The Hybrid plant makes the best Black, the Chinese the best Green Tea.
[CHAPTER XXV.]
SIFTING AND SORTING.
Sifting is a very important item in the manufacture of Tea. Careful and judicious sifting, as contrasted with the reverse, may make a difference of two or three annas a lb. in the sale of Teas.
I was shown some Tea quite lately which, as regards “liquor,” was valued by the brokers at Re. 1-3 per lb., but the “Tea” at only 14 annas! This was entirely owing to faulty sifting and sorting.
I don’t believe in any machine for Tea sifting, simply because it is not a regular process.[51] For example, you cannot say that, to make Pekoe, you must first use one sieve, then another, and so on. The sizes of sieves to be used, and the order in which they are to be used, will vary continually, as both are decided by varying causes, viz., the comparative fineness or coarseness of the Tea made daily, the greater or less presence of red leaf in it, and (because Tea varies much during the season, and gets coarse towards the end) by the time of the year. These points all necessitate changes in the sizes, and the order of the sieves.
’Tis true sieves might be changed in a machine as required, but the only machine that could even pretend to save labour would be one in which all the sieves were arranged one below the other, and thus the Tea would fall through each alternately, the motion being common to all. But this won’t do for Tea sifting. Judgment must be used to decide the length of time each sieve is to be shaken; further, with how much motion it shall be shaken, &c., &c. But this is simply impossible with any machine, though all necessary to sift Tea well.
The cost of Tea sifting by hand (see page [161]) is not eight annas per maund, including picking out red leaf, which must be hand-work. Good and bad sifting will affect the value three annas per lb. or Rs. 15 per maund!
With all parts of Tea manufacture it is well to employ the same men continually in each department, but above all, perhaps, should this be done in Tea sifting. A good sifter is a valuable man. He knows each kind of Tea by name; he knows what sieves to use, and the order in which to use them for each Tea; what the effect a larger or smaller mesh will have on each kind, &c., &c. In fact, he knows much more of the practical part of sifting than his master can, though the latter is, probably, a better judge how far the Teas are perfect when made.
Tea sieves are of two kinds, both round. One made of brass wire, with wooden sides, 3½ inches high, the other cane, with bamboo sides, 1¼ inches high only. The latter are called “Chinese sieves,” and though the brass ones are used in many places, there is no possible comparison between them, for the labour required in the use of the brass ones is much greater, and the results, as regards well sorted Tea, much better with the Chinese.