TESTING, BLENDING AND PREPARING. 187 



and more natural. Another good blend intended for the 

 same trade may be made from a combination of equal 

 proportions of a cheap but clean and free liquoring Black- 

 leaf Congou, Broken-leaf Assam and a Scented Caper 

 Foochow if the price should permit. 



10. (Medium to Choice) Foundation : 10 pounds 

 Padrae Congou or Oolong, 2 pounds thick " fruity " Kiu- 

 kiang or delicate Kintuck and I pound Foochow 

 Orange or Flowery Pekoe make a fragrant and aromatic 

 tea in affiliation, the three flavors assimilating as if 

 governed by the law of gravitation. This will be found 

 a tea combining strength and delicacy at the same time 

 and well appreciated, as the chief difficulty in tea blend- 

 ing is the production of these two qualities in the same 

 tea at the same time. 



INDO-CHINA TEA BLENDS. 



The selection of India teas for blending is more diffi- 

 cult than that of either China or Japan, most India teas 

 possessing a sharp, acrid or " baked " flavor not found in 

 the former kinds and the natural result of excess of 

 tannin and artificial curing. These " peculiarities " con- 

 sumers in this country greatly dislike, and to such an 

 extent that is only when the finest grades are used that 

 they can be neutralized, disguised or well-tempered with 

 the heavier bodied China sorts that they will use them at all. 

 For an " all-India blend " the best plan is to mix three 

 or four different district kinds together in equal quantities 

 a strong, heavy Assam, a brisk and pungent Cachar, a 

 soft and juicy Deradoon and high-flavored Kangra or 

 Darjeeling ; the latter will impart a distinctive tone to 

 the entire combination. But fairly excellent results may 

 also be obtained from a blend composed of equal parts 

 of Cachar and Darjeeling alone. 



