For Very Hard Water—Padrae, Saryune and strong, “tarry” Oonfa Congous are best, also Indias of the Assam variety and heavy-drawing Ceylons, including broken-leaf Pekoes are best adapted.
For Medium Hard Water—Flavory India Teas, including Cachars, Darjeeling and Ceylons of all kinds, first crop Panyongs and rich, thick, round Keemun Congous, Oolongs, Japans and Green Teas of all grades.
For Soft Water—All varieties and grades of Oolong, Green, Scented and Japan Teas, Ningchow, Paklin and Chingwo Congous, light-drawing Indias and Ceylons of nearly all kinds as well as all descriptions of high-flavored Teas.
PART VI.
ART OF KEEPING, SELLING AND PREPARING TEA.
The utmost care is necessary in the keeping and handling of Tea in order to prevent from deteriorating in strength and flavor or otherwise decaying until disposed of. It should therefore whenever possible be kept by itself in a moderately warm temperature and always covered over until required, and when any of the packages have been opened and the contents not all removed, care must be taken to replace the lead lining, lid and matting, so as to exclude the dust and damp as well as all foreign odors that may surround it. For this reason also Tea should never be exposed in windows or at store-doors where the air, damp and dust surely and rapidly destroy all semblance to its original condition.
All Teas when once they have ripened and become seasoned commence to decay, but there is a vast difference in the time that some varieties will last before the deterioration becomes objectionable in comparison with others. Some kinds, such as Foochow and Formosa Oolongs, keeping for a year or more. China Congous and Souchongs and Japan Teas from six to eight months, while Scented Teas, India and Ceylon Teas, after a much briefer period become dull and brackish, and it frequently happens that when the latter are a year old they are worth only half their original cost.
All Teas possessing a natural aptitude to become impregnated with foreign flavor of any product placed near it, and to absorb the foul odors by which they may be surrounded, should be kept as far apart as possible from any high-smelling articles in the dealer’s stock—such as soap, fish, spices and oils of all kinds—as they very rapidly absorb any pungent odors that may be in their immediate vicinity. And Teas have even been known to completely alter their flavor and character by being placed too close to molasses, oranges and lemons, therefore it becomes important for the dealer not to keep Teas too near any product emitting a foul or strong aroma. For this reason also they should not be dispensed out of freshly-painted bins or caddies, it being much more preferable at all times to deal them out of the original lead-lined chests, replacing the lid until required. Again, Teas should never be mixed in rainy, damp or humid weather, as they are bound to absorb and be injured by the oxydizing influences of the atmosphere, nor must they be kept too near a fire or stove, a dry, cool atmosphere of moderate temperature being always best for them.