LITTLE CUPS OF CHINESE 

 AND JAPANESE TEA 



A LTHOUGH the legend credits 



h\ the pious East Indian with 



the discovery of tea, there 



is no evidence extant that India is 



really the birthplace of the plant. 



Since India has no record of date, 

 or facts, on stone or tablet, or ever 

 handed down a single incident of 

 song or story apart from the legend 

 as to the origin of tea, one is loath 

 to accept the claim if claim they 

 assert of a people who are not above 

 practising the " black art" at every 

 turn of their fancy. 



Certain it is that China, first in 

 many things, knew tea as soon as 



5 



