The morning call., 1890-11-02
THE TEA THAT
WE DRINK.
Various Processes Through Which
1t Goes From Plant 10 Cup.
How the sssd Is Planted-Ths Picking Is Done
by Girls-seling the Leaf to the Mer-
chants-Flavoring the Prodoct.

ANA wandering through the Orient taxing
notes of these matters that are new 10 MN
and which may grove interesting TO otilers
who have not the opportunity OF travelling
and seeing for themselves, furnishes the 1ol-
lowing instructive account of the prepara-
ton of tea from the time the seed is planted
until infused for the lovers of the aromatic
stmulant.
Speaking of tea, few of us in this country
realize the vast superiority of japanese over
Chinese tea, as far as Gle aniness in its man
ufacture is concerned. Briefly, the cultlVa-
ton and manufacture OF tea in Japan Is as
follows:
The seeds of the tea plant are planted IN
circles of about two feet in diameter. After
the seedlings reach a height of SIX or eighI
inches they may be transplanted. ne
plants are then allowed to grow Tor Two OF
three wears without being picked, but are
pruned and shielded from the sun by mats
OF straw ana cared for constantly. a tea
plant is at its best during the fifth year OF
its growth. One or two crops Of leaves are
picked yearly. The leaves gathered are the
new growth, and do not include the nara
leaves of the year before.
The picking is done by girls, and one glrl
can pick between seven and eight pounds OF
green leaves day, which, however; w hfn
prepared will only make about one ana HAL
pounds-about 10 cents day.
TREATMENT OF THE LEAVES
The tea farmers sell the leaf 10 the tea
merchants of the villages, aud the next step
in its preparation is proceeded to- SIX OF
eight pounds of the green leaves are put into
n sieve over large caldron OF boiling
water and covered. This process is called
steamng and is continued only until the
natural oil of the leaves has been brought to
the surface and the leaves are partially
wilted. This usually takes about, nve
minutes, the condition of the leaves being
carefully watched by an attendant.
Then the contents Of the sieve are dumped
into the firing tray. This consists OF a large
wooden box, lined with plaster or mortar.
five feet long and three feet deep and VIDE.
The bottom of the box is filed with glowing
charcoal well covered with charcoal ashes.
A wooden frame, over which stout white
paper is stretched, forms a tray which covers
the top Of the box and receives the
tea. This paper shows no disposition to
burn, although it soon becomes dark from
the heat The temperature of the tray dur
ing this first firing" is about 1l0' Fahren-
heit. Tie wilted and wet leaves are hrst
thrown on the hot paper tray and scattered
over it by the workman, who keeps them
constantly in motion, moving them back
ward and forward over the hot surface with
out moments rest. Presently he, viii
gather up handful of the leaves and roll
them briskIy between his palms, then again
scatter them over the tray and keep them
moving This process is repeated again and
again.
FOUR POUNDS REDUCED TO ONE.
Finally the leaves are gathered up in one
ball, which the operator rolls backward and
forward over the tray, using considerable
pressure. This manipulation, or firing"
as it is called. takes several hours, and when
it is completed each leaf will be found to be
separately rolled, or twisted, and almost dry.
Six pounds of the green leaf are generally
Placed upon the firing tray, and when the
process is completed it is reduced to one and
a half pounds. Some moisture, however.
still remains in the tea, and it is, therefore,
transferred to second firing tray OF lower
temperature, and there allowed to remain
several hours. Sometimes even third fir-
ing is res0rted to.
The leaves then pass into the hands of the
slfters. who, by means of sleeves OF varions
degrees of coarseness. get rid of the dust and
dit, and divide the smaller from the larger
leaves. The tea then goes to the pickers.
The picking is done by girls, who throw the
tea on low tables, only a few inches FROM
tine ground, and pick out all stems, twigs,
stones and other foreign matter which has
found its way into the tea. From ths
pickers it goes TO the packers, who weigh
the tea and pack it in large wooden boxes
tied with straw rope.
Does the story end here? By no means.
The tea now comes into the hands OF the
American or English tea-dealers and Is pre-
pared for export. Tea from various locali-
ties is tested and tasted, ard blends made.
to which fancy names are given. But the
leaves are still somewhat moist or green,
and would mold if shipped as they come
from the japanese tea-farmer. They are
thereGpon subjected to
FINAL AND THOROUGH FIRING
In copper vessels over charcoal fires This
takes place In the ''godowns' or warehouses
of the foreign merchants. Women and girls
are generally employed for the work, and
the furnaces are arranged in long rows, sew
eral hundred being under one roof. Before
each furnace stands a girl with basket of
tea. At given signal from the foreman the
tea is emptied into the copper pans and kept
moving by the hands. Again. when the firing
is complete, at another signal, the work is
ceased and the tea quickly removed from the
pans.
1t is this final firing that so discolors the
tea, hlackens 1t and spoils its appearance,
that it would be considered unfit for sale by
American tea-drinkers. To get over this
difficulty il is colored The coloring matter
used is powdered soapstone and Prussian
blue, and, in the minute quantities EN-
ployed, it is entirely harmless. The color
ing is done during the final firing, small
quantity OF the powder being thrown into
each pan by the foreman. The tea Is there
fore not colored in order to Disguise an in
ferior article, but merely to meet with the
demands Of the American and English con-
sumers, who, as {; rule. fancy they detect
tea, and enormously imagine they are OBJ
tanning a fresher article than black tea,
whereas, in truth, black tea is the pureSt.
HOW IT Is DONE IN CHINA.
The Chinese method used in the manu-
facture Of tea differs but little from tile
japanese in its essentials, save that the lat
ter is by far the more esthetic and clean
method. The Chinese roll the leaves on
dirty mating with their feet. The operator
is nearly, or entirely nude, and shuffles
among tile moist leaves until the process Is
complete. The mans perSpiratiOn trckles
down off of his greasy face, body and limbs
on the tea, and gets mixed well up with it.
1t has been said that this addition imparts
the agreeable flavor peculiar TO Chinese tea.
But in charity TO the drinkers of Chinese
tea let Us draw the curtain before such
thought
The best quality of tea is made from the
youngest and most delicate leaves from
choice plants. One can pay as high as $40
a pound for such lea in Japan. A good tea
may be purchased from 80 to 40 cents
pound. The best teas are powdered. The
powder is brskly stirred up in almost boil
! ing water. and a foamy decoction, looking
almost like pea soup. but of a most delicate
aroma and exquisite flavor is the result.
The art of tea-making and drinking in
Japan involves the most elaborate ceremO-
nirs; and the ceremonial drinking, called
cha is repete with the most fas-
cinating etiquette OF this interesting people.
For daily use tea should be prepared as
follows: The water should be boiled thor
oughly and then poured into bowl and
allowed to cool just below the boiling point.
The requisite quantity of tea should be
placed in a dry teapot and the hot water
added. The decoction should then stand
for minute or two. In this way the full
aroma and flavor of the tea is retained, and
the bitter taste avoided. Boiling water
poured directly on tea scorches it and Injuries
tho fin In poOd taa milC 81
unnecessary additions. With us these are
used to disguise the imperfections of inferior
teas.
RECORDING BIRD SONGS.