The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-03-03


tell whether q grade OF
the fragrant Oriental herb is worth :
half a cent a pound more or less than
a given sample. The government main
tafns a board Of experts. and every
large tea importing house has IN Us
employ a competent Judge Of the quAh-
Il of tea Many o. the importers are
themselves proficient in the art OF de-
termining the value OF tie leaves
The continual tasting OF tea racks
the nerves. impsirs the digestion and
deranges the functions OF the internal
organs. II Frequently makes lie IN
pleasant, and the connoisseurs have
TO stop work for while
one OF the government 1-1ges OF
tea. Abel H Upham, recently commit
ted suicide in Chicago His faTully
said tha, he was driven to insanity by
the demands Of his profession
Tea tasters draw high salaries. for
their work requires not onIy delicate
perceptions. but wide knowledge. They
must know ali the methods In the cur
ing OF tea and be familiar with every
trick and artifce which might be en-
ploved to enhance the value OF inferior
leaves
WI Ting Fang. the Chinese minis
ter. once remarked at a pubic dinner
that Americans did not know good
tea when they tas,ed IL, and in his deft
Oriental way Infatuated that American
tea experts bore titles which were
misnomers.
The dealers OF this country have
made a careful study OF the tea indus
try. and there are few facts about the
grades Of the herb which they do not
know. In this way there have been
some disputes between the Chinese
brokers and the American importers.
The Chinese are exceedingly honest in
the main. but occasionally there are
questions as 20 the value of tea which
call for the making OF fine distinctions.
American judges OF tea grow up IN
the business. They begin at about the
age OF eighteen years. and work Tor at
least five years before their judgments
are accepted as final. There are so
many kinds OF tea separated by slight
differences that the expert must feel
the delicate graduations. as though Icy
instinct. The tea faster is gradually
evolved from the apprentice. The mas
ter has no time to calmly and ~eliber-
atsly give instructions. so the student
sits at the tea cups of Gamaliel and
learns little day by day. He first
serves as the attendant.
In the large importing houses the
most important feature Is the table
where the teas are tested. IL is about
four feet in diameter. The top is poised
on a pivot. so that IL can be easily
turned about at the touch. On II is
placed a second slab of wood about
three feet in diameter. which is raised
an inch from the surface OF the first
LAYER. On the higher portion are placed
the scales. the cans of tea, and the
spoons. On the lower layer are ar
ranged the cups from which the sub
tie brew Is TO be tasted The liquid
made from a sample is always placed
exactly opposite the can from which
the tea to be tasted was taken. The
Judge. sitting in his chair. by turning
the table top may bring any sample
which he wishes TO examine within
his reach.
Before the actual tasting of the tea
the appraiser makes an examination
OF the dry leaf He rs somewhat like
a dramatic critic who only goes to a
new play TO confirm his suspicious. Be-
fore the actual testing Of sample he
has already formed an opinion of its
quality. He takes a handful OF the tea
and sifts IL from one palm to the other.
carefully looking at it. He feels its
weight. He looks at Il keenly 10 de-
tect the presence of adulteration or OF
deleterious coloring matter He smells
il 10 get an idea OF its aroma. He
studies the shifting leaves in his hand
in order that he may see il ii has been
properly cured.
The appearance of the dry leaf is de-
pended upon TO guide the Judge in the
first rough classification. The Japan
teas are all OF one flavor and the grad
uRtions are practically made upon the
color. Pan fired Japanese tea should
vary from olive to gray in color, or il
may be of grayish blue. Sun dried
japanese tea is brown in color. and
the leaves. which are fired in baskets,
are black.
The expert takes an amount of tea
equivalent TO the weight OF ive-cent
piece. He originally used the coin. but
owing 10 the fact that the nickel disc
was continually stolen from the scales
by persons who needed car fare. he
finds that bit OF lead OF the same
weight viii do just as we'll
The herb is then placed in q cup of
the finest Limoges ware. The vessel
Is devoid OF decoration and has no
handle. The cups are the only articles
in the dingy store rooms OF the tea !
importers which suggest luxury. Upon |
the herb is poured boiling water from |
a brass or copper kettle. which is al |
ways standing on the gas stove. The |
tea faster permits the leaves to steep /
until they are opened out by the action /
OF the hot water. me sire form and /
color OF the leaves play an important |
part in forming an opinion as to the |
value of the commodity.
The leaf at the top Of the plant is |
the tenderest and has the best flavor.
The small leaf is therefore a sign OF |
quality. The willy Celestial knows this
and he therefore chops up the large l
leaves before they are cured The /
leaves are taken from the hot water |
and carefully opened out II they are
small and perfect they are of excellent |
quality. They are graded down the
stalk as regular Iirsts. seconds. thirds 1
and fourths- The expert can readily |
determine BY looking st chopped leaf
how large the original leaf was. The /
sight of small and perfect tea leaf
Is hailed by the appraiser with the en-
thusissm which the connoisseur dis
plays az the sight OF wine Of old
or that which the patron of
The turf manifests when he sees a thor.
oughbred.
The tea faster carefully inspects the
liquid which results from he sleeping