No. 2 slope receives the bulk at the B end of the machine, after the red leaf and fannings are taken out as stated above, and what will not pass through the mesh is delivered at the back of the A end of the machine, and is “Congou;” while what does fall through the mesh into the carrying tray below it (which is still bulk, consisting of “Pekoe,” “Pekoe Souchong,” and “Souchong” mixed) is delivered at the A end of the machine on to the head of No. 3 slope.
What will not pass through the mesh of No. 3 slope is delivered at the B end of the machine in front, and is “Souchong;” while what does pass through the mesh of No. 3 slope on to the carrying tray below (still bulk, consisting of “Pekoe” and “Pekoe Souchong”) is delivered on to the head of No. 4 slope at the B end of the machine.
No. 4 slope has no carrying tray: it would be useless. What will not pass through the mesh is delivered at the A end of the machine, and is “Pekoe Souchong;” while what does pass through the mesh falls on the floor of the factory and is the remaining “Pekoe,” that is, “Pekoe No. 2.”
The sorting is so far finished, and the results are the following Teas, placed round the machine thus:--“Pekoe No. 1,” at the left side of B end; “Broken Pekoe,” at right side of B end; “Red Leaf and Fannings,” some distance in front of B end; “Souchong,” also in front of B end, but nearer to the machine; “Congou,” at back of A end; “Pekoe Souchong,” also at back of A end, but nearer the machine; “Pekoe No. 2,” on the floor below the machine.
With Teas thus minutely sorted, all possible requirements are provided for, and the planter can, by mixing or otherwise, make any number of classes he may choose.
It will be observed that “Pekoe” is taken out twice, resulting in “Nos. 1 and 2 Pekoe.” These differ slightly, but are better mixed together. “Why take them out separately,” some exclaim, “to mix them together again?” But there are three very good reasons: firstly, the “Pekoe” is taken out at the commencement, previous to fanning, to prevent the small or broken Pekoe tips being blown out in that process; secondly, the “1st Pekoe” being taken out thus early, its appearance is not injured by passing over a large amount of sieve-mesh area; and thirdly, _all_ the “Pekoe” is thus extracted, which it could not be, as far as I can see, by any other process.