Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-28
SOME TEA-DRINKlNG.
BOSTON, PHILADELPHIA. NEW fOhN'
INDORSE DIFFERENT vARIe lies.
Tea.Tasters Never Drink the Beverage ana
Both Chinese and Japanese Excel vs."
Brewing the Cheerful Cup.
occrresnSnaence Of the Dlspatch.)

NEW YORK, October T.-The TEA s'"-
tistlcs of the United States show an IN
creased importation of almost ten fniiho"
pounds between the years Of 1891 anu 1871
The importation for last year alone was
g7.GS2.3 27 pounds. These enormous figures
mean but one thing-we are becoming
more like our English cousins in their
love for "the cup which cheers but does
not inebrlate" And while 1t is not proba-
BILE that Americans will ever substitute
tea for coffee in the morning. the after
noon tea is becoming more Of a recognized
institution yearly and less of fad.
TASTES IN DIFFERENT TOWNS.
1t is a curious fact in the tea trade that
certain cities in the United states distinct
ly prefer certain different kinds OF tea.
For instance. Foochow goes mainly TO
Philadelphia. The cultivated Bostonians
discuss Browning over n cup or ForInosa
OolOng. Japan teas are preferred In the
western cities. New Workers cling TO the
thoroughly proper COngou or English
Breakfast tea.
According TO importers. ten does not
lose It's flavor In being brought here. and
If made here "a IL is made in China
This Is duo TO the careful way 1t IL
packed. The same rule which applies 10
the house-keeper applies to the importer
Tea should be used as soon as 1t IS
opened. House-keepers should buy 1t in
small quantities and always keep 1t air
tight in dry place Tea year or two
old depreciates greatly in value.
Tea should be drunk from two 10 five
minutes after II IS made. II is not ne
cessary 10 let 1t steep.
THE CHINESE BREW.
The Chinese put the dry leaf in the
cup and pour the fresh water just at
boiling point Over It. The sap which Is
secreted in the stemmy structure OF the
leaf Is all that is good. This exudes in
from two to five minutes. II allowed
to stand lonser the chemical quality In
the leaf destroys the flavor and renders
the tea indigestible and injurious. AS
for the woman VINO has her teapot stand
ing on the stove all day and takes a cup
whenever she feels weary, according 10
tea men. II is Il special dispensatiOn OF
Providence that she does not drop dead
on the spot
In China and Japan the work OF Guilt
waiting and preparing tea for the market
devolves principally upon the women. Tea
grows on bushes from three to five feet
form the leaf is similar TO the smaller
petals OF a rose. For the arduous labor of
picking, drying, and rolling the tea leaf
women receive from ~ to 70 cents a day.
The cultivation Of tea has been tried in
tho southern part OF the United States.
but owing to the small wages paid Chi
nese laborers, We cannot compete.
\ TYPICAL TEA-HOUSE.
One OF the interesting features Of China
to tourists are the tea-houses. They are
little. one-roomed buildings Chinese dra-
peries, scr ems, lanterns, and fans form
tho principal decoration. The low tea
tables are covered with Chinese paper.
and tho exquisite cups and saucers would
gladden. the heart OF a curlo collector.
They are usually presided over by 4
inatron and her several daughters. They
all know a little English. and are ex-
tremely polite. When stranger appears
on the threshold the daughters i'm
mediately surround and fan him, while
the mother bustles of TO make a cup Of
tea. He is not asked IL h. wants it
that fact is taken for granted. II he
hesltates and does not drink it as soon
as 1t is handed TO him. in very attractive
broken English they urge him to drink
1t before IL spois.
The only teas which have at all the
stimulating effect ascribed to alcohol are
the COnSOu, Ceylon, and India teas. or
course. then they are made Of more than
the ordinary strength. We do not drink
tea anything near SO strong as they do
in England In China where It is the
! national beverage. they drink Il in smaller
quantities and oftener. and always with
out milk or sugar. Putting rum and
cordlals in tea IS a thoroughly European
and American idea, and would impress
the Chinaman. If he were familiar with
that favor Of painting the lily"
The purest teas are OoiOng and ConGOu.
| There IS a little coloring matter in green
tea. but not enough 10 be injurious. For
their own use however. the Chinese never
color their tea. For the very best quality
one should not pay moro than 81
pound. More is a fancy price Nothing
probably, indicates SO clearly the hold
tea has upon its drinkers than the fact
that hard times never affect the quantity
sold. There Is a anand for inferior
qualities. probably, but even with the
poorest there is always enough tea in
the cupboard for a cheering cup.
TASTING TEA.
II is very interesting 10 watch n tea
faster at work. He IS seated before a
round revolving-ta5le, on the edge Of
which are several dozen cups. At his feet
is an enormous funnel-shapod cuspadore.
Into this be splits the tea after tasting.
For n tea-taster 10 ever swallow the tea
Is an uuhearl-of thing. In the centre Of
the table is a pair OF scales. \ nickel j.
cent piece IS the only weight used. it,
balance being the regulation quantity OF
tea used for each cup. Two caudrons Of
boiling water splutter ON a Eas-stoVe.
Turning the table around the faster In
vestigates each cup in turn. Re decides
upon their respective values and quality
by the fragrance. the brightness Of the
leaf. its formation Uhe smaller and closes
the bctteT). the color. and taste Of the tea.
50 acCUrate 10 these man become in their
Judgments that they can frequently pick
ont the Liiiereut brands used in Il cup Of
mixed tea. Nor does time impair these
peculiar faculties but rather seems u de-
vel0p and sharpen them. There has never
been woman tea-tastcr. Tho prevailing
opinion IL that with tea. Ike wine.
w0man's palate lacks discriminating APP
probation, and inequalities her for the