Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-06-03
D a
Sorry Comfort for TIE a-Drinkers,

Sorry Comfort Tor lie a-OrlnKeTs.
The last Investigations of the Lancet
with regard to the adulteration of articles
of consumption, have been directed TO tea.
As far as our own dealers are concerned,
the results obtained are not unsatisfBcto-
ry; but the extent of deception practlsed
in China is beyond what most people are
prepared TO learn. The Chinese themselves
not only use a vast number of injurious
materials but also other leaves than those
of the tea-plant-a system which has in
creased since the trade was thrown open,
and the inspection of the East India Com
panv ceased. In England, some of the
spurious manufactures consist Of the leaves
of the beach, elm, horse-chesnut plane,
fancy-oak, willow, poplar, hawthorn, and
slOe, the latter being most frequent on ac-
count Of their astringent quality. The
use Of re-dred tea-leayeS, however, has
been the most general form of imposition
here; and in 1913, when the process was
interrupted by the vigilance of the Excise,
it is supposed there we're not less than
eight manufactures for the purpose in
London alone, besides many in the provin-
ces. The leaves were brought up at coffee.
houses at two and ahalf pence a pound,
mixed with solution of gum, re-dried,
and then coloured with rose-pink and black
lead to &" face" them-a bloom being some
times also impaired with vegetable red
mixed with carbonate of lime. The prac-
tlce still prevails to some extent, catechu
being added for its tannin, but it is greatly
limited by the proceedings of the Excise.
Ceraln mixtures lately sold as tea,m,
provers," under the names of "La Veno
Benz" and the Chinese Botanical Pow
der" in packages at Sd each, have been
ascertaned to consist of seventy.slx per
cent, of catechu, the habtual use Of which
IS calculated to cause serious evils, while
the rest is sumach leaves or wheat -four.
Out of thlrty.h,e samples Of black tea
tested upon their arrival from China, twenty
three, consisting of congous and souchongs,
were genuine while twelve, which consists
ofsecreted pekoe and scented caper, chuan,
or black gunpowder, we're adullerated,
This aduIleration consisted in the leaves
having been faced, SO as to improve the
appearance of the teas, with black lead,
an irridescent powder resembling mica,
INDIGO. and turmeric. OF one coarse sort,
which contained fragments of rice or paddy
Glazed in the same manner as the tea-eaves
themselves, il is understood over two hun
bred boxes were disposed at public sale on
the 18th Of June last. In another kind,
there we're found little Jumps like the dung
of silk worms, which has been stated to
be one Of the articles the Chinese send us
for tea. None of these samples, however,
contained any other leaf than that OF the
tea.palnt. With the green teas tested oil
their Importation, the results were much
more serious Thirty samples were tried,
and all were found to have been adulterated
Five consisted Of what is commonly called
"lie' tea, which is simply ea'dust and
sand made up with rice.wattr; one was
composed of paddy-husk and other sub
stances and one was mixture of lie'
tea and spurious leaves of other plants.
Every one of the thirty sorts was arti6ciaIy
glazed or coloured, Prussian blue, indigo,
turmaric powder, and China clay, beng
the substances employed. A curious ad
ditona fact was likewise arrived at. In
no instance amongst all these trials was q
single leaf discovered possessed of greer
colour, other than that which was produced
uy artificial means; and an irresistible in
ference consequently arises, that there IL
most probably 40 sucA thing as gepuiuG
10 pc It's characteristic.
Two specimens from Assam were tried
and these were found genune but theil
colour was of a yelowi8h duIness, wlthou
the slightest tinge of green. The same
thing was noticed also in a specimen from
Java, which was found genuine, excep
that ii was slightly faced, apparently will
China clay. The system of fabrication
seems 10 be generally among the Chinese
and the spurious sorts have their regular
market quotations. With regard to British
operations of the same kind, the skill ex
ercised is described as little inferior. Ir
three specimens lately seized by the Excise
the materials variously employed were OK.
haused tea leaves Prussian blue. turmeric
China clay, Chinese yellow, soap stone,
indigo, catechu, aud the leaves of the
sycamore and horse-chesnt. As respects
the samples purchased in London shops
the facts are not more unhvourable than
might have been expected from the Chinese
aduteralions; and the belief is warranted
that amongst the vendors themselves the
practice Is not at present extensive. Out
of twenty-four samples Of black tea bought
in the metropolis, twenty-congous and
souchong-were all genuine, while four.
which were of the scented descriptions,
were aduIterated-moSt probably, however
in China, without the knowledge of the
dealers.
The conclusion from all the facts is,
that the great bulk of the black tea used