The Leavenworth weekly times., 1879-05-29
TEA-MlNERS.
How the Cheering Cup is Tempered
with by Adulterators.

Boston Courier
SIS it straight?' is question ever on the
lips Of Wholesale tea dealers and brokers
to be answered before concluding regotia-
tions for ''chop," which may consist of a
hundred packages or more. The delivery
Of tea by the importer implies that he de.
livers 1t as received from the importing
port, and when this is the case, even should
the tea contain bay and beach leaves, OF
China clay, as gifts OF the celestials, it is
- rsight"
Boston merchants abound whose word on
This ard other matters is their bond; but
there are parasites in every city, and it is
no fault or popularity OF our city that i,
has tea merchants who are also tea mixers,
served by their very obedient servants the
sea packers. Their number is limited by
the special skill and experience required to
csrry on the business successfully.
To mix different kinds Of tea is 10 bring
one or other up to given degree OF
strength or TO endow it with an aroma, or
to impart TO il particular color, so a. to
render it more marketable, and otherwise
enhance profit. Consequently it involves
the disturbance, and a very complete dis
turbauce, of the original package. ''Give
me only something to work upon, short OF
decsyed leaves without vitality" gays the
pscker, "and will show you what my art
can accomplish in the way of bringing up
an inferior tea to higher grade, and so
setting off the packsge that it shall appear
to have been undisturbed, or in accommo-
dating teas TO wrappers not their own."
With an introduction from the tea mer-
chant, we make our way TO the packers
establishment. The building is dingy, its
style out of date, but il has broad, deep,
undivided floors.
On the ground floor. as We enter, We see
chests and half chests in blocks and rows,
and heaps of mating and China grass
twine. Ascending stair-like ladder, we
reach the next floor. The air is go filled
with tea-dust that it is difficult to discern
an object foot in advance. Men are NOV
irg hither and ,hither, some taking of
chest lids fastened By tiny iron clamps, or
cutting with fine instrument along their
edges the leaden sLeathing, or emptyipg
the contents of the chests in separate piles,
or running like mad with scoops from one
cording to the directions of the mixer, or at
the same high bidding, throwing powder
into and stirring an iron pan, this last scene
in far recess, the figures in the dusty
gloom seeming like demons working hidden
spells in the most approved style of theat-
rical witches, with bony tigers plunged into
a cauldron. This is the famous firing"
or rather retiring, though carried on with
out any fire. The dust thrown in clings to
the leaves and gives them a natural bloom,
not to be detected BY the microscope, which
brings them up to a remarkable color. The
scene is one of fraud in full sctivity. Sup
plies never seem to fail. So much for mix
ing.
The actual packing, ss distinct from
mixing, is an extremely ticklish and
equally unscrupulous job, for the tea re-
turned to a chest is not the same as that
taken from it. Daintily is the tissue pa
per impinging on the tea disposed, the lead
is so thin thst nothing less than Chinese
art could solder it, 90 fine strips of paper
are pasted over the cut edges. The Chi
nese label has been carefully replaced. In
refastening the lid, the wrenched iron
clamps must be left - they were. Nov
comes the cumming of the disrupted
Outside paper; following which, is an ex-
animation of the chest to see that there is
no aperture from which the aroma can
escape. Any aperture found is closed.
There are chests, which denoting high
grades have not particle of original tea
returned to them. Great, indeed, is the
when even superior grades
change appearance and character to suit
The market, or give way for mixing with
other grades from middling to lower.
As to the teas imported at nominal 6g-
ures BY the maker, which no ant can i'm
prove, the packer. should he reoeiAe them,
returns them, and If sent to auction they
me- underlinsd u the catalogus. Every
buyer known ~ asaning q this under-