Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-01
ny FREDERIC J. HASkIS.

WASliIN,;TrN. u. G., March 3l--No,
long ago. large shipncut OF Chinese
leechi nuts arrived IN san Francisco
ana passed tho usual examination of
the customs ,hcials Ia loading the
bones on truck. However. one dropp.d
!" the ground, scattering its contents
and incidcntallv disclosing the fact
that II contained not lccchi nuts hut
tea The customs officials mmediatolv
ordered the boxes returned to the dock
where every ono 81 them was onened
and It's contents investigated AS was
suspected the whoi" ghipmcu, was we'll
padded With smrl pound naskets OF "A
r"o"iier KIND "f Chinese tc, rrohihi,.d
entry 10y IN" United states govern
mont.
This 'ca called by the Chinese 'pId
Mans Tea Is believed by the super
suunUs OF ,h.lr race to contain many
wonderful medicinal qualities, bu, the
practical SONernm"ui exports have pro-
nounced il no,htup but an ordinary
tea, SO highly :crm"ntod a. to be sour
ana utr' tor consumption lu dis couu-
~! ti"n'" III" o.stou "''icirl- or"
"ont.nualiy rNuspciatcd at IN. canning
net DDS devised by ia" Chiu.s. y.ho
seek &" smugsi- it into the country
in shipments of crude drugs loss ma
r"rs and peanuts II IS . nuisance TO
HAY" 10 20 through several thousand
h"NcS OF peanuts. for instance in order
I" hold ur pcrnaps ny" or SIX ono
pound baskets Of sour tea. Hu, 50 "N-
"aUStiNe NAY" hroomc m" precautions
taken bS tn" custom officials .hat 4
basket Of TINS tea now rar-ly enters
the country.
>nir>i Ut NJ Commodities
IN fact. tea is hy far ia. safest .ud
most protected commodiry We buy. 10
not one pound - released IN ,h.. course
OF trade that has not been examined
ny goNcinm.nt expert No longer
does The clever application Of prussini
- al.
consumers. The government allow. Inc
IMPORTER just six months 10 e.t such
q shipment Of tea our ot the ccun-
trS :! by that time IL IS not depoi.t-d
tn tea is coruscatcd and DO troy.d
lh"se NtroiouS m"aSuvcra nave re
suited ~ th- pdssAs, nf LAWS by tea
PL""uclns nations prohibiting ~" use
OF r"loring ana adulierntIoi .u t"as
IA. tea Inspection service main
tanned ty ihc lultcG States govern
mchi Is direct and thorough In ,hc
tr~i place. there are ton ,yarQfurrs i'm
New York. Eosiou. Chicago. ~ r,ul
Ia" 'na, San Francisco and honolulu
which at" ports I"ccIyiuc tn. l.r.,i..t
number OF teH shipments MINT. In-
h"adruartcIS 20 the examiners As IN,
customs ono. OF tic port al which ne,
~" "'n7ios,d. th"y are dir-ctI, lirl.i.
me SUPERVISION ~ George H. Mitchell
80. nupe, NisinI lea r%pert At Wa.h-
my In addition, there ~ q United
ni"i"s E"ard OF Tea Aprc,ls. hrsn,,.
"h!c!l are heard ia" cases Of impoltn,s
dissatisfied win the decisions rem
tered hv the examining experts
When q cargo of ten arrives i'm any
p"'t an this country consigned to
american importers. the Iaw r.uuir,s
."'t tt snail %" placed In q ',ondcd ware
mouse Her" samples OF the Tea arc
Obtained 10y the customs officials and
turned over 1" rh" Federal examiners
WHO, 10! comparing IT with government
standards. decide whether i,s purity
quality and htucss for consumption arc
SH'h iha' IT can be placed upon the
hIIhtt II th"r" H. no cAaminci ia
the port where tu" tea arrives samples
Of the product are sent 10y Parcel pos,
20 the nearest Federal c\"Ininer
Standards >trirtI. .ppiicd.
IeH 'hc IL" - up ." government
standards it * immediately released
by TIA" examiner and resumes the usual
course OF trade When II is not up to
standard, however. ANA - rejected hy
The examiner. the impogt"r is given a
period of SIX months in which 10
nioN" the tea from IN" country. at the
end OF that time. ii wiii be cOniiscat ed
Samples of rejected teas ar. always
furnished TIA" SupcrNisiur Tea Expert
AT WashIuStou vino also puts them
through certain tests. with the PRIV
ilcpe OF correcting the decision Of the
examiner if AZ should appear that he
is wrong.
In tho event that the tea is rejected
by both experts. thc importer may sim
take Ia" matter 10 the United states
Board of Tea Appeals. which has been
created by Congress for the purpose
az trying tea cases. Upon the decision
Of this board. which tests the tea in
upcu court and hears the testimony or
amy witnesses in the case. depends the
Gate OF the tea The number O.! cascs
appca!ed 10 this board. however. arc
ncgliGihlc tho decisions of the port
examiners being accepted without COM
piaint in almost every Instance. As
every tea merchant is familiar with
the government standards. and in buy
ing tea Is able himself to make tho
same tests that the examiners make III
ascertaininGi it's purity and quality.
| there is little excuse for u shipment OF
poor tea ever reaching This country.
Tho government has .cleCtcd iwciN"
tea standards winch Il considers tn"
lowest maNimum of purity and quail
ity that should hr sold I" people Of
The United states. Ia comparing Tie
standards tho ten examiner brcws
cup Of each OF them aud tastes ii. TO
the layman who drinks whatever tea
is placed before him, and prefers cOf-
J fee anyway, this seems rather IN
adequate method OF deciding so i'm
! portant u question az the destiny of
several thousand pounds of tea. Eut
| when YOU have sampled as many kinds;
| of teas as many times day as Il"
| the tea examiners. your tea taste comes
! pretty near 10 being iufallblc. and YOU
J are qualified 10 judge as 10 ITS quail
| ity. at least.
In determining its purity, tho on
| amincrs employ what is known as the
"Read test invented nv woman