Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-07-01
A Tea Plantation.

a IeA fIAulallOus
On the following morning / visited
the plantationin company with my host,
who, speedily engaged in attending to
his business, left me for while to
walk about, thus giving me an oppor-
tunity, while sauntered about, to en-
Joy the cool morning air, and watch the
coolies picking the leaves for manufac-
ture.
The plantation was very extensive,
many acres of ground being planted
with healthy looking trees in uniform
rows, about three or four feet apart
somewhat resembling neatly-trimmed
box-trees, every tree being carefully
clipped, and perfectly fiat on top, which
impaired a unique regularity to the
plantation.
There are three kinds of tea-plant
grown in Assam: the Indigenous, the
Chinese, ond the hybrid species. The
first grows well, and is small, bushy
plant, cultivated to about eighteen
inches in height, with very thick TO-
liage of small leaves. The second is
taller and stronger-looking plant, about
three feet in height, with larger leaf,
which, when manufactured, yields a
dark, strong favored brow. The third.
or hybrid plant, is cultivated to
height of two feet, or thereabouts; is
very hardy plant, much in favor among
the planters.
The cultivation of tea requires great
attention; constant hoeing is necessary
to keep the plants free from weeds du-
ring the gathering season, for at that
time of the year, from May to Septem-
Der, the constant rains saturate the
earth, which, acted upon by the great
heat of the sun, produces vegetation IN
a marvellous manner. Constant and
judicious clipping is also of great i'm
portance, SO as to produce an abun-
dance of young, tender shoots, the
leaves from which are those used IN the
manufacture of the best tea.
During the making season the work
people must be constantly on the alert,
for a nights rain, with an hour or two
of sunshine in the morning, is suffi-
cient to cause the young shoots to open
ont their leaves, which must be gath
cred at once, twenty-four hours often
being sufficient to impart crispness to
the leaf, which renders it useless for
manufacture. Under these circum-
stances, it is easy to conceive how much
the planters have to depend on the
honesty and willingness of their labor
ers, who can, at any time, by refusing
to turn out, infiict severe loss upon
their employer; and yet one hears, from
time to time, Of strong laws being
passed to protect the cody from the
J planter, as though the latter were not
entirely in the hands of the coolies.
An illustration of this, which occurred
during my visit, may show that this
assertion is not too strong. A neigh
/ boring planter came IN one morning on
/ his way to the court at Debrughur,
whittier he was bound, to procure war
rants for the apprehension of some
absentees without leave. He incident
ally remarked that all his laborers had
had a fight among themselves, and ac-
cordingly refused to work that morn
ing. 1t was a serious loss, as the young
leaves ready to be picked that day
would, by the next morning, have de-
! teriorated.in quality. l suggested that
they deserved punishment. The planter
replied that, to punish them would be
be the same as fining himself several
thousand rupees, and one days loss
was better than many. 1t was plain
that, while the coolies were attending
court, or suffering Imprisonment, they
could pick no tea.
After spending some time in walking
about the plantation, l was shown
through the Godowns, where number
of people were busy manufacturing the
leaf into tea.
A short description of the mode OF
manufacturing it may, perhaps, interest
some of my readers.
Outside The tea-house were large
mats on which fresh gathered leaves
were spread, and these leaves, as they
became slightly withered and tough,
were carried into room in the tea
house, where they were carefully ex-
amined, and all large and coarse leaves
taken out After this they were handed
to men called rollers, who proceeded to
roll them gently, in large handsfuls, on
board, until they were bruised with
ont being broken. Under this process,
which requires great skill and delicacy
of manipulation both hands being used
very swiftly, with peculiar turn OF the
wrist, the leaves exude Juice, and
assume that peculiar twisted or rolled
appearance to be noticed in the article
when ready for consumption. As each
handful of tea showed by the twist II
the leaf that it had been sufficiently
rolled, it was slightly pressed into
ball. and laid aside to ferment for Longer
or shorter intervals. according to the
strength of the tea required. This roll
ing and fermenting process occupies
perhaps. a couple of days, more or less
! after which the balls are carefully bro
ken up and spread on mats or iron pans
which are then placed in the sun, ol
over slow ovens, to dry off, this drying
process also requiring the greatest care
} lest the leaf should be overbaked.
After this drying process the tea !!
again carefully picked and sifted; al
large, discoiored leaves and foreigi
substances, are removed generally b,
women or girls, whose deft fingers worl
with great rapidity. In the siftinl
process, all the dust and grit is got III
of, and the tea rendered fit for packing
in the large, lead-lined boxes in whicl
it is exported to Calcutta. Here agail
manipulated, probably not to its ad
/ vantage, or that of the English con
sumer, for whom it is repacked in tn
/ familiar tea-chests.-"Ihe Misine
HitIs," by 7. T. Cooper, Nondo").
! Lie Down and Rest.
nr Hall says the hest medicines i