36 



The chief objection to the use of tea seems to me to arise not from 

 tlie theine content of the infusion, but from its tannic acid content when 

 not rightly prepared. As ordinarily prepared by estimable old ladies the 

 infusion of tea contains small amounts of more or less volatile oil, a 

 small per cent, of theine, some coloring matter, and loads of tannic acid. 

 Last year my landlady happened to be both estimable and orthodox and 

 prepared my tea in the regulation fashion. In order to convince her of 

 the error of her ways I carried over a test tube of lead acetate solution 

 and, calling her attention to my cup of tea, I precipitated a heavy mass 

 of bulky lead tannate in my cup, much to her surprise. On being in- 

 formed that the result Avas due to the presence of tannic acid in the tea 

 she exclaimed, "Why! I didn't think my grocer would do such a thing!" 

 I think she never quite forgave that grocer even although I explained to 

 her that the tannic acid gi'ew in the tea plant and that she herself 

 extracted it by long steeping. I had to get a tea ball and make my own 

 infusion at the table to get well-made tea. It is true they called me 

 "Miss" Wade after that, but I knew that the orthodox tea was fit only 

 to tan hides, and I had too much resi>ect for my interior to continue 

 its use. 



A short time ago a friend and I visited a celebrated local Chinese 

 tea shop in order to test the quality of the tea. While the genial pro- 

 prietor, Mr. Moy Kee, slumbered peacefully in his x-eclining chair my 

 friend and I spied out the land in the rear of the curtain partition. Upon 

 a lighted gas stove a blue granite ware tea kettle was boiling merrily. 

 The proper amount of tea was put in a vessel, the boiling water poured 

 over it and almost immediately poured off into the china teapot in which 

 it was served to us. I do not. myself, particularly like the flavor of 

 Chinese teas, but this tea was Avell made and very free from a stringency. 

 We noticed upon the menu cards two interesting names of teas — "Before 

 the Rain," and "After the Rain." I was at a loss to understand the der- 

 ivation of these names until next day at dinner, when, in discussing 

 her method of making tea with my new landlady she told me that her 

 method was just like Moy Kee's and that she found it very economical, 

 as you could get an excellent second cup of tea from the grounds by re- 

 extracting them. I knew then that my first cup of tea had been "Before 

 the Rain" and my second cup "After the Rain." 



In order to show strikingly the difference in the tannic acid content 

 between tea prepared after the Chinese fashion of quick extraction by 



