821 
Snperintendent. * * * ■* into the box I put also 
some roots of Spinifcx hirsutus, a? tbia species and 
the few other congeners are not natives of any p;ir- 
tioQ of Africa and all help to bind coaat ainds. 
luto the same box I put root? of Panicum spectabile, 
here callsJ the ' Wonder grass,' for pasture. 
Ou arrival of this case however, only one ep? cies of 
these plants were living, and as tliey were liOt labelled 
I can only ss jet conjecturo which it is. I think, 
however that it will prove to be the Spinifex. Several 
plants of it are growing, and will bo platit'^d in the 
ssndy soil of the lower portion of the Gardens, and 
we shall propagate tlieni as quickly as posaiblo. An- 
other attempt will thorefore have to be nude to 
introdiics the " Marram grass," Psamma arenaria. 
Appeuited to tho report is hu abstract of metet^ro- 
logioal observations for 1893, (ak(n at Natnl Obsor- 
vatorv, Dcirl-an ; n Bt trmant of the ri celpts and 
exppiulitnr^^ fhowiug a balance in the Na^al Bank of 
£217 10 7 , a report on " Field Experiments with 
Siigsr Caue "; and a report on the Uolonial her- 
barium. 
^ 
TEA AND SCANDAL. 
THE BALLAD OF SIR T. TEA-LE.-VF. 
It Was three Rallant Cbiaamen, 
With lonK tail and pig eye. 
And they have sworn a solemn outh 
Sir T. Tea-loaf must die. 
And they have taken and flung him down 
Upon an iron bed. 
And underneath with ei'utd hand 
Have heaped the ashes rail. 
They've spread him out and press'U him down, 
And turne i him o'er and o'er ; 
They've dried bim up, until he cnrleJ, 
And writhed in suffering sore, 
la vain he twistel and he turned. 
In vain he cried for prace : 
They kept him so and scorched him till 
He grew black in the face, 
But linding he was still alive. 
Their malice waxed more lieeu ; 
They dosed him lirst with Prus-ian blue 
Till his poor face turnci ^reeu. 
What BparUs of life might still remain 
Dotermined t3 foredo, 
They gave him next a bitter draught 
Of <;um and catechu. 
And on his death bis name they changed, 
Lest men their crime should know, 
And when men asked "who's that lies there?" 
They answered "YounK Peloe." 
Whereas his name and famdy. 
It really was Souchong, 
lielatel to the old Congous, 
A race both rough and atroug. 
Lest men should recognise his dust, 
To dnst when passed away. 
His calcined bones they kneaded np 
With lumps of China clay. 
Their puis ned victim then they wiapped 
In lead, with well-'eigned grief. 
And wrote the epitaph ou' side, 
'• Here lies Sir T. Tea-leaf." 
And tlioiigh their (.-rief was all a sham. 
The epitaph was tniO, 
For ■ here ' it said a • Tea-loif lies." 
And 'lie' such Tea-lcav.s do. 
Now Tcadeif's name s in repute 
In lands beyond sea. 
Where maiden ladies love him much 
Uuder the name Green-tea. 
Ah I little dream tliese ancient mai ls 
Of Chinaman's vile craft. 
Nor think whilo chattpring o'er their cups 
There's poison in the draught. 
And little know they of the fate 
Poor Tea leaf had to dreo. 
Or ill tlieir tea-pots they would weep 
Teara latter as their tea; 
Till with the water of their woo 
F.'en the first brew was spoiled. 
And tho presiding maid would be 
Obliged to draw it mild. 
Then to poor Toa-leaf drop a tear, 
liy i>oi8on dooui'd to tall. 
And wlifu there's green-toa in the spot. 
May I not drink -that's all.— fiHie//, Nov. 29th, I 
" Tka, I consider a Very pal iimblo aod liarmleia 
driok, naJ a moit ns^fal rdatoraliva when a pt.rsou 
is fatigued. This is dne to a substance called theine 
which it contains. There are very few people who 
cannot take Tea with benefit (when taken in moder- 
ation) to the digestive system Of course the abuse 
of Tea (like the abuse of any other food or drink) 
brings on many diseases, more especially those of a 
nervous order, also fl4tuioi;cy, palpitation of the heart, 
constipation, &c. These latter complaints are oanted 
by its being improperly mi.de, the tannin being consumed 
with the infueioi.. 
Tons upon tons of the Tea which is imported into 
this country are absolutely t'lrown away and the 
virtue dfstrojed by housewives not attending to the 
makini; of it. Why shculd people when entertaining 
jo\i at nfte noon tea, give you a cup of black, bitter 
ttuff, which, if you drink, will most surely make you 
fell ill? or again, why should the pleasure of the 
breakfast table he entirely spoilt by the presence of 
this black liquid r' Pedple will persist in keeping the 
hot water cn tho leaves aod adding to it, instead of 
pouring on the leaves boiling water safBcient for the 
table, and after it has etood for between 3 and 5 
minutes (according to whether China or IniianTea, 
is used) pouriog the infusion into another hot teapot 
leaving the leaves in the first teapot. A second lot 
of water should never be added to tho Uaves, they 
are finished with, and only contain the harmful 
tannin, and are of use only when the carpet 
requires sweeping. The method is so simple that it 
is uninlellipible tome why it cannot always be made 
jiroperly, and thus instead of causing it to produce 
injurious effects on the drinkers make it a drink 
which would bring comfort and joy to the tired and 
wearied. The water fhould he sryft (if Iiard, a little 
carbonate of soda thrown in will remedy it1, and 
allowed to boil, and as I have already stated, the 
quantity of water required shciild be poured on at one 
time. The great drawback to tea is its constant 
adulteration with all kinds of things, and the frequent 
substitution of Ifaves, such as sloe, hawthorn or 
beech leaves in the place of the pure leaves. This 
substitution can, however, be easily detected. "The 
pure Tea-leaf when unfolded lias its wholo length like 
the edge of a saw (serrated). The veics run out from 
tho tendrils. The leaves are odourless when freehly 
gathered, tho taste and aroma being developed during 
drying. Tbe colour in Tea is often proiluced by the 
use of Prussian blue, indigo, and burnt gypsum.'" 
Coffee, — The remarks just previously made by me as 
to the making of Tea apply with fqual force to cofTee, 
for tho greater proportion used in this country ia 
literally wasted through being imprrp3rly made. I 
know no method better than to take -1 table-spoonfula 
of freshly ground coffee, place it in a clean muslin 
bag, and throw it into a pint of hot water just upon 
the hoilius; point, and then lot it boil for a roiimte 
or Eo.* Coffee is a pleasant beverage for people with 
whom it agrees, but there are r great number of 
people who cannot driok it without its catising 
palpitation of the heart, indicrestlon and biliousnesi 
and the^e should carefully avoid it. It ia a stimulant, 
and increases tho action of tho pnlse, and relieves 
the sensation of hunger and fatigue, and cures 
headache in those with whom it agrees. The bene- 
ficial ingredient in ili is caffeine. Coffee is a mnoli 
older beverage than Tea. Dr. P»vy Faya it was used 
in Abyssinia as far back aa a.d, S7,5. 
Cocoa. — I Bliall now conclude this article on non- 
alcoholic drinks by d-aling shortly with cocoi, which 
in a drink and food combined. It isextreraoly nourishing 
but unfortunately agrees with very few people, the oil it 
contsins being too rich for we»k stomachs. When 
the stomach ia able to assimilate t'.is oil, it is a food 
of very great valuo. particularly for tho growing ohild 
aud peopLi who are autferiua from debility, cither 
the result of some fevpr oc due to consumption. A 
cnp of hot cocoa taken before going for n Ion? w»lk 
or retiring to reat, ii of very prea* benefit «nd aus- 
tenanco. Cocoi ia alfo the subjeot of a iulteration, 
and wo fiod it mixed with starofa, sngar, and fati- 
* We should make an infaaiou of tea, bat a de- 
coction of coffee. 
