Daily Yellowstone journal., 1886-11-30
THE PROCESS or TEA MAKING.


How II Is Cured In China-A Missionary's
AGistahs-'srhs Basket Fire"
To begin at the beginning Tor the fur.
ther investigation of the fragrant and
stimulating topic, it is to be observed
that there is but one tea plant. All the
teas that are known originate in one plant;
there are not two kinds Of tea known to
nature. Different soils impart their
own peculiarities more or less to the
plant, but the plant is one. Art secures
the variations and differences. The tea
plant holds its leaf the year round, but
the old leaf is unfit for use, the new
shoots only being used. There are three
or four crops picked each year. In the
making of Formosa teas, the leaves are
first cured on paper pans or platters
over charcoal fires The platters are
made heavy by using several thicknesses
Of paper pressed firmly together The
juice of the leaves in o short time so
colors this paper that it resembles cop
per. So complete is the deception. that
missionary who had travelled in China
and inspected the process Of tea making
avowed himself ready to make oath to
his statement that copper pans are used
in curing teas. This also is the popular
belief in America.
Mr.. "A. s. Woodwork, Of Boston. who
has made the production Of teas spe.
cial study, and has carefully investigated
the processes employed in China, de-
clares that no such thing as a copper
pan of any kind is used in China for tea
firing, and that all teas are cured on pa
per or iron. The mistake of the mis-
sionary and others was natural enough,
for the discolored and polished paper
utensils are excellent limitations Of cop
per. This first drying on paper pans.
just alluded to. is a. process to be
watched carefully. the object of
using paper pans being to prevent
the leaves from becoming too hot;
that is, becoming dust dry or losing the
moisture too rapidly. The leaves, az
they warm up, are constantly rolled in
the hand, and as soon as the pan be-
comes too hot, it is removed from the
fire. The leaves must not burn, they
must be kept soft. After this first firing
the leaves are placed on trays and set
away in racks, much as the cardboard
is disposed of to dry, but in this case the
object being a semi Then
the leaves are placed on the fire again
and the process is repeated several times.
This is done on the plantatio'.
When this stage of curing has ma
tured, the product is packed in bags
much like wool sacks and carried to the
shipping ports for the final treatment,
where it is submitted to -the basket
fire." A bright, smokeless charcoal fire
is prepared, and about two pounds OF
tea are placed in each basket, and some
times 300 or 400 of these baskets may be
seen in one room at once. These leaves
are kept over these fires for about half
an hour. or until they are thorough.
dry, not a particle Of moisture remain
ing. This, then, is tea, and it is at once
packed in chests and is fit 10 stand sea
voyage, and will retain its flavor under
favorable conditions for year or two
1t is an oject to get the tea out Of China
as soon after curing as practicable, be
cause the climate there Is SO much more
moist than it is here; the tea will not
keep so well there. The above is de-
scription OF the preparation processes Of
Oolong or Formosa teas. Other classes
of teas are produced by different pro-
cesses Of curing. The Japan and green
teas are not allowed any degree Of fer
mentation. the Oolong teas have semi.
ferlnent, while the Congou teas are sub
mitted to a complete fermentation. All
Japan teas partake of the peculiar fla
vor of the soil where the plant is grown.
Japan Oolongs have been made, hut no
process can rid Japan leaf Of that
peculiar flavor. Boston Herald.