Introduction:
Tea is the most
popular drink in the world today. It is very refreshing an invigoration. Now a
day, it has become so popular that even in a remote village of Bangladesh a
guest or visitor is entertained with a cup of tea. It is really a good
stimulant. It is obtained from the leaves of tea plants. This plant is an
evergreen shrub.
Where
grown: Tea plants grow
well on the slope of the hills where there is much rainfall but no water stands
there. In other words, the hilly regions where rain-water does not stand are
most suitable for tea plantation. The tea grows mostly in SriLanka, China,
Japan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and India. In Bangladesh, there are tea gardens in
the hilly regions of Sylhet, Comilla and Chittagong Hill Tracks.
Process
of Cultivation:
At first the seeds are sown in nurseries. After one month the seedlings are
transplanted in the tea gardens in rows at some intervals. In their wild state
they generally grow to a height of ten or twelve feet. But they are not allowed
to grow so high in the gardens. After a certain stage in their growth the twigs
of the plants are pruned and the buds are nipped up so that they cannot reach
to a height or more than three feet or so. Generally when the plants are about
four years old, the leaves are collected for the first time.
Plucking
of leaves:
The tea leaves are plucked four times a year – in April, June, July and August.
Female workers are preferable for plucking leaves. Generally the workers go out
in the morning with the baskets slung over their back and gather the buds and
leaves.
Processing: After gathering the leaves and buds
they are rolled by machine and dried in a cauldron over a burning fire. This
time the color of the tea is gradually changed from brown to black because of
the heat and the subsequent exposure to air. After this process, tea is ready
for sale and consumption.
Preparation: The preparation of tea as a drink is
simple. Water is first boiled in a kettle and the desired quantity of the tea
dust is put in it. After a few minutes the boiled leaves are separated from the
liquor. Then the liquor is poured into a cup and some milk and sugar are mixed
with it. Thus we get as a tasty drink.
Usefulness
and bad effect: Tea
is a refreshing drink. It removes our tiredness, refreshes our mind and
stimulated our vigor and energy. It removes drowsiness and fatigue. It is now
commonly used for entertainment of guests in our country. Recently some doctors
in China opined that tea, especially green tea is an antidote to cancer and
heart diseases. But sometimes, too much taking of tea causes harm to our health
and appetite.
Conclusion:
Bangladesh
produces a large quantity of tea and earns a lot of foreign currency by
exporting it. So, the government of Bangladesh should take effective measures
to increase its production as well as to improve its quality.
0 Comment to "Tea"
Post a Comment