86 TEA 



Trade records furnish much interesting information 

 concerning changes that have been made by various 

 countries in the placing of their orders for tea, such 

 changes marking victory after victory for India and 

 Ceylon. Until recently, China was taking her beating 

 lying down. Now, an enlightened minority is trying 

 to induce the tea -farmers to renounce traditional 

 methods of cultivation and manufacture, and adopt 

 the new methods which are practised by their rivals. 

 Competition has not led to any serious decrease of the 

 area under tea in China, and this country, as I have 

 told you, still holds the record for quantity of output. 

 In the scope which she has for transforming the immense 

 quantities of inferior, hand-prepared teas now produced 

 into superior quaUty, machine-manufactured teas, 

 Chma has great possibihties for carrying the trade war 

 into the rival's camp. 



In talking statistics, which are apt to be exhausting, 

 we have come to our journey's end, and the time for 

 us to part company is at hand. A cup of tea will be 

 refreshing to mmds that have been trying to grasp 

 the significance of figures that run into millions ; and 

 I think you will agree with me that we cannot do better 

 than finish our v/ander-tour, as we began it, over the 

 cup that cheers. As we drink farewell, I should like 

 to satisfy myself that^you know the elementary rules, 

 at least, of the art of making tea in the pot. 



Of course, you have been told always to " warm the 

 pot " before you put the tea in. But it is not so gener- 

 ally understood that the water poured on the leaves 

 must be fresh, and freshly boiled. I have already 

 warned you that care should be taken to select a tea 

 that suits the water to be used. Now comes the ixn- 



