The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-04-28
Duncombe. Stearns & co.
Don t Forget to
READ WHAT
Dunc0mabe,
NIeN2nS
f. Co.,
And the q. 8. Consul
at Hiogo, and the
Hiogo News say
about Adu1terated
Japan Teas:

General Stahel, u. S. Consul, at Hi
ogo, Japan, in his latest report says;
| avail myself of this occasion to
call the attention of the Department,
and of American consumers of tea, 10
the fact that most of the teas shipped
from Japan to the United States are
now art'ficialIy colored. Formerly, this
was not tn" case. In the early years
of the trade, say 1859 60 1869, the
manipulation of japan teas by the ex-
porter was confined to SIMPLE retiring,
which was necessary in order to cure
the leaf sufficiently to enable it TO Gu
dure transport through the tropics and
to retain its qualities while id store.
The leaf was improved by this process
and Japan teas were then shipped III
their natural condition and honestly
called Uncolored.' About 1870, how
ever, consumers e? began to call for IA
higher color than any natural process
would furnish, and although this de-
mand was long resisted by the shippers
in Japan, and at some loss to them
selves, yet ultimately it prevailed and,
for some years past, artificial colorlug
has been the rule, so that Japan teas,
which are naturally sf a blackish Cor
brownsh) green color, are now made
to resemble the blush gray or grayish
blue teas shipped from China as green
teas The materials used to produce
these shades are not very pernicious -,
being nothing worse, as general rule,
than indigo and gypsum, but they GER
tainly add nothing to the value of tea
leav, for drinking purposes. There is,
therefore, nothi g to be said in favor of
the practice, except that dealers in
America prefer teas of that description.
Their doing SO is probably explained by
the fact that in teas so coored coarse
leaves may pass without detection, and
this is no doubt the cause of the grad
ual deterioration Of the quality of the
Japan teas exported to America during
recent years. The aduiteration will
probably continue as long as consumers
III America buy teas only according to
the appearance of the leaf, regardless
OF its drawing qualities, and as long as
the simple secret of making the infus-
ion is so little understood in our country"
Quoting the above report of General
Stahel, the Hiogo News Of July 10Th,
1881, says:
We are glad to be able to quote an
authoritative opinion on the purity of
teas prepared in Kobe, given by dis.
interested person possessing every means
Of ascertalulug the exact facts. II is
evident that shippers have no object in
doctoring up teas beyond obedience To
the insistence Of customers at the other
side Of the Pacific But there is doe.
,oripg and doetoriug. Ana sis of eleven
samples Of japan teas, made last year
in San Francisco, showed that four con.
tanned Prussian blue (ferc cyanide of
from, fire plumbago (blacf. lead), and
the remaining two simply indigo and
gypsum. This bears out Gen. Stahel's
remark on the adulterants used here
(Kobe), supposing that the two, out of
eleven, comparatively inuocuous samples
were FROM teas produced in this district.
At oil events, American 81 Consumers
are alone co blame for any admixtures,
the result of their demands for teas of
particular and unnatural color, and
they also have the satisfaction of know
ing that the remedy lies entirely in their
own hands"
COMMENTS - Having dealt largely in
natural leaf Japan teas for the past
three years, and also having been famil-
lar With this class of teas since their in
production into this country, we desire
to state our belief that General Stahel.
in the foregoing, has made as fair re-
port as was consistent with his duty TO
the commercial interests of the country
he repr, sents. But he errs in placing
the responsibility Of adulterating japan
teas upon consumers, for neither con-
sumers nor retailers were in fault Con-
sumers never called for colored Japan
teas, neither did retailers ask for them,
but both parties we're imposed upon by
shippers, importers, Jobbcrs, and their
s,lesmeD. by the gradual and, at first,
almost imperceptibIe change to colored
teas, which, however, increased until in
some instances whole families were made
sick with the poison contained in the So
called Dust, or Sif'ings@ from such teas.
Whether this is n serious matter or not,
Japan tea drinkers must decide; we
think it is, and shall entirely exclude
the colored imposition from our basi-
Decs, and, therefore, press il upon your
att, ntion
settings from uncoored tess are pure.
wholesome, aud economical.