TEA AND ITS ADULTEKATIONS. 

 By Geo. Jarmain, F.C.S., Public Analyst^ Huddersfield. 



[Bead before the Suddersjield Naturalists^ Society ^ Jume 7, 1875.^ 



Tea began to be used in China in the seventh century, and in the 

 ninth in Japan. It was brought to Europe in the seventeenth. In 

 1664 the English East India Company considered it as a rare gift to 

 present the then Queen of England with two pounds of Tea. It is 

 also grown in Penang, Rio Janeiro, and, within the last few years, 

 in Assam. 



The Tea plant belongs to the natural order, Ternstromiacea, which 

 includes the Camellias. Thea Sinensis is probably the original plant, 

 of which T. BoJiea and T. viridis are the chief varieties. It is a 

 hardy evergreen leafy shrub, from three to six feet in height, some- 

 times thirty feet. It is raised from seed, and is cropped from ten 

 to twelve years. 



Gatherings of the leaves are made from early Spring to August : 

 the earliest gatherings being esteemed the best. The leaves are 

 alternate ; the flowers, which are white and somewhat like small wild 

 roses, spring from the axils of the leaves. 



The leaves present the following characters : — they bear some 

 resemblance to the willow, being, of course, of different sizes. The 

 border is serrated more regularly than the willow, but the serration 

 stops short of the stalk. The venation is said to be very character- 

 istic, on which point I shall be glad to have the opinion of the 

 members present. The veins run almost parallel to one another from 

 the midrib, but before the border of the leaf is reached, they alter 

 their course, turning so as to leave a bare space just within the 

 border of the leaf. There are also some peculiarities about the 

 stomata of the leaves, when seen under the microscope, which aid in 

 the identification of the true Tea leaf. The apex of the leaf has also 

 often a characteristic notch on it, which lends additional aid. 



The two varieties of black and green Tea are made from the same 

 leaves, the treatment which each undergoes causing the difference. 

 Black Tea is fermented during the process of manufacture. Green 

 Tea is prepared without this treatment. 



The principal varieties of black Tea are Congou, Souchong, Pekoe, 

 and Caper ; of green Tea, Twankay, Hyson skin, young Hyson, 

 Hyson, Imperial, and Gunpowder. 



