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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1881)
i78 THE WEST SHORE. July, 1881. third ami fourth leaf make the I'ckoe Souchong (third quality) and the fifth leaf make the Souchong (4th quality). These are alxiut the leading varieties of tea, the stuff retailed here at 75 cent a pound will barely reach the dignity of 4th quality whatever name it may travel under. The ojeiation of picking U one of great nicely and importance, each leaf i picked m p aralcty from the twig, the hamU of the gatherer ate kept scrupulously (.lean for that pur jtose. In puking care i taken to pluck only about two-third of the leaf, one-third licing left to protect the amall bud. The tea la gathered while- the leave are small, young and juicy. The fiikl col lection of I inch-1 leave in.ikr the Wt lea. Women and children are iikually employed at (licking;, in pr (turn ing which a small basket is hung at th side of the picker.'and a latgc one deposited near at hand for general uk. When two of !hee basket are filled man came them to tlw drying houe. The procea of curing varies in different countries. In Japan the have a they accumulate in the dry hnuc (and no more are gathered than what ran be cured the tame day)arr placed in flat baskets 30 inches in diameter by 3 incite in depth, and deposited in a atcain lath (I'age 17;) coveted with a wooden ltd for about (a seconds; the leave when taken out are then tpiead on a mat and cooled, the only apparent effect produced on them it a softening and shrinkage of the leaf, and a alight diminution of freshness of color, while it causes the leaf to retain iu green color in the dry state, thu making green tea. About five pounds of the ktcamcd leaves are then carried to pans or furnace which are made of stone 1 I'lllNKtE J401.E OK TKA ITRIXG. plastered outside, about three feet high three and a half long by two wide, (i'age 177). In the interior and close to the ground it made a charcoal fire, upon the inside of this it placed a grid iron u a supporter, over which i. placed rr" tray, into which the leaf it thrown. This tray has a wooden frame with a bottom of 5 to 6 thicknesses of tough paper which rest upon the grid iron. As the heat acts upon the leaves, a man, there being one for each fur nace, agitates and stirs them with his hands (page 178) then kneads the mass , very ' - much like . dough is worked, . being careful to 'keep the whole mass in motion, this process contin u e s for about an hour when the leaves are again cooled a n d those that have not yet assumed a dis tinct "twi8t"or curl lire picked out care fully -and again placed on the tray for additional dry. ing. The alternate heating and cooling produces the color, us with each sue cessive drying the leaf takes a darker shade. Bamboo basketsof about two and a half feet in diameter by three ' inches in depth are ' suspended from the ceilinz by small cords, the bottom of these baskets are of fine bamboo, made with interstices varying according to the fineness de sired, this grades the tea. A c a i n the paper tray receives ' the leaves which are slightly agitated for about 15 minutes ' giving the leaf its smooth surface and brightening its color, the tea is now placed in bamboo , scoops and by a dex terous tossing mo tion the dust is entirely fanned out, ; from this the tea is taken to long and low tablet (page 1S0) where any re maining stems and uncurled leaves arc ' carefully picked out by girls. Only the : very best tea it placed in jars, the ma- 1 jority U placed in rough boxes covered