44 HOLLY-LEAP TEA. 



XL— On Holly-leaf Tea. By Alex. Forsyth, C.M.H.S., 



St. Mary's Church, Torquay. 



(Communicated December 2nd, 1852.) 



In all civilised countries, and particularly iu warm climates, a 

 beverage similar to tea must be had, for, although the savage cau 

 exist upon dry roots, bark of trees, and things of that description, 

 it has been generally remarked that nations highly civilised use a 

 great deal of liquid along with their food. In warm climates 

 intoxicating drinks would brutalise society, for nature craves 

 compensation for her loss by heat, and strong drink in proportion 

 to that would be unreasonable. I am assured by my schoolfellows 

 now residing in India, that though they abstain from wine and 

 spirits, they could not live without tea or coffee. 



Among the commodities exported from Paraguay, conspicuous 

 is the celebrated Paraguay Tea, to which I now beg to direct atten- 

 tion; and lest any one should imagine that this Paraguay Tea-plant 

 is either a novelty or a thing of little note, I must state that in La 

 Plata, Peru, Chili, and Quito, as well as in Paraguay, it has been 

 the staple tea-tree for half a century at least, and rich and poor 

 indulge in this beverage at every meal ; and when we look at the 

 vast extent of this territory, which is larger than the whole of Europe, 

 and see its natural advantages of soil and climate producing the finest 

 fruits and grain in the greatest abundance, the wines of France or 

 Portugal, or the ale of England, could easily be had if either of 

 them had been preferred. Only imagine a river so wide that 

 sailing in the centre you could not see the land on either side — 

 such is the Rio de la Plata, which overflows like the Nile, and 

 enriches the land for grain crops, as well as tills it without 

 labour. Here then we have the Jesuits, a society of the most 

 learned men, inhabiting one of the finest countries in the world, 

 and with such a river, a regular " high way of nations " for traffic, 

 choosing a serrated-leaved Ilex to make tea from, for the Paraguay 

 Tea-tree is the Ilex Paraguariensis, the manufacture of which into 

 the beverage in question is extremely simple, and the produce is 

 so good that the Creoles are said to be addicted to it even to 

 excess. It is said to be stimulating to the slothful, and to 

 encourage sleep in those that are restless, and is extolled for many 

 virtues which, no doubt, it never possessed ; yet all agree that it 

 is perfectly harmless, being diuretic and aperient. The " black 

 drink " of the American Indians is reported to be manufactured 

 from the leaves of Ilex Dahoon, Ilex vomitoria, and Ilex Cassine, 



