Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-10-30
Growing and Curing Tea.


not imported from China. Ii Is
planted out on the estate generally
as q small nursery plant in line and
at measured distance from its neigh
bors. 1t grows at an elevation, but
quicker at lower elevation. | have
known tea TO grow higher in one year
than could reach at low elevation,
while in the high districts il would
take two or three years TO attain the
height OF, say, six feet. When fully
matured, il is pruned down 70 twenty
inches. the result being flush OF
Young wood. This is what is wanted
for leaf" but TO allow the bush an
opportunity 10 give us surface 10
pluck from. il is left for time. The
leafis then plucked, not from the sides,
which increase the surface, but the
tot. Two leaves and half are used
for manufacture, those lower down
considered too coarse.
In plucking we have three grades
OF tea, namely, the terminal leaf
bud, and the very small leaf called
"howery" or orange Pekoe; then
comes tho medium leaf, called Pc
koe." and lastly the largest and
coarsest called "Pekoe Souchong. y
All are plucked and put in the basket
indiscriminately 70 be sifted out after
manufacture. Twice day the baskets
of tea leaf are taken to the factory
and spread out thinly on canvas To
wither. that is, become soft and plla-
ble. The leaf thus spread out in the
evening would be ready for rolling
next day. 1t will be observed from
the above illustration that the with
ering takes place in the interior OF
the factory, not in the sun. When
sufficiently withered the leaf is let
down through funnel into the "rol-
ler," which has taken the place OF the
hands and feet Of the great unwashed
This machine consists of receptacle
for the leaf, on which the pressure is
automatically applied. The rolling
surfaces, which move at right angles
to one another. but appear bya pecu-
liar crank motion 10 be revolving, are
made of wood, so that the tea leaf
does not come in contact with any
metal.
The tea when rolled is received in
trolly from the bottom OF the ma
chine and appears like cooked spin
ach and green. IL fred Immediately
it would be pure green tea, and
would, in process OF firing, turn black.
1t is, however, laid thickly on "a table
or in drawers for q season TO oxidize,
and In an hour it will have com
menced 20 turn from green to a bright
brown color. This is matter which
requires careful attention, as ovsrfer-
menting or underfermenting alters
the flavor entirely. Only the practi
cal eye can decide, and 1t decides at
glance, when the tea Is right. When
it is comes the firing. Several ma
chimes have been invented for this
purpose, but ] presume the sirocco
is the one most commonly used This
is machine which looks like very
large Il, and is known as the I siroccO.
Along the top are trays upon which
the leaf is spread thinly. Below is a
furnace and hot-air pipes heating 1t,
il / remember right, to about 1870 de-
grees. The coolies tend the machine
one at each end-and pass the trays
through until 1t is black and crisp.
Now comes the classifying OF the
tea. Three grades have to be sepa-
rated, and this Is accomplished by sift-
ing by hand or machinery, az the
case may be. Through the fine sieves
we get the fine Flowery Pckoe, next
.ize the Pekoe, and the large leaf re-
mains. all being cleaned and busted
before packing.
This completes the process Of man
ufacture. There has been no adulter-
alton OF any kind, and all the opera
tions have been performed In q facto-
ry so clean that one might almost eat
his dinner of the wsll-ceInented floor.
No smoking is allowed, nor is any
thing permitted which could possible
contaminate the precious leaf.
In 1878 the expectation Of tea from
Ceylon was 5000 pounds; this year
the estimate 4. 81 900, 900 pounds, while
the consumption OF China tea in Eng
land fell from 125.OO0, 900 pounds IN
1879 to 1900, 900 pounds in 1899. Such
an alteration in trade Las so alarmed
the Chinese that fully five years ago
the Chamber Of Commerce at Shang-
hal sent q commission TO Ceylon and
India to investigate. The commits
sioner- returned with the warning
that II China did not send better and
purer teas from her shores. and open
her gates to the foreigner with his
machinery, she must eventually lose
her export trade. 1t is TO be hoped
that China and Japan will one day
tear down the walls OF conservatism,
and open her gates 10 scientific and
modern appliances for the cultivation
and modern appliances for the cuIti-
walton and preparation Of tea. Their
export trade is even now in eItremi-
ties.
TsIleyrsnd's Sayings.