The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-03-31
Don't Forget to
r. D W.T. At
DassacOusbe,
SxeNg.ns
T. Co.,
Aad the Y. s: Consul
at Eiogo, and the
.Esrlogo News say
alb out sAdultora&9d
Japan Teas:

General Stahel, u. s. Consul, at HI
ogo, Japan, in his latest report says
avail myself of this occasion 10
call the attention of the Department,
and of American consumers of tea, to
the fact that most of the teas shipped
from Japan TO the United States are
now artificially colored Formerly, this
was not th-case. In the early years
of the trade, say 1859 70 1860, the
manipulation of Japan teas by the ex-
porter was confined to a simple retiring,
which was necessary in order TO care
lie leaf sufficiently to enable it to en-
dure transport through the tropics aud
to retain its qualities while in store.
The leaf was improved by this process
and Japan teas were then shipped il
their natural condition and honestly
called Uncolored' About 1870, how.
ever, consumers (0 began to call for
higher color than any natural process
would furnish, and although this de-
maud was long resisted BY the shippers
in Japan, and at some loss to them
selves, yet ultimately it prevailed ana,
for some years past, artificial colorlng
has been the rule, so that Japan teas,
which are naturally Of blackish Cor
brownish) 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 pernicouS =,
being nothing worse, as general rule,
than indigo and gypsum, but they Ger.
tainly add nothing to the value Of tea
leaves for drinking purposes. There is,
therefore, nothing 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 coloIed 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 adulterati0n will
probably continue as long as consumers
in 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 iDfus-
ion is so little understood in our country"
Quoting the above report of General
Stahel, the Hiogo News Of July 20th,
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 ascertaining the exact facts. 1t Is
evident that shippers have 10 object in
doctoring up teas beyond obedience to
the insistence of customers at the other
side of the Pacific. But there is doe
toriDg and doctoring Anal sis of eleven
samples of Japan teas, made last year
in San Francisco, showed that four con.
tanned Prussian blue (ferJcyanide of
IRON, fi7e plumbago (black.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 oussamples
were from teas produced in this district
At all events, American c. consumers
are alone to blame for any admxtures.
tho result of their demands for teas of
a 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 represents. But he errs in placing
the responsibility of adulteratiug Japan
teas upon consumers, for neither con-
sumcrs nor retailers were in fault Con-
sumers never called for colored Japan
teas, neither did retailers ask for them,
but both parties were imposed upon by
shippers, importers, jobbers, and their
statesmen, by the gradual and, at first,
almost imperceptible 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 Siftings' from such teas.
Whether this is serious matter or not,
Japan tea.drinkcrs must decide; we
think it is, and shall entirely exclude
the colored imposition from our basi-
necs, and, therefore, press it upon your