the leaves are used for decoction, except 

 for a very fine quality, which is made 

 from the dried flower buds. 



It abounds in the forests of Paraguay 

 and Brazil, where it is a tree of consider- 

 able size. It is cultivated to some extent, 

 but in this state remains a shrub, and the 

 quality is finer. It may be gathered at 

 any season of the year, and the leaves 

 must become dry enough to pulverize 

 before they are fit for use. 



Where it is cultivated it is dried in 

 rn^tal pans, after the manner of Chinese 

 tea, but far greater quantities are gath- 

 ered in the forests and dried in the prim- 

 itive method adopted from the Indians. 



A drying floor is prepared by clearing 

 a space of ground and pounding it hard 

 with a mallet. On this a fire is built, and 

 after the ground is well heated, it is 

 swept off clean and branches from the 

 neighboring forests spread upon it. Af- 

 terwards they are placed upon a rude ar- 

 bor made of hurdles and a slow fire be- 

 neath completes the drying process. 



When quite brittle the leaves arc 

 pounded in a mortar and reduced to 

 small particles, but not to a powder. The 

 preparation of it consists in placing a 

 small quantity of it in a vessel, with su- 

 gar if desired, and adding a little cold 

 water. After a little while boiling water 

 is poured on and it is then ready for use. 

 As the leaf particles do not settle well, 

 it must be sipped through a tube. The 

 natives for steeping it used a calabash 

 gourd called mate, whence its common 

 name, mate yerba, or calabash plant. 

 These gourds are still often used, and are 

 convenient, as they have a handle. Co- 

 coa-nut shells, with handles of silver or 

 other metal, are also popular. A reed 



or a metal tube, with a small perforated 

 bowl at the bottom is used to sip it 

 through. This is called a bombilla. 



It is customary with the Spaniards 

 and Portuguese to offer mate to visitors. 



In the gardens of that sunny region 

 vineclad arbors are furnished with seats, 

 where the family with their visitors wili 

 sit in the cool of the evening, each one 

 supplied with a bombilla and a cocoanut 

 or calabash bowl of mate. Through a 

 small opening in the top of the vessel the 

 tube is inserted and the grateful infusion 

 is enjoyed while matters of interest are 

 discussed. 



Great virtues are ascribed to this drink. 

 Its properties appear to be chiefly due to 

 theine and caffeine. 



In Chili and Peru it is in universal 

 use, and is considered more necessary 

 than meat. On the plains of Argentina 

 the gaucho or cowboy washes down his 

 dried beef with copious draughts of mate 

 and is content with his meal. To north- 

 erners the taste is not agreeable. It 

 seems weedy and slightly bitter. For 

 shipment the leaves, when dried, are 

 packed in oblong cases or bags made of 

 rawhide carefully sewed. These pack- 

 ages contain 120 pounds each. Since 

 the beginning of the seventeenth century 

 this drink has been used in Paraguay, 

 and its use now extends all over South 

 America. It is estimated that the amount 

 used annually exceeds 60,000,000 pounds. 



It is being introduced into other coun- 

 tries and the time may come when the 

 bombilla and the bowl of mate may be- 

 come a rival of five o'clock tea in Eng- 

 lish and American parlors. 



Anna Rosalie Henderson. 



Behind the cloud the starlight lurks, 



Through showers the sunbeams fall; 

 For God, who loveth all his works, 



Has left his Hope with all! 



— John Greenleaf Whittier. 



25 



