, 1884-11-20
TEA-TAsTERs.
A Novel Occupation Requiring Very
Nice Discrimination.
Deeiatas ch- Merits Of the DiGsrens
Groeth- % Tea-Rnects OF
re--EHstinG UPon
fhe Health.

tSew FORK Commercial Advertiser.l
New York has, within tho district below
city hall, nearly 100 firms who's sole business
Is tho importation and whoiesaling OF tea
Engaged In this inmen-s trade are n class Of
men who are known a. tea-tasterS and
who, In their why, control the market mAks
one kind OK tea popular. and in fact exercise
the same influences a wine-tastefs do In the
wine traie Each nrin employs at least ono
tea-taster, and the salaries range from 5000
a year 70 even o partnership in the buaines
OF the great importing houses. But these
exp4rti pay tho penalty OF their proficiency,
In having their constitutions Undermined by
coutinusi t~sa-sipping. After perhaps Ave
years Of experiences they become nervous, and
inflicted with insomnia, and are liable e.
pec.aliy 10 zymotic Diseases
Entering the counting-room OF any one Of
the who.e4alo dealers In tsas, one viii observe
a big round tablo standing IN the center OF
the room. It has a revolving top, and Is
very handsomely inlaid This Il practically
the counter upon which all the buying and
selling of the houo Is lone. On these
tables, placed within a short dis
tancs q the edge, are ranged dainty
tea-cups. A largo silver kettle Is simmer
ing over q spirit lamp near by and the steam
forces itself through tho spout with q musical
kissing that must be extrumely pleasant to
hear amid the dreary round OF business. On
= stand in de middle OF tho table Is
. tiny i1ir OF scales, on one Of tho
saucer Of which Is a . cent silver
piece. About this tAle the tea-tasters as
sembic = decide on tho merits OF any partic-
ular growth or finally decide whether or not
tie nrns which they respectively represent
DESIRE any OF tbs sioux before thsm- A
xanpla OF the tea l. taken. and weighed On
the scalc4 This auail quantity OF ten Is
then poured into n cup, aud the boiling wa
ter IS allowed 10 Cow over Il until the cup Is
hnlf-fuu Of tho infusion. Tho toa-taster stirs
the tea IN and iiftz the leaves on a
peculiarly shaped silver spoon to lnhale the
aroma. Sometimes he takes . sip OF the in
fpslon, anil, after holding It In his mouth for
a few seconds. he roliovos himself OF L. Big
bras cuspidorss arc placed around the table,
aud into them go tho tea which has been
tasted and tbs comforts Of the cups.
Is a by this means that q sample OF tea Is
decided upon. Tho tastsrs inhale the tea
aroma and pronouncs upon the quality OF
the importation, and gossip most learnedly
upon It's ineitesS tastiRess, body, and similar
qualities which go 10 make up tea par excel
lenco. In cases where there has been a heavy
importation, samples OF each quality arc
weighed and triod by the ~tasters, and then
the quality and tho pdce arc decided upon.
An expert tcs taster who Is not familiar with
the businoss transactions Of tho trm which
has imported 4 sarge quantity Of tea can de-
tect not alono the age, the strength, flavor,
and hneneAs, but Is able to tell almost with
out error oven the district in China where
the teas have boon grown and whether they
have been cultivated by cody labor. Tho
development OF the sense OF smell is remark
able IN thus detecting from an extremely
small quantity OF tea the history Of Its growth.
When q large invoice Is assorted the fncts con-
ccrning tho various samples are placed on
the bottom OF tho cups or sau ers. Then
they are changed about and the trade ad-
United TO make Its purchases. The infusions
are tasted again by the buyers and selec-
tons are made by the fiavo alone.
The result Of this system Is that great
quantities Of tea must DO consumed In these
peculiar transactions. In q comparatively
busy season q tea-taster sips 400 or so cups
OF tea IN n single day. It Is difficult to mako
en- average tor the year, but II cannot DO
far from 100 cups a day. It u only Tie bet
tor qualities OF the tea infusion that are
slipped and ejoctei- Tho po1rcr teas are
simply testol by the aroma from sho leaves
after the infusion Tho better classes OF the
black teas. such ~ the Canton, Foo-chow-
foo, Hung-nuey, Oopack, Kaison, and
Oonam, arc almost always tested by sip
plhI anu 1nthvSuo1 oNuu Dl uNAAAuNluN Luo
infusion Of the leaf. Ths green teas, a. the
Shanghai, Puig-suey. Moyuns. Imperial
Aoyune, and Canton. arc oftentimss tested
By slipping. but most generally by their
aroma alone.
Tho effect Of this constant drinking Of tee,
although In almost lnappreciably small guam
titles, is extremely injurious Although
little Is swallowed each time q sample ia
tasted. the frequent repetition OF the dose Is
what proves 70 be detrimental The small
particles OF the tncomplstely moistened isaf
are absorbed by Inhalation whom tho test il
mado from the aroma Of the infusion alone;
there b also an absorption through the mu-
Gus membrane Of the throat and hence Into
the stomach, OF the dry Leaf The immediate
result Is q feeling OF stimulation that Is
for . time extremely pleasant, but the pleas
antness OF the sensation after q years exper-
ience OF Il gradually wean away and leaves
a feeling OF great hssituds which oftsn
leads to q stronger stimulant than the tee
In order that tho proper tone OF the system
may be retained. Than msomnia comes, and
oftentitnas q tsa-taster has been compelled to
~relinquish his employment In order 10 save
his life. Ofcourse, such are extreme cases,
but. when great cargoss Of tea arc received
by tho Importarz the condlt on Of the
tea-laster after the invoices have all been
sampled Is by no means an snyiable one de-
spite bis liberal salary. A SOMEWHAT ainxu-
lar fact IN connection With tho msthods OF a
tea faster Il that be Il never a ~tea-drinker.
Should be take large quantities OF tea at
any ono sitting his ability To detect tha al
almost inappreciabls difference OF davor Be
tween than would DO almost, II not totally,
destroyed