CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION. Ill 



by India teas in a five-minute draw is incredible. While 

 China teas, under the same conditions, possesses little or 

 no trace of tannic acid, or offending the most sensitive 

 palate or constitution, but on the contrary being both 

 pleasing and refreshing to the most sensitive natures. 

 Another distinct and dubious feature of India teas is the 

 formation of a gummy or oily film which settles on top 

 of the infusion when drawn, and claimed to be very 

 injurious to the nervous system and digestive organs. 

 When first infused this substance is scarcely discernible, 

 but just as soon as the liquor begins to cool this opaque 

 coating forms and develops on top. It is of an oily, 

 creamy or gummy nature, forming a thin layer of a dull, 

 whitish-brown color, more dense than the liquor and 

 changing to a darker shade as it cools. Its nature or 

 effect has not yet been definitely determined, but 

 sufficient is known to prove that it is particularly 

 unwholesome, for their selection is also more difficult than 

 that of any other variety owing to their well-known 

 tendency to early decay, becoming sour and rancid on 

 short exposure to the oxydizing influences of the atmos- 

 phere, the greatest caution having to be exercised in 

 avoiding those that will not keep for any length of time 

 owing to this most objectionable peculiarity, losing flavor 

 quicker and decaying faster than any other kinds, not 

 even excepting low-grade Japans. This loss of flavor and 

 rapid decay is greater in some sorts than in others, the 

 grades most easily affected in this manner being the 

 highly-fired, light-flavored and open-leaf makes. 



The demand for India teas in this country is only 

 limited, owing to the present taste of consumers, and 

 there appears little hope of any increase in the future. 

 What little is sold being used chiefly for blending with 

 Lae softer and more mellow-flavored teas of China ; the 



