San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-26

India and laval, the leaf Is permit
ted to ferment and after this process
has been continued for a given period
of time, the leaf is then fired so as
to hold it in that state or condition
the fermentation being stopped by the
firing.
Also Semi-fezmented.
In FOrmosa and the southern prov.
lnce of China, where Foachow teas
are produced, the leaf is semi-ferment-
ed. that is, the process of exposure to
the air before firing is not carried as
far as in the case of fully fermented
or black tea.
The methods that have been descHb-
ed of curing tea produce in the inftl-
sion, different ingredients and in the
liquor, different colors. The consum-
ing trade sometimes think they art
getting very thin tea when they pur-
chase the unfermented or green sorts,
whereas in reality they are getting a
different combination of ingredients
a cup of tea drawn from the ferment
eli or black leaf would lead the aver
age consumer TO think that the in
fusion was much stronger than that
from the unfermented or green leaf,
while in fact the thin looking cup Of
tea may have in it elements that are
more powerful than those N th'
darker looking cup of tea.
Tea Thrives In Mountains.
The places which produce the fin
est tea are always found among the
grandest mountains. The tea plant
loves the well drained side of a hill,
stream.
Tea requires good, sound soil, a
light loan, well mixed with sand ana
overlooking winding mountain
vegetable matter, moderately moist,
and yet not stagnant or sour. Tes
fields are very much the same the
world over, except that the spots pro
ducing the finest varieties, like the
spots growing the finest wine grapes
are extremely limited.
In China. Japan and Formosa, the
culvation of tea cannot be carried
on to such state Of perfection as in
Celyon and India, where orange pekos
he was mad. we might hear no more
tea is grown, partly because the soil
is not as rich, and partly because the
farming is in cruder state in the
first mentioned countries.
In the case of the tea fields OF
CeylOn there is tremendous acre
age, almost all of the land being
available for cultivation. The handling
of the estates is in the hands of in.
telligent agriculturists who have in
their employ, chemists who are con.
Analysing the soil and bring
ing the productive qualities of the land
to the highest point. The estates OF
pekoe tea, are managed by English.
men, who naturally can bring to bear
the most scientific methods-methods
unknown in other coun
tries. 1t may be said for Japan.
however. that they have established
a scientific school for the handling Of
the tea plant, and that they are study
ing to improve the industry,
Climate Is Important Too.
Climatic conditions enter very large
" into the quality of tea produced in
a years time. In japan and China
the amount of moisture in the atmo
sphere is negligible. except in the very
rainy seasons when they have large
In the Island of For
mosa there is more moisture. but they
also have a climatic condition which
produces cold weather so that the vege-
tations dies. Orange pekoe tea. grown
in India. is produced under favorable
because there is moisture
in the atmosphere that helps dampen
the ground continually and keeps the
plants growing, so that many more
pickings are possible in India during
the season than are possible in For