“The question whether delicacy is due to altitude alone and not to manufacture might be ascertained by experiment. Let a quantity of green leaf be sent down from one of the Neilgherry gardens, and worked up in the plains at the foot of the hills, and an equal quantity sent up from one of the Assam gardens, say to Shillong, and manufactured on the Neilgherry principles there, and the result then compared. This experiment would cost little and determine a not unimportant question: for all engaged in Tea are interested in using their best endeavours to fit it for public consumption, and to guard it against Chinese in any shape or form whatever.”
Note by the Author.—That “delicacy of flavour,” and “want of strength” with it, is due to altitude has long ago been admitted, and any experiments on that head would, I think, be quite unnecessary. The experiments as to manufacture on the Neilgherries are interesting, and should be further looked into.
E. M.
I have at last completed experiments with a view to do away with the use of charcoal in Tea manufacture, and I think with success.
The “Furnace Teas,” for so I purpose naming them, have in most cases been pronounced by the Calcutta brokers to be superior to similar samples of the same day’s leaf, made in the usual way over charcoal.
Nothing but the heat generated by any fuel placed in furnaces sunk under ground outside the Tea-house is used. No motive power of any kind is employed. The apparatus is very simple. It is cheap to erect and very durable in character.
As the apparatus with which the Teas up to the present time have been made is a rude and imperfect one, having disadvantages which must tell more or less on the excellence of the Teas so manufactured, and as, even with these disadvantages, the Teas are pronounced by the brokers at least equal to charcoal-dried Teas, it is not too much to hope that with a perfect apparatus (one of which will be erected immediately) Teas will be improved in value by this new invention. The following will be shortly the advantages of this new process, even supposing the Teas are no better:—
1. Economy.—This will possibly be even greater than what is set out in the extract of the local paper below; for the fact that the Tea is never placed over charcoal until the whole is ignited, and has become “live charcoal,” is not there recognized, much of the caloric thus escapes.
2. Cleanliness and absence of charcoal dust.