The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-03-04
Tea.tasting-A Singular Occupation.

DIR. C.. L. Dana, in an article in the
Medical Record on tea-tasting by brok-
ers and dealers in teas, maintains that
it is healthful occupation, which is not
in accordance with the conceived opin-
ion of other writers on the subject. In
support of his assertion DR.. Dana re-
ports cases of living men far advanced
in life who have followed the business
of tea-tasting for periods ranging from
thirty to forty years without injury to
their health. But whether the writer's
conclusions are correct or otherwise, the
life of a tea-taster is a curious one, and
the process of examining and deciding
upon the qualities of the article is not
generally known.
There are, says DR.. Dana, probably
more than hundred firms engaged In
tea-tasting in this city. In all of their
offices there are large tables with round,
revolving tops. A circle of teacups is
placed along the edge of these. The
tea-taster sits down before the display
of crockery, and tastes one cup after
another, moving the tabletop around.
In the center of the table is pair OF
scales with silver half-dime in one of
the balances. One or two large kettles
are kept constantly with boiling water
in them. When sample of tea is to
be tasted, as much is weighed out as
will balance the half dime. This is put
in a teacup and the boiling water poured
on. The tea-taster then stirs up the
leaves, lifts them on his spoon, and
inhales the aroma. At the same
time he generally takes sip of the in
fusion. holds it in his mouth for short
time, and then spits it out. Enormous
brass cuspadores, holding two or three
gallons, receive the tea thus tasted and
the contents of the cups that have been
examined. On some occasions, when a
large amount of tea of certain kind is
to be bought, many samples of this are
brought in from different houses. The
BUYERS and sellers sit around the revolv-
ING table with the samples made into
infusions in the cups before them. These
are tasted all around, the "body,'
fneness, sstoastiness," etc., are learned
" discussed, and the poorer specimens
discarded. Then those that are left are
tasted again and the number further re-
duced. So it goes on until the article
which unites the desired quality and
price is obtained.
The skill displayed at these "draw-
ings " is quite remarkable. A tea faster
will detect not only the quality of tea
as regards age, strength, flavor, tinenessr
etc., but he can tell in which of the
numerous districts in China the tea wa;
grown. The facts regarding the differ
ent samples are sometimes put on the
bottom of the cups, where they can moi
be seen. The cups are then mixed up
and the infusions tasted again and sorted
out simply by their favors.
A great deal of tea may be TASTED
before these tea drawings are finished
It is hard TO tell the amount that tee
faster takes during day, for it varies {
great deal with the activity of business
Few of the gentlemen whom L asked
could give any idea. Sometimes, how
ever, as many as four or five hundred
cups are tasted in the day. 1t is quite
the custom to have to be tasting tes
steadily for the most of the day, or fol
hours at a time. Probably an average
of 200 cups a day throughout the yeal
is low estimate. The poorer kinds O.
tea are often not slipped at all. But the
sense of smell is depended on. OF the
better qualities of tea some is swallowed
and some spit out. Indeed, whenevel
the tea is taken into the mouth a little
of it is swallowed. The tea gets into
the system, therefore, in three ways
by inhalation, by absorption through
the oral mucus membrane, and by the
stomach. More tea is simply taker
into the mouth without swallowing thar
is inhaled alone; but all the tea is IN
hailed, even if it is tasted also. 1t il
only small proportion, amounting t.
not more than two or three cups a day
that is swallowed. A silver five cen
piece weighs 1.18 grms. (gr. xvliD
Estimating that an average of 200 cup
of tea are tasted per day, about one
half of a pound would represent tn
whole amount used.
Japan tea has of lateyears become b.
far the most popular variety, and NOR
of it is imported than of all other kind
together. Green tea, on the other hand
is much less extensively used than for
merly.