tea. Willow leaves, strawberry leaves, 

 and mulberry leaves are said to be 

 added occasionally. 



Every housewife knows that good tea 

 is expensive. Since the different teas 

 are all from the same species of plant 

 why should there be such a difference 

 in price? The expensive teas consist 

 of the very young leaves and terminal 

 branches and are carefully dried and 

 prepared under special supervision. 

 The young leaves and branches have 

 a more delicate flavor. To determine 

 whether a sample of tea consists of 

 young leaves or not soak it in water, 

 carefully roll out the leaves, and meas 

 ure them. If the majority of leaves 

 measure an inch or more in length it 

 is a poor quality. It must be remem 

 bered that even fair medium qualities 

 are mixed; that is, they consist of ma 

 ture and immature leaves. The best 

 and most expensive teas are often sold 

 at one hundred dollars per pound. 

 They are never exported, but consumed 

 by high Chinese officials. Imperial 

 tea is prepared under the direct super 

 vision of royal government officials. 



Tea owes its stimulating properties 

 to an active constituent known as thein, 

 which is in all respects similar to 

 caffein, the active constituent of coffee. 

 The flavor which is developed by the 

 drying process is due to several con 

 stituents. Besides these substances 

 tea also contains considerable tannin. 

 Tea consumed in moderate quantities 

 is beneficial rather than otherwise. Its 

 injurious properties are due to the 

 tannin, which affects digestion. If con 

 sumed in large quantities for a long 

 time the thein causes nervousness and 

 the tannin causes various dyspeptic 

 conditions. In China some chew the 

 leaves treated with arsenic to improve 

 the complexion. The whitening of the 

 complexion is, however, due to the 

 arsenic and not the tea. 



Tea is prepared in different ways in 

 different countries, nevertheless the 

 preparation of a good cup of tea is 

 comparatively simple, leaving out of 

 consideration the many paraphernalia 

 used by different nations and which 

 really have no effect except that upon 

 the imagination. The following is 

 Emperor Kien Lung's (1680) recipe 



for making tea, and which is frequently 

 found upon Chinese tea cups: "Over a 

 moderate fire place a vessel with three 

 feet, showing by its color and form that 

 it has been much used; fill with clear 

 water of melted snow and heat it until 

 the water will turn a fish white or a 

 lobster red. Pour this water into a cup 

 containing the leaves of a select vari 

 ety of tea; allow it to stand until the 

 first rising vapors, which form a dense 

 cloud, become gradually less and float 

 over the surface as a faint mist. Drink 

 this precious liquid slowly and thou 

 wilt find it a powerful dissipator of the 

 five sorro-ws which disturb our minds. 

 The sweet and peaceful rest which we 

 owe to this drink we may taste and 

 feel, but may not describe." This 

 recipe, although two hundred years 

 old, has not been improved upon. 

 Stated in a little simpler form the recipe 

 would read: In a cup with good tea 

 leaves pour clean boiling water and 

 allow to stand five or six minutes; de 

 cant and drink slowly. 



Tea leaves should never be infused 

 for a long time for several reasons. 

 The flavor dissipates and the objection 

 able tannin is more and more extracted, 

 imparting to the tea astringency and a 

 bitterness, which are not only disagree 

 able to the taste but also cause indi 

 gestion and constipation. After the 

 tea is prepared as indicated it may be 

 taken hot or cold, with or without 

 sugar, with or without cream or milk. 

 Iced tea, with a little lemon juice 

 added, is a delicious drink for hot 

 weather It is cooling besides having 

 a tendency to check excessive perspi 

 ration. Tea has also been found valu 

 able as a wash for inflammation of the 

 eyes. 



In conclusion, I wish to refer the 

 reader to an article in the July number 

 of the Cosmopolitan on "Tea-drinking 

 in many lands," by Laura B. Starr, in 

 which are related many interesting cus 

 toms relative to the use and prepara 

 tion of tea. 



Explanation of plate: A, flowering 

 branch, nearly natural size; I, flower 

 in section; 2, stamen; 3, ovary in trans 

 verse section; 4, pistil; 5 and 6, fruit, 

 with seed; 7, seed; 8, seed in sections. 



157 



