MODERN METHODS OF CULTIVATION, ETC. 61 



of twenty to twenty-five feet. The oval, toothed leaves, 

 which are about an inch long and very smooth, were 

 once extensively used by the natives of North America 

 as tea, the preparation of the beverage being very 

 similar to that of ordinary tea. 



The method of preparing_cassin was comparatively 

 simple. The leaves and tender young branches were 

 carefully picked, the season chosen being the time of 

 harvest. The leaves were dried in the sun or shade 

 and afterwards roasted in ovens, remains of which are 

 still found in the Cherokee region. The roasted leaves 

 were kept in baskets in a dry place until needed for use. 

 An infusion of cassine leaves with boiling water gives, 

 after cooling, a liquor of little taste and slight odour. 

 But, if boiled for an hour, the infusion becomes a very 

 dark liquid, resembling strong black tea of an odour 

 not unlike that of Oolong tea. Tfre taste is similar to 

 that of inferior black tea, quite bitter, but with little 

 flavour. 



Besides the different varieties of " tea " described 

 above, there are several plants the leaves of which are 

 used by people in various parts of the world for the 

 preparation of a refreshing drink. Thus, in the Aus- 

 tralian colonies the leaves of species of Leptospermum 

 and Melaleuca, plants belonging to the Eucalyptus 

 family, have been employed as tea, though the quality 

 is not all that could be desired. The famous " Bush- 

 man tea " of South Africa is prepared from Cyclopia 

 genistoides, and the lemon grass yields an infusion which 

 is drunk by natives of some of the inland districts of 

 India. " Bourbon tea," sometimes known as " Faham 

 tea," is especially interesting since it is one of the very 

 few examples of a product of economic value derived 

 from the Orchid family. The orchid in question is 

 Angraecum fragrans, which is found growing as an 



