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, 3-1/2 inches high, the other cane, with bamboo sides, 1-1/4 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.

Both kinds are numbered according to the number of orifices in one linear inch. Thus a No. 6 sieve has six orifices to the inch in both; but in the brass kind, a No. 6 has six orifices _including_ the wire; in the Chinese kind, the cane between each aperture is _not_ included in the measure. Thus the orifice in a No. 6 Chinese sieve is exactly 1/6th of an inch square, but somewhat less in a brass sieve.

As I well know brass sieves cannot remain in favour after the others have been only once tried, I shall confine my directions to the Chinese kind.[52]

I practise, and I advise, Tea to be sifted daily. The Tea made one day, sifted the day after, and in fact stored away in the bins ready sifted. I find it is more carefully done this way, for by the other plan a larger quantity being done at once by several men, they cannot, from want of practice, be expert. But by the daily plan one, two, or three men, as necessary, can always be kept on the work, and consequently they learn and do it well.

To sift the following, Chinese sieves are required; and if daily sifting is resorted to, they will be found ample for any ordinary-sized garden:--

4 of No. 4
6 of No. 6
6 of No. 7
9 of No. 9
9 of No. 10
6 of No. 12
4 of No. 16.

Previous to sifting all red leaf should be picked out of the Tea. This, as stated under the head of “Manufacture,” should be done twice before the “roll” is fired; but towards the end of the season especially, some will still remain in the made Tea, and this must be carefully separated.

From what I have said it is evident that no rules can be laid down as to what sieves to employ to get out certain Teas. Only practice can teach this.

Further, practice can only enable you to judge in a Tea broker’s point of view of different classes of Tea. This essay would, however, be incomplete did it not contain a description of these. Such a description has been ably given by Mr. J. H. Haworth in his “Information and Advice for the Tea Planter from the English Market” (_Journal, A. & H. Society of India, Vol. XIV._), and, as his knowledge on the subject is far in advance of mine, and consequently more to the point than any description I could give, I will close this chapter with the following extract from his valuable pamphlet, and trust he will excuse my doing so:--

_Of the Different Classes of Tea._

Teas are arranged in various classes according to the size, make,
and colour of the leaf. I treat first and principally of the Black
descriptions, as Green Teas are manufactured in only a few of the
Tea-growing districts of India.

The following classes come under the name of Black Tea:--

Flowery Pekoe. { Broken Pekoe.
Orange Pekoe. { Pekoe Dust.
Pekoe. The various broken { Broken Mixed Tea.
Pekoe Souchong. kinds, viz.:-- { Broken Souchong.
Souchong. { Broken Leaf.
Congou. { Fannings.
Bohea. { Dust.

We occasionally meet with other names, but they are generally
original, and ought not to be encouraged, as a few simple terms like
the above are sufficiently comprehensive to describe all classes
manufactured.

Perhaps before entering into a detailed description of the various
classes it will be well to explain the term “Pekoe” (pronounced
Pek-oh), which as we see occurs in so many of the names above quoted.
It is said to be derived from the Chinese words “Pak Ho,” which are
said to signify white down. The raw material constituting Pekoe when
manufactured is the young bud just shooting forth, or the young
leaf just expanded, which on minute examination will be found to be
covered with a whitish velvety down. On firing these young leaves,
the down simply undergoes a slight change in colour to grey or
greyish yellow, sometimes as far as a yellowish orange tint.

When the prepared Tea consists entirely of greyish or greenish
greyish Pekoe, with no or very little dark leaf mixed, it is called
Flowery Pekoe.

Flowery Pekoe is picked from the shrub entirely separate from the
other descriptions of Tea, only the buds and young leaves being
taken. In the preparation it is not subjected so severely to the
action of heat as the other classes of Tea, and generally preserves
a uniform greenish grey or silvery grey tint. Its strength in liquor
is very great, flavour more approaching that of Green Teas, but
infinitely superior, having the strength and astringency, without the
bitterness, of the green descriptions. The liquor is pale, similar to
that of Green Tea, and the infused leaf is of a uniform green hue. In
many instances, where too much heat has been employed, we find dark
leaves intermixed, and the prevailing colour, green, is sprinkled
with leaves of a salmony brown tinge, which is the proper colour for
the out-turn of any other ordinary black leaf Tea. A very common
mistake is to call an ordinary Pekoe, that may contain an extra
amount of Pekoe ends, Flowery Pekoe. When this class of Tea is strong
and of Flowery Pekoe flavour, it is called by the trade a Pekoe of
Flowery Pekoe kind. In England Flowery Pekoe sells, as a rule, from
4_s._ 6_d._ to 6_s._ 6_d._ per lb. One parcel has sold as high as
7_s._ 6_d._

By many people the expediency of making Flowery Pekoe is much
doubted. The true Flowery Pekoe leaf is the one undeveloped bud at
the end of each twig. To pick this alone, without any ordinary Pekoe
leaves, involves a great deal of trouble and expense, and I think
though the Flowery Pekoe be very valuable, that the account would
hardly balance when we consider the deterioration of the Pekoe by the
abstraction of the young leaves.

The ordinary Pekoe is a Tea of blackish or greyish blackish aspect,
but dotted over with greyish or yellowish leaves which, on close
inspection, will be found to possess the downy appearance which
gives the name to Pekoe. In general we do not find the whole leaf
covered with down, but only part of it, which in its growth has been
developed later than the other parts. These are called by the trade
“Pekoe ends” when very small Pekoe tips. A Pekoe is generally of good
to fine flavour, and very strong, and its liquor dark. Its value is
from 2_s._ 9_d._ to 3_s._ 8_d._ per lb.

When the Pekoe ends are of yellowish or orange hue, and the leaf is
very small and even, the Tea is called Orange Pekoe. In flavour it is
much the same as an ordinary Pekoe, and many growers do not separate
the two varieties, but send them away in the finished state mixed
together. Its value is from 2_d._ to 4_d._ per lb. more than Pekoe.

The term Pekoe Souchong is generally applied to a Pekoe that is
deficient in Pekoe ends, or to a bold, Souchong class leaf with a
few ends mixed. We often meet with it applied to an unassorted Tea,
including perhaps Souchong, Congou, a few Pekoe ends, and some broken
leaves. Prices range from 2_s._ 3_d._ to 2_s._ 10_d._

The name of Broken Pekoe indicates at once what class of Tea it is,
namely, Pekoe which has been broken in the manipulation or otherwise.
It possesses the strength and fine flavour of a full leaf of Pekoe,
being therefore only inferior to it in point of leaf. In value it is
very little inferior to Pekoe, sometimes as valuable, or even more
so, as owing to the frangibility of the tender Pekoe ends, they are
sometimes broken off in very large quantity, thus adding to the value
of the broken Tea, though at the same time deteriorating the Pekoe.
Prices from 2_s._ 6_d._ to 3_s._ 4_d._

Pekoe dust is still smaller broken, so small in fact as actually to
resemble dust. It is of great strength, though often not pure in
flavour, as frequently any dust or sweepings from other Tea is mixed
with it to make the lot larger. The price of Pekoe dust may range
from 1_s._ 6_d._ to 2_s._ 8_d._

A Tea only slightly broken is often called by the planter Pekoe
Dust; again an Orange Pekoe is often called Broken Pekoe, and the
converse. A knowledge of the signification of these and other terms
would teach the grower to be very careful in marking his Teas, as the
nomenclature influences to a great extent the sale in the home market.

Having described the finer Teas, we now come to the consideration of
the classes of Tea which form the bulk of the manufacture of a garden.

Souchong may be taken as the medium quality, and when experience and
skilled labour are employed in the manufacture as the bulk of the
produce of an estate. The qualifications for being comprehended under
this term are just simply an even, straight, or slightly curved leaf,
in length varying say from 1/2 inch to 1-1/2 inch. It has not the
deep strength of Pekoe, but is generally of good flavour and of fair
strength. The prices of Souchong are from 1_s._ 10_d._ to 2_s._ 8_d._

Congou comes next. It may be either a leaf of Souchong kind, but too
large to come under that class, or though of smallish-sized leaf,
too unevenly made, or too much curled (so as to resemble little
balls) to be so classified. The flavour is much the same as that of
Souchong, but the Tea has not so much strength. Some of the lower and
large leaf kinds may be only worth perhaps from 1_s._ 3_d._ to 1_s._
6_d._, whereas the finer qualities sell as high as 2_s._ to 2_s._
3_d._ per lb.

Bohea is again lower than a Congou. It may be either of too large
a leaf to be called Congou, or, as is generally the case, it may
consist principally of old leaf, which on being fired does not attain
the greyish blackish colour which is so desirable for all the black
leaf kinds except Flowery Pekoe, but remains of a brownish or even
pale yellowish hue. It has scarcely any strength, and is generally
of coarse flavour, sometimes not, but is never of much value unless
of _Namuna_ kind (a term which will be described hereafter). We may
quote prices at from 3_d._ to 1_s._ 2_d._ per lb.

We now come to the broken descriptions of these middle and lower
classes of Tea.

Broken Mixed Tea is, as its name imports, a mixture of the various
kinds of Tea broken. It may have a very wide range, include some of
the lower classes or approach Broken Pekoe in character and value,
but the kind usually thus named is a Tea worth from 1_s._ 8_d._ to
2_s._ 6_d._, generally of a blackish aspect, and containing a few
Pekoe ends.

The term Broken Souchong is commonly and appropriately applied to a
Tea which, though broken, has some approach to a full leaf, and that
of the even Souchong character. Its value may vary, say from 1_s._
6_d._ to 2_s._ 2_d._

Broken leaf is a term of great comprehensiveness, but generally is
used to signify a Tea worth from 8_d._ to 1_s._ 1_d._ per lb. It
may be of a brownish, brownish blackish, or blackish colour. Its
strength is seldom great, but its flavour may be fair or good, but in
the lower qualities it is generally poor, thin, or coarse. It would
be better to employ this term only as a general name of Broken Tea,
and not to use it to signify any particular class, as it is very
indefinite.

Fannings is similar in colour and class of leaf to broken leaf as
described above; in value also much the same, perhaps on the average
a little lower. I suppose, in most cases, the mode of its separation
from the other classes of Tea is, as its name implies, by fanning.

Dust is a very small broken Tea, so small, in fact, as to approach
the minuteness of actual dust. It is often very coarse, or “earthy”
in flavour, owing perhaps to sweepings and dust having become mixed
with it. Its value is from 6_d._ to 1_s._ 6_d._ In any Tea of this
class worth more than these quotations, a few Pekoe ends or tips
will generally be found, which bring it under the name of Pekoe Dust.

We will now look at Black Teas in a body, and point out what is
desirable and what is objectionable in them.

We have seen that all Teas which contain Pekoe fetch higher prices
than others, consequently we infer that Pekoe is a desideratum. If
we glance at the descriptions of the various classes of Tea which
have been given above, we shall find that it is an element of
strength and good flavour. I do not mean to say that any Pekoe is
stronger or of better flavour than any Tea which does not contain
Pekoe, as the soil, the climate, the cultivation, the manufacture,
and various other causes, may influence the strength and flavour of
different Teas; but, as a rule, in Teas that are produced under the
same circumstances, the classes containing Pekoe are stronger and of
better flavour than those without it.

There is another class of Tea which I have not yet described that
possesses very great strength and very fine flavour. This is the
class known as the “Namuna” kind. All readers of these pages who
have been connected with India any time will recognise the word,[53]
though they may not quite see how it comes to occupy the position
in which we consider it. It is said that its first application in
this manner arose from a planter having sent to England some sample
boxes of Tea with the ticket “namuna” on them. These Teas happened
to be of the peculiar description which now goes by that name, and
which I proceed to describe. The London brokers have always since
then applied the name “namuna” to this class of Tea. The leaf may
have, perhaps, the ordinary greyish blackish aspect, with generally
a greenish tinge. In the pot it produces a very pale liquor, but
on tasting it its quality belies the poor thin appearance of the
infusion. It is very strong, stronger by far than ordinary Pekoe; in
flavour, say, about half-way between a Flowery Pekoe and a Green Tea,
quite distinct from the Flowery Pekoe flavour, possessing somewhat
of the rasping bitterness of the Green Tea class with the flavour a
little refined. The out-turn is generally green, sometimes has some
brownish leaves mixed. Any of the black leaf Teas may be of this
Class, from the Pekoe to the lowest dust, and all throughout the
scale, if the flavour be distinct and pure, may have their value
enhanced from 4_d._ to 10_d._ per lb.

Similar in every respect, except one, is the Oolong kind. The one
wanting quality is the strength, sometimes, by-the-bye, the flavour
is a little different. It may have the greenish, greyish blackish
leaf (though generally the green leaves are distinct from black ones,
the Tea thus being composed of greyish blackish leaves with a few
green ones intermixed), always has the pale liquor, generally the
greenish infused leaf; but sometimes it is sadly intermingled with
black leaves, as it is a Tea whose flavour is frequently burnt out,
though its weakness and green appearance are no doubt often caused
by deficient firing. Teas of this kind on the average sell below the
ordinarily-flavoured Teas of the same class of leaf.

In Teas of ordinary flavour the following rules hold good:--The
darker the liquor the stronger the Tea, and the nearer the approach
of the colour of the infused leaf to a uniform salmony brown, the
purer the flavour. Whenever we see any black leaves mixed with
it (the out-turn) the Tea has been over-fired, and we may either
expect to find the strength burnt out of it, or else to find it
marred by having a burnt or smoky flavour incorporated with it.
When you come across an altogether black or dirty brown out-turn,
you may be certain of pale liquor containing little or no strength
and no flavour to speak of, unless sometimes it be sour. This is a
quality which I shall now touch upon, and regret that I cannot with
any certainty give any reliable information whereby the planter
may guard against this greatest of faults. It may have various
grades,--slightly sourish, sourish, and sour, depreciating the value
of the Tea, say, from 3_d._ to 1_s._ 6_d._ per lb. The flavour of a
sour Tea is hardly capable of description. It is not so acid as sour
milk, in fact, not acid at all, rather a sweet flavour than otherwise
being blended with the sourness. It is extremely unpleasant in its
more developed grades, and cannot be easily understood except by
actual tasting. To the uninitiated this fault is only perceptible in
the more strongly marked instances, but to one of the trade the least
tendency to it not only condemns the parcel at once, but also causes
him to suspect any other lots made at the same or any other time by
the same grower, and it is a curious but unaccountable fact that some
two or three gardens (or growers?) almost always produce Teas having
this fault. I will not cite all the different explanations that have
been offered on this subject; I will simply quote the one which
seems to have gained most ground, and leave those more competent than
myself to express any opinion on the subject. The cause assigned to
which I refer is that the Tea leaf after being picked is allowed to
remain too long in the raw state before being fired, during which
time it undergoes a process of fermentation; some then say that
this causes sourness, while others maintain that the fermentation
is absolutely necessary for the production of a Black Tea. The fact
that we never meet with sourness in a Green Tea, one feature in the
preparation of which being that it is fired almost immediately on
being gathered, goes to corroborate this view.

Burntness I have already referred to. As I said before, it may either
destroy the strength and flavour altogether, or sometimes, without
destroying the strength, add an unpleasant burnt flavour to it.
When the Tea has the flavour of smoke about it, it is called smoky
or smoky burnt. By being burnt, a Tea may be deteriorated in value,
say from 2_d._ to 1_s._ per lb. The symptoms of burntness are a dead
black leaf (as opposed to the greatly-desired greyish, blackish
colour) having a burnt smell which often entirely neutralises the
natural aroma of the Tea. In looking over a broker’s character of
a parcel of Teas, you may occasionally meet with the terms “fresh
burnt,” “brisk burnt,” or “malty burnt.” These phrases do not carry
a condemnatory meaning with them. The meaning of the word burnt, as
used here, would be better expressed by the term “fired.” The term
“malty” means of full rich flavour, perhaps from the aroma of this
class of Tea resembling somewhat that of malt. Teas of the three
above descriptions, you may have noticed, often fetch very good
prices. The meaning of the word “full,” applied to a liquor, is
hardly appreciable except by tasting. It does not signify strength
or flavour, but is opposed to thinness. A Green Tea may be strong or
of good flavour, but its liquor is never full. Fulness is generally
characterised by a dark liquor. The quality known as “body” in a wine
is somewhat akin to fulness in a Tea. We speak of a “full” leaf Tea
in contradistinction to a broken leaf. “Chaffy” is generally used in
connection with Bohea and other brown leaf classes of Tea. A light
(in weight) brown, open or flat leaf, in fact, one resembling chaff,
would be called chaffy. The lower classes of Tea, especially the
dusts, are often described as “earthy” in flavour. By this a coarse
low flavour is understood, perhaps often caused by the admixture of
real dust.

When the make of a Tea is spoken of as a “well made,” “fairly made,”
&c., leaf, the effect of the manipulation or rolling is referred
to. We may have a “well made even,” or a “well made mixed large and
small,” leaf. We may have a “straight” or “curled,” or, as the latter
is generally expressed when applied to a large leaf Tea, “twisted”
leaf. It may be “flattish made,” indicating that though the leaf is
not open it wears a flattish aspect, or it may be open, which betrays
a want of sufficient or skilful manipulation. A “wiry” leaf is small,
perfectly rolled, and very thin (in diameter), generally rather
curled, so as in fact to resemble small pieces of bent wire. It
will be seen at once that only the finer Teas can have a wiry leaf,
principally the Orange Pekoes and Pekoes. Sometimes we meet with a
fine Souchong that may be thus described.

_Green Teas._

As in the North-west Provinces Green Teas form the bulk of the
produce, it will be well to give a short description of them, though
the tenor of my remarks below will show the general opinion as to the
desirability of making them.[54]

Gunpowder is the most valuable description, its price ranging from
2_s._ 8_d._ to 3_s._ 8_d._ per lb. Instead of possessing the long and
thin finished leaf, which is the desideratum of Black Teas, it is
rolled into little balls more or less round, varying from one-eighth
to one-quarter of an inch in diameter. Sometimes it is not altogether
composed of round leaf, but has some long leaf mixed.

When the Tea is of the shape of Gunpowder, but is larger than the
size above quoted, it is called Imperial. Prices of Imperial are from
10_d._ to 2_s._ 6_d._

Amongst Green Teas Hyson may be taken as the parallel of Souchong
of the black leaf descriptions. Undoubtedly there is often much
young Pekoe leaf in it, but all chance of _discriminating_ it in the
finished leaf is done away with by the change in colour. Hysons sell
from 1_s._ 2_d._ to 3_s._ 6_d._

Young Hyson is smaller than Hyson, occasionally slightly broken. It
fetches from 7_d._ to 2_s._ 6_d._

Hyson skin consists of the bold broken leaf of Hyson and Young
Hyson. A small broken Green Tea is seldom sent on the home market.
The reason of this is obvious. When we consider that Hyson skin only
fetches from 7_d._ to 1_s._, it is apparent that anything approaching
a dust would give very little chance of a profit. I have seen one or
two parcels, too much broken to come under the title of Hyson skin,
sell at 3_d._ to 6_d._ per lb. in London. It would be well if some
of the Indian planters would take a lesson from the Chinese, and
not send home their very low Teas, black or green, as they are very
difficult of sale in London, and in many cases cannot pay the cost
of packing and shipping. The Chinese make a great quantity of their
broken Teas into Brick Tea, and send it into the Central Provinces of
Asia, where it meets with a ready sale. I do not see why this should
not be done by the Indian growers. There is a large consumption of
Tea on the other side of the Himalayas, not very far from Darjeeling
and Assam. I hear also that in the neighbourhood of the growing
districts, especially in the North-west Provinces, the natives are
beginning to consume largely, and will pay 8 as. to 1 rupee for a
Tea that could not possibly fetch more than 1_s._ to 1_s._ 6_d._ per
lb. in England. Whether the natives of India, as a whole, do or do
not take to drinking Tea will have a material effect on the future
prospects of the article.

Before dropping the subject of Green Teas, I will say a word or two
as to the expediency of making Green Tea. I have questioned several
experienced people on the subject, but none can tell me their
especial object in manufacturing their leaf into Green Tea. One
gentleman told me that he thought it was because their Tea-makers
(Chinamen) knew better how to make greens than blacks. I have
carefully examined the leaf of several of the North-west Green Teas,
and, noticing their English sale prices, consider that they would
have sold on the average at least 3_d._ per lb. higher had they been
made into Black Tea. The best way to test this would be to have a
Green and a Black Tea made from the same leaf, and then to value the
one against the other. I regret that I have never had the opportunity
of doing this. We notice that the largest and most experienced
producers never make Green Tea.[55]

I must not pass over Caper without a short description. It is a Tea
which is made in large quantity in China, though I have only seen one
parcel of Indian growth. It forms a link between the black and green
descriptions. The colour of the leaf is a very dark green; in form it
is similar to a gunpowder, Imperial, or round leaf Congou. The liquor
is pale, and the out-turn green; flavour perhaps nearer to that of a
green than of a Black Tea.

FOOTNOTES:

[51] We have yet to see what Jackson’s machine can do.

[52] Even to break Tea on them it is a mistake to use brass sieves. Tea is best broken by a wooden roller, heavily weighed with lead, run in. The glaze or gloss on Tea is thus preserved.

[53] I need hardly remark that the Hindustani word _Namuna_ (pronounced _Nemoona_) means _sample_.

[54] I think I need hardly pause to correct the popular error that the Green and Black Teas are made from two different species of plant. Most of my readers will know that they are both made from the same leaf, the difference lying only in the manufacture.

[55] Note to Third Edition.--As previously stated in foot-note page 133, Green Teas are now but little used in Great Britain.