November 2, 1891.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
31T 
and in Nepal, as Jliiiri. The use of the leaves as a 
substitute for tea in India is said to have been noticed 
as far back as 18'21. Dr. "Watt says the leaves arS 
used, here and tliere throughout the Himalayas, from 
Almora to Sikkim, in place of tea. "When specially 
prepared they have a strong tea-like smell, but the 
infusion has powerful emetic properties which require 
long usage to overcome. Dr. Boyle suggested that 
experiments should be niada in the cultivation of the 
plant in order to discover if this emetic property 
could be removed by careful cultivation. The dis- 
covery of tea proper in Assam, and the greatly ex- 
tended cvltivation of that plant, have left the matter 
of Osyris tea in the position in which it was at the 
beginning of the present century, when it first attract- 
ed the attention of the public. There is a good 
sample of this tea in the Kew Museum. 
Ubticace;e. 
70. Vlmus campestris, Sm. — The common Elm, John- 
son, in his Useful Plants of Great Britain, a book 
published many years ago by Hardwick, without date, 
says: — " Some years ago an immense quantity of dried 
Elm leaves were used for adulterating tea, and for 
manufacturing a substitute for it. They are astrin- 
gent, but contain a considerable quantity of mucil- 
aginous matter." 
71. Missiessia corymhulosa, Wedd. — This plant, which 
is now sunk under the genus Leucosyke, is a straggl- 
ing shrub from C to 8 feet high, growing in Fiji, 
where it is known as Matadra. Seemann, in his 
Flora Vitiensin, says: — "Some of the white residents 
in Viti have drunk a decoction of the leaves without 
perceiving it to be different from Chinese tea. The 
natives do not seem to use the plant in this way." 
72. Pilea aiyentea, DC. — The leaves of this plant 
are stated in Kosenthal's Synopsis Plantannn Dia- 
plioricarum, to be used in Greece as a substitute for 
tea, though nothing is said about the extent of its 
consumption or of its peculiar proxjerties. 
Mybicace^e. 
73. Mjirica asjilenifoJia, End!. — An American plant' 
native of the mountanous parts of N. Carolina, and 
extending northwards. It is known as Pern Bush or 
Sweet Fern, and from the plant a x^leasant aromatic 
astringent drink is made, and generally used in the 
summer complaints of children. The dried leaves 
are said to make an excellent tea. The plant is 
frequently known as Comptonia asplenifolia. There 
is a good sample in the Kew Museum. 
CupuLiFEBa:. 
74 Betula alha,lj. — The white Birch. Among the uses 
to which this valuable tree has been put, is tire adap- 
tation of the dried leaves for tea, a use to which it is 
said they are commonly put in Finland. 
Ohchide^3. 
75. Aemnthus fragrans, Rchb. — This Orchid is per- 
haps better known as Angrsecum fragrans, Thouars. 
A native of Mauritius and Bourbon, wliere it is known 
asFaham. It was first brought to notice as a tea in 
this country in 1866, having been brouglit from Paris, 
where it had been sold for some time. The leaves are 
simply dried and paclted in small boxes, and from the 
label it would seem not to have been introduced for 
the purpose of supplanting Chinese tea, but to afford 
an opportunity of choosing between two beverages 
equally beneficial and useful. 
The following notes are from an account of Faham 
tea wluch I gave in the (lardniers Chronicle, for April 
7, 1860, p. ."^IS. It is a translation of a circular which 
accompanies each packet: — "Faham is not a new 
prodiiction. From time immemorial, the natives of 
the Islands of Reunion and Mauritius, situated as it 
were at the very gates of China, have preferred it to 
tea; evei-y traveller has partaken of tlieir preference. 
One of our most illustrious writers, Georges Sand, 
eulogises it in the midst of the fine description which 
she gives of the Isle of Bourbon, a eirlogy which can- 
not be suspccti d of puffery, inasmuch as it was writ- 
ten tliirty yeiii M In lore the introduction of Faham 
inlo I'ranco was tlioughtof. Every work on botany 
of any importance similarly places it in the foremost 
rank of the beneficial productions of this favoured 
clime. The difficulties experienced in the gathering 
and manufacture of Faham on a large scale, and 
consequently the almost impossibility of procuring 
a sufficient quantity to recompense the labour of 
obtaining it for consumption, and also its very high 
price, have alone prevented until now this valuable 
article of diet from being imported into France. 
After many fruitless attempts, these obstacles have' 
been overcome. 
" Faham tea possesses a taste differing greatly from 
that of true tea, and is preferred by the majority of 
persons who have tasted it. It can be used as a sub- 
stitute for tea on all occasions, as it combines its 
tonic and digestive qualities, free from the sleepless 
effect. It possesses an aroma of great delicacy, cap- 
able of being rendered more or less pungent, accord- 
ing to the quantity used, and it gives forth a most 
agreeable perfume. After being drunk, it leaves a 
lasting fragrance in the mouth, and in a closed room 
the odour of it can be recognised long after. This 
beverage has the further advantage over tea, which 
requires to be drunk at the time of making, that it can 
be reserved for a future occasion, if required, and may 
be either taken cold or made hot again. Milk or 
spirits in small quantities, especially rum, serve to 
develop its aroma, and, lending it additional delicacy 
oi- greater strength, render it a delicious drink. Lastly, 
this valuable plant is made use of to flavour custards 
and ices, to which it communicates its delicate fra- 
grance. 
"To be taken as a warm beverage, the leaves and 
stalks should be placed in cold water in about the 
proportion of 1 gramme to a tea-cup, more or less, 
as the consumer may desire it of a greater or lesser 
degree of strength. The water should be immediately 
made to boil for about 10 minutes in the tea-kettle 
or other closed vessel. It should then be emptied 
into the tea-pot or tea-cups, and sweetened accordingly." 
In the so-called tea, the leaves are simply dried 
without being curled or roasted, and in their dried 
state, as well as in infusion, they emit a strong fra- 
grance, resembling that of the Tonquin Bean. There 
is a good sample of this tea in the Kew Museum. 
L/ILIACEffi. 
76. Similax glyafpliylla, Smith,— A glabrous climb- 
ing plant, with the stems and branches more or less- 
armed with scattered prickles. It is found in N. 
Australia, Victoria, New South "Wales, and Queens- 
land. A decoction made from the leaves has a sweet 
taste, and is used in Australia under the name of 
Sweet Tea or Botany Bay Tea. It would seem, how- 
ever, to be used more as a medicine than a tea pro- 
per, for it is stated to have similar properties to Jamaica 
Sarsaparilla, which is a nearly allied plant. 
PALMACEiE. 
77. Phmux dactylifera, L.— Date Palm. Under the 
name of Date Coffee, the hard, horny seeds of this 
well-lmown Palm were roasted and ground, and largely 
advertised a few years ago as a substitute for true 
coffee. A company was formed for the exclusive manu- 
facture and sale of this article, which is now seldom 
or never heard of. 
GEAMlNEa:. 
78. Anclropogon citratum, DC. (Lemon-grass). This 
scented-leaved grass occurs only in a cultivated state 
and very rarely flowers. It is cultivated in Ceylon 
and Singapore for the sake of the fragrant oil which 
is distilled from the leaves, and used in perfumery. 
In the fresh state these leaves are said to be some- 
times used as a substitute for tea, under the name of 
Citronelle tea; a warm infusion made from them is 
likewise stated to be a valuable medicine in febrile 
affections. 
FiLICES. 
79. AspiiUiiM fWigrans.~The fronds of this Fern, 
which have a scent similar to that of the Raspberry, 
are much esteemed in the north of Asia for their anti- 
scorbutic properties, and are used as tea bv the 
Mongols. 
80. Adiantum cavdatum, L.— A widely-spread Fern 
throughout the Tropics of the Old World, is used as 
tea m B*union, under the name of Capillaire. 
