, 1874-02-14
TEA-TASTING.

| Professional tea-tastng calls into action all
! the senses, eoule Of which Are thus developed
| to degree Of perfection seldom attained in
any other art. An interesting sight to tho unin-
it;ated would be the sanctum Of professional
| chuazee, or
| Tho long rows Of apparently innumerable
little sample-boxes and bottles the large, re-
volging, round table, and mnny tiny, pure
white tea-cups ths delicate little scales, with
grain-wcights, that yibrate with the gentlest
breath a silver spoon, tho magic wand Of tho
profession the glass tumbier the bright cop
per tea-kett1e, putting forth the steam Of boiling
waterfall remind you Of .ea~uaking. Bo seat
cd, and watch the movements Of tue chaazee.
Dozens Of tea-eamples are placed around the
inner edge Of the table (these selected
from among hundreds}; as many tca-cnpa ars
placed before them; just twenty grains in weight
Of each sample Carefully averaged IS regards
the size OF the leaf Of the tea) is placed in eaci
little cup; just one gill Of wa.er, while boiling,
in poured in each, and the taster counts the
minutes; now he sits down aud SCANS the liquid
tea as the vApor rises from al tho samples. In
meditation dcop, he ia lost to the outer world
He then agitates each little pool, as If to call up
some tiny nymph. His penetrating eyes scan
the various shades, from light to dark. He now
intales their etherial odors. The twitchiuE Of
certain muscles shows tho effect OF appreciation
or dislike. Thus he continues unto tho ond,
DEEP II CONTEMPLATION.
Thunder, lightning, artillery, cannot nrouao
him; he ia lost to all other thoughts; it Is tea,
and tea alone, that absorbs his whole attention
The rounds are gone once more From tho
little spoon he sips the Htesming liquor. Ho does
not drink it quickly, but IS though he feared it
would bnrn or that he would lose it's delicious
favor. He twirIs it around in his mouth, asl
we.o extracts its quality then 'e1pcls it: Each
infusion shares. the sa1ne criticism and win
intense thought he Sums up al the chn1acsc11s'
tics. Tho result fixes the value; each Eampe
shows it's worth from the bgu1c he has made
Thus all the teas OF commerce are valued o'
these experts.
OBSERVE THE LIST OF PRICES:
Only K cent difference in price between come
and as much Us 81 between others. Who TouE
hare thought there Was 70 great dlueEence 10
value? Tho widest range st the present cay IN
the value OF tea is from 20 cents to 9: ~ PEI
pound; in many instances varying nu: listle u
value from one to the next mp to the htgneht::
(These IRE wholesale prices.) As An article OF
merchandise in this countIy, Ice naa pee1 aoIo
IS high as 50 pc. pound (wholesnlo); In Ch'ns Il,
it is ead to cell as high a. gay iot Inc nnsss "
wbite pekoe leaf, which is seldom or oTer ez'
norted from TINT country.-except to 1.usaia
Tbs writer has seen similar description of thr
ten. which had been grown IN inaia> ID III
Upper Assam Tea ComFany's plantation, a1s
yhicf was sold at tho Commercial Sale-Room1.
- 1' $3.50 PIE POUND, GOLD.
This tea vas exported from London to st.
petorsbure,-the Eus6ians, after tho higher
c1ss.ea Of Chinese, being the consumers Of tho
finest grades Of tea grown, aud which is sent to
them overland by caravans.
The question anses, Wherein is the difference
in value? 80 far as the great mans OF the peo~
ME are concerned. We answer, WheTe? As .ith
the dainty and most costly breakfast Of tho
Egyptian Queen, consisting OF simple olive
with ita eurelopes, or . bottle OF wine bought
in Kuckc1bocker times at 60 cents, and laid awoy
in some rusty old cellar till now, when somo
modern Mark Antony, with moro money than
brains, will gre $40 for tue coveted liquor: 50
with tea Ono that Is sound and pure, costing
nor
ABOUT GO CENTS At WnoLK9ALE,
should DO good enough for general use, taking
from it all mystidcEt,on sad Ianc!ed .wofsh. Bls
the fault OF our tea i1 more in the improper &C.
lection Of 1t By the iguorxut, and the selhshneas
and mc3nness OF the unprincipfed aduiteEators
Of it, than IN any deficiency Of quality Or amount
Of tea imported to this country for tho log price
abore stated. ASK the professional sea-tzs.es
(there ere but few'in this country:-sAy dozen
men, all told, among tho thousands who deal II
tea); ask him 1t those fancy prices do not sa7ot
more Of fancy than OF real value.
Nosnos TIE youndBk~ -