This engraving shows the different stages in the process of making tea. Tea bushes are carefully pruned and plucked to maintain the correct density, encouraging new leaf-bearing shots. Here you can see the two drying stages of the process, drying stops the fermentation process and removes the last moisture so the tea will not spoil during transit.
Joseph Lionel Williams after Thomas Brown, 1850
Image reference: V0019221 Origin:Assam, India, <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.plantcultures.org/pccms/action/showItem?id=389">http://www.plantcultures.org/pccms/action/showItem?id=389</a>