drying and packed in tins or lead envelopes ultimately finds itself the intimate companion of water raised to the boiling point. The various processes through which it passes before it attains a condition necessary for the proper fulfilment of its ultimate purpose are for most people a sealed book.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.