The Romance of oar Cup of Tea

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 37, 13 February 1937, Page 19 (Supplement)

The Romance of oar Cup of Tea

(From an Exchange.) Nearly 5000 years ago, a famouar Chinese scholar of his day wrote of tea (or “tcha 77 as his countrymen called it): “Tea is better than wine, for it leadeth not to intoxication. 7 7 To-day it is the most universally used and enjoyed of all beverages. Throughout the world, be it in England or America, Asia or Alaska, the traveller may enjoy his cup of tea with the same relish as in his own little home town. It is a strange fact that, though popular amongst Orientals of all ranks and classes for thousands of years, tea was not introduced into Europe until loss than four hundred years ago. Tho tea plant hard, glossy leaves, and in its natural unplucked state would grow to twenty or more feat in height. In the gardens, however, it is kept to a small bush from four to six feet high. The flowers, creamy white in colour, are somewhat similar to the dog-rose, and the soft green berry or pod, which follows, contains one, two or threo white seeds. History is a trifle vague on the point, but tho wisest authorities tell us that the birthplace of tho tea plant was China, though Assam also claims tho honour. The first consignment of tea to England shores was of 143i1b, and was sent home by the British East India Company. Tea was first welcomed more as a medicine than a general beverage, and Samuel Pepys, writing in 1660, described it as ‘‘a drink which Mr. Pelling the Pothiacary tells her (his wife) is good for her cold. 77 In 1657 the first tea house was opened in Exchange Alley, London, by Thomas Garway, where the leaf was sold at prices from 16s to 50s per pound. Though China, India and Ceylon are the great tea-producing countries, the leaf is also grown, but in varying quan tities, in Java, Sumatra, Siam, Japan, Southern Russia, aud even in Carolina, U.S.A. Within tho British Empire tea is to be found under cultivation in parts of South, East and West Africa. Though China is tho home of the plant and tho largest tea-drinking country of the world, tho export of China tea to-day is comparatively small. On an Indian or Ceylon garden the first step is to clear land, for the nursery in which the young tea plants are to start life. This often entails a terrific amount of work, not not in clearing away jungle, but often in blasting away solid rock. Tho seeds, which are first planted in special beds, are later transplanted to the nursery proper, where they are carefully guarded from the scorching sun and from wandering beasts. They are again transplanted, when they reach a foot in height, into the garden, in rows four feet apart. Four, or sometimes five years 7 later the plucking commences. In India the young leaf is picked every twelve days from April to December, and all the year round in Ceylon and Java. Tho leaf is gathered into baskets, weighed, and then spread on wire trays to “wither 77 by the natural heat of tho sun for eighteen hours. Then the tea is rolled so that the juices are well mixed and a distinct “curl 77 given to the leaf. As the result of an hour’s rolling the leaf turns yellow, and it. is then sifted to separate the finer from the coarser. To bring about “fermentation 77 the leaf is piled on a series of trays between which the air can freely pass. Once again the tea changes colour, now to the rich copper shade which wo know so well, and a current of hot air is passed over it to prevent further fermentation. The average size of a garden is 300 acres, owned, generally, together with many others, by a London company who appoint resident managers. The manual work is done by coolies—men, women and children. Native doctors, resident on the garden, attend them in sickness, firewood is provided free, and food, principally rice, they either grow on a small patch of land outside their huts or it is sold to them at cost by the company. The Chinese tea “farm 77 is worked and owned by the small farmer. The farm is quite small, usually of less than five acres. When made, the tea is sold at the local “hong 77 or market, the buyer taking it to the general “hong 77 at once of the coastal towns, where it is again auctioned. It is plucked in midApril, again three weeks later, and finally a last plucking is made at the end of six weeks. When a consignment of tea arrives in England the merchant’s broker offers it for sale at the London Mincing Lane sales room, having previously sent catalogues to all London wholesalers, who, if interested, have already drawn samples. Mincing Lane is London’s centre of the wholesale tea trade—a place throbbing with life and activity, where thousands of tons of tea are blended for the great catering firms of Britain. This vast place gives rise to one of the strangest of professions—that of the tea-taster. These tea-tasters are highly skilled men with exceptional palates. Tea is the weight of a sixpence is brewed, and is then allowed to stand for six minutes. Then each brew is tested by a taster, who relies not only upon his mouth, turniug the liquid on his tongue, but upon his nose, smelling the infused leaves. The work of tho teataster —queer profession as it must; seem to many —is of tho utmost importance; upon his decision depends the favour of the millions. Thus does tea come from the garden to our table. It is a refreshing, economical beverage, which for four hundred years has been the favourite of Kings and Queens of England and tho inspiration of many clever men. Doctor Johnson admitted: *1 am a hardened tea drinker, whose kettle has hardly time to cool, 77 aud of Queen Anne at Hampton Court it was written: Hero thou, groat Annal Whom throe realms obey, Dost sometimes counsel take —and sometimes tea.