Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. V, October, 1850, Volume I.
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. V, October, 1850, Volume I.
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
This account of the preparation of green tea is directly opposed to that
given by Mr. Fortune, before referred to, wherein it is mentioned that the
coloring of green tea is effected by the admixture of indigo, gypsum, &c.
It would appear that both modes are practiced in China; and, with the
editor of the “Botanical Gazette,” we may ask, Is it not possible that
_genuine_ green tea is free from artificial coloring matter, and that the
Chinese, with their usual _imitative_ propensity (exercised, as travelers
tell us, in the manufacture of wooden hams, &c, for exportation), may
prepare an artificial green tea, since this fetches a higher price than
the black? If this be not the case, then we have a difficulty in
accounting for the _origin_ of the green teas; “there must have been green
teas for the foreigners to become acquainted with and acquire a preference
for, or there could not have been a demand for it.” We think Mr. Jameson
throws some additional light on the subject when he remarks, in the course
of his observations on the manufacture of green tea, “To make the bad or
light-colored leaves marketable, they undergo an artificial process of
coloring; but this I have prohibited, in compliance with the orders of the
Court of Directors, and therefore do not consider this tea at present fit
for the market.” In a foot-note he adds, “In China, this process,
according to the statement of the tea-manufacturers, is carried on to a
great extent.” Whether the process of coloring is confined solely to the
light-colored leaves of green tea, or extended to other inferior sorts, we
have no means of judging, amid such a variety of discordant statements.
After the tea is thoroughly dried, in the manner above detailed, it is
carefully hand-picked, all the old or badly curled, and also light-colored
leaves being removed, as well as any leaves of different varieties that
may have got intermixed with it. Being now quite dry, it is ready to be
packed, which is done in a very careful manner. The woods used for making
the boxes in Northern India (according to Mr. Jameson) are toon, walnut,
and saul (_Shorea robusta_), all coniferous (pine) woods being unfit for
the purpose, on account of their pitchy odor. The tea is firmly packed in
a leaden box, and soldered down, being covered with paper, to prevent the
action of air through any unobserved holes that might exist in the lead;
this leaden box is contained in the wooden one, which it is made exactly
to fit. The tea being now ready to go into the hands of the merchant, we
need carry our observations no farther, as every housewife will know
better than we can tell her how to manage her own tea-pot. We will,
therefore, conclude our remarks by submitting the following statistical
note of the imports of tea into the United Kingdom in the year 1846, with
the view of showing its commercial importance—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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