Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-18
SALT LAKE MAN
OFF FOR ORIENT.
Frank J. Hewlett Departs on BUS
mess Trip TO Both China
And Japan.
TO Be GONE SEVERAL MONTHS
Wants to he There During Tea Picking
Season Which Commences In
Middle of April

Frank j. Hewlett, president Of Hew.
lett Bros, Co. OF this city, has just left
on an extended tour TO The Orient. En-
route he Will stop over for a week IN
SAN Francisco and will also spend a
few days In Seattle, from which port no
WEI sail on the S. S. Minnesota to Yo-
kohoma- Although Mr. Hewlett's bush
ness trip Will be principally 10 japan,
he Will also visit China before Inc re-
1urns-
The primary object NJ H. tr'r Is :"
look after tea interests in Japan. His
company has recently erected a latge
tea packing and coffee roasting plant
In this city and in the Future it is the
intention to make their tea purchases
right In the tea gardens before the tea
is picked. which win insure a superior
article for them.
THE TEA SEASON
The tea season is divided into three
parts. just about the same as our alfaI-
ia season. The first is known as the
Shon-cheum;" the second as the Err
chuen," and the third the 'san-citcun."
The first or early spring picking
takes place about the middle OF April or
the beginning ot May. AT this picking
only the teuderest- youngest and most
delicious leaves and buds, which are
Just bursting, are picked, OF course, the
small, but the tea is OF the most superb
quality. 1t is this picking especially
that Nh. Hewlett is most interested
ia, and he expects to be oh The ground
just before 1t comm enceS.
The second picking yields a greater
abundance of tea leaves. but the quail
ity is much inferior to tho leaves that
come from the first picking One pound
OF the first picking being worth about
two or three tfmes much as a pound
OF the second picking The ''EE chuen'
or second spring starts about the last
of May or the beginning ot June.
The third crop is gathered in July.
The leaves picked at this season are
very inferior In quality producing What
u.s. known as tea without aroma" and
being worth only about one.fifth as
much as the tea produced from the first
picking.
After the third picking comes the
cleaning or autumn dew. which
yields an extremely poor quality as we'll
as a very small quantity, and which is
used only by the poorer classes Of ma
tlves.
The tea growers use every precaution
with the tlrst Dtckings so as to in
sure absolutely the finest tea possible
to produce, Every lear is picked with
the utmost eare.and SO precise are they
lhas weeks before the picking COM
mences those who are TO take part are
forbidden to eat fish or other foods.
which they consider unclean. least per-
chance their breath cnntamnate she
tea, and during the picking season those
engaged In the work are compelled TO
bathe two or three times a day. and
during the operation OF picking have
to wear gloves.
LEAF BY LEAF.
Only women and children are en-
pioyed. They string a small basket
around the neck. and then with one
picked, over it, while with the other.
they pick leaf by leaf; and place them
cautiously IN the basket for during the
nrst picking not a single stem or twig
is 10 be dropped into the basket. The
tea plant produces al the end of the
second or third year. Al the end OF the
third year single plant will perhaps
produce eight ounces OF tea at a
picking. which means that an acre OF
tea plants will produce about 80 pounds,
The average picker can gather about
IL or 10 pounds Il day and their wages
are from 20 cents a day
QUESTION OF LABOR.
Tea leaves when first picked produce
none of the color. Odor, or flavor that
We know so Well In this country, These
qualities are impaired TO them after
wards by a series OF processes. in which
the Hrientals are adopts. ana which
are known as evap0rating, fermentinc,
summing, firing and rolling.
During these processes, which are
partially secres 10 the Outside barbar-
iai1s colorlngs or earth matter or
spent leaves are som etmes added to
give color, etc., to the tea,
Perhaps the purest tea on the market
the one that is free from colorine
matters. and the one we get IN the plre
uncolored state, is that quality known
as ''uncolored or natural"
In speaking of his brothers going
10 the orient. Mr.. orson II. Hewlett
said this morning "'rhe day is past
when man car do everything. This is
a day NJ specializing We have realized
this and have made our house a specisll-
" house. We want to get everything
first hand, and In order 10 acouaini
himself fully with the conditions la he
big tea producing countries OF he
world and to buy our this seasons sun
ply direct from the tea fields. my
brother Frank J. Hewlett has left for
an extended "trip 10 Japan and China.
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