TERNSTREMIACEZ.. 187 
At present we have not had an opportunity of examining 
many samples of Chinese or Java tea that could be accepted 
as authentic, but so far as we have been able to judge the 
- amount of theine is less than in the tea of India and Ceylon. 
_ But, so far as the tea of India and Ceylon is concerned, it is 
“at least evident from the data’above given, as compared with 
_ the prices mentioned, that the marketable value of tea is not 
to any great extent dependeut on, or proportionate to, _ 
_ the amount of theine it may contain, however important that — 
constituent may be in other respects. Neither can the 
‘strength’’ of tea, as that term is generally understood, be 
taken as proportionate to the amount of theine. This is 
evident from the results of the analysis of the two samples, - 
26 and 27, which were selected by experienced judges of tea — 
to represent extreme cases of difference as to strength. The 
amount of theine in 27 is greater than in 26, but to such a 
ing tea is considered, it is also probable that this quality of 
“strength”? may be largely influenced in degree by the mani- 
pulation of the leaves in the process of manufacture which — 
comprises stages of fermentation and heating in the moist = 
tate in contact with atmospheric oxygen, both of which are 
nditions likely to induce alteration of material analogoue i 
rdinary tannin. But before any definite opinion on this point . 
some respects resembles ordinary tannin. 
~The commercial value of tea is at pees 
combined ap bac of several i 
