Tea Composition
Introduction : Man gets tired for monotonous works. He wants relief. it is tea which removes (দুর করে) his tiredness ( ক্লান্তি), refreshes his mind ( মন সতেজ করে) and gives energy (শক্তি যোগায়). Now a days tea is the most popular drink ( জনপ্রিয় পানিয়) al over the world. Almost all people take tea daily.
Where grown : Tea is first grown in China. Now It grows in Bangladesh, India, Japan, Indonesia and Ceylon.Tea grows in hot and moist climate (আদ্র আবহাওয়া). It grows on the slope (ঢালু) of hills or hilly regions (পাহাড়ী এলাকা). It requires excessive ( প্রচুর) rain but the rain water must not stay at the root. So hilly countries are the best place for tea cultivation (চাষ). In Bangladesh there are many tea gardens in Sylhet and Chittagong.
Cultivation : Tea plants need moist climate for their growth. Tea seeds are sown in a nursery in the rainy season. The seedings are transplanted over areas in rows (সরাসরি) from four to six feet apart. The plants are watered and weeds (আগাছা) are removed timely for the smooth growth of the plants.
It grows twenty to thirty feet high in its wild state. But they are not allowed to grow so high in the garden. They are pruned ( ছাঁটা হয়) and allowed to grow for three to four feet high.
Plucking of leaves : There are four crops a year. The first plucking gives the best tea. The leaves are picked up four times a year. The first picking is done in spring, the second in May, the third in June and the fourth in August. The second picking gives larger leaves of dull green colour but they have less flavour (গন্ধ). The leaves of the third and fourth picking are of inferior quality. A large number of clllies of both sexes go out in the morning, each with a basket behind their back and gather buds and leaves.
Production : After the picking has been done, the buds and leaves are taken to a house. There the leaves and buds are dried in the sun. Then they are rolled by a machine to press out the jute. The leaves are then spread out on the floor of a moist room until their colour changes from green to copper. Then they are taken to hot-air room where they dry up completely and become black and brittle (মচমচে). Thus they are made ready to be used for drink.
Preparation : The preparation of tea is not a hard work. Water is first boiled in a kettle and some back leaves are dropped in it. This is called liquor. The infusion ( মিশ্রণ) is then poured ( ঢালা হয়) into cups. Sugar and milk are mixed and thus a tasteful cup of tea is prepared.
Use : Tea is popular drink all over the world. It is refreshing and invigorating (চাঙ্গা করে). It removes tiredness. But too much of taking tea is injurous to the health.
Conclusion : Bangladesh earns much foreign currency by exporting tea. So proper steps should be taken for increasing its production.