November 2, 1891.] T»t TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 323 
when you want to coo! off quickly, sip tha tea boiling 
hot, with a slice of previously peeled lemon, or nicer 
still, of orange, without tho rind, floating in it. lu 
winter, ctipsci.illy when you have a c Id auti require 
a sudorific, add a wiuegltissf ul of arraf.k to it and 
drink it down as hot as you can stand it. It brings 
out a profuse and besitlilal perspiration when punch 
or hot Scotch fnik to thaw you out. 
Be'^aro of greeu tea ! It is an abomination aud_ a 
fraud. AjChiuese coolia wouldn't give it to his pig. 
He will give that patient porker dead rat5,_ old 
boots and other offLil and such uncousidtred trifles, 
but he diaws the liDO at green tea. In the 
first place it is simply the unripe leaf and boars 
tha same relation to the real article that the 
" little poacli of emerald hue" does to Delaware's deli- 
cious fruit in its richest ripeueaa. It has tho same ef- 
fect upon the stoniach and atdaminal nerves as in the 
case of poor *' Jotinny Joues and his sister Siii'." The 
green tea of commerce derives its rare color from 
being cured or rather killed, on dirty copper pans, from 
being mixed with weeds and shrubs, from being ttaiued 
with indigo and chrome yellow, from bf>ing colored with 
verdigris, giass-juice or ohlorophyl. Every greeu dye 
known to coicmoice has been used to produce the much 
admired but death dealius color excepting it may be 
Paris green. As soon as the use of that poisonous t,ub- 
stanco will give a profit of a cent a pound you can 
wager it will be liberally ustd by the mercenary Mon- 
goliftu merchant and t'le much more mercenary cul- 
tured Europei.u tea trader. 
I'll venture the statement that there is no fine tea in 
the United States. What goes to our country ia tha 
cheap stuff used here by the coolies and jssil inmates. 
When an American hounekeeper pays $1 per pouud 
for her Oolong or English breakfa.st she is buying what 
~ ia sold hero for25 cents. No really good tea is sold 
here for less than $1 per pound by the wholesale. If 
laid down in the market at home it could not be sold for 
less than f 1'75. 
This $1 taa is the usual article for clerks, poor trades- 
men and mechanics. For the well-to-do, the oififial clasi 
and notability are finer pickings that run from f I to tfSO 
per pound. The only Europeans who jurchaao those 
high-priced leaves are Russians and a few connoisseura 
in Prance, Germany, Austria, Spain and Turkey. Tlia 
bold Briton permits patriotism and his purse to 
fjjuide his palate and uses the vioiou-, vitriolic horrors 
of Oe)lon and India. Good Dtcle Sum patronizes a 
Cheap John, who gives av.-ay to each purchaser a f3 
cup and saucer with every 25 cent pound or tea. 
The tea plant is as sensitive and delicate as a West 
Walnut street belle, It flourishes best on a mountain 
side, where it is neither very warm nor coo), where 
the soil is dry, but tho raius and dews are frequent, 
where the foi-ce of the wind is broken by adjdcent 
woods or hills, where there is a maximum of sun- 
light and, according to the Colestiala, of moonlight 
and where the surrounding ground is kept free from 
weeds or other vegetable grovvthe. There are farms 
in Formosa, F-i Kien and other tea districts where 
these conditions exist ui.changiugly, whosa tea crop 
ia as famous and distiiictly known in the eastern 
world as the various chateaux of Franco are to the 
wine experts of Europe. Just aa the million vires of 
Europe control certain vineyards, so do the millionairoa 
of the Flowery kingdom control tea plautatious whose 
annual output ij worth a king's ransom. 
Another poiut of the many we have to learn from 
tho Chinese, is the proper mode of packing tho leaf. 
That which goes to America is duuipod ss soon aa 
a is " tiled," burning hot, into a lead lined box, 
tho load ia soldered and tha airtight cufl5u is sent 
iiroQud tho globe in the hot hold of a steamer. The 
tea sweats and uudirguea many changes which alter 
its flavor and vitialo its quility. 
The Moujioliau packs tho pcoresi; kind in strong 
paper packugos and those in turn in mortuary le*d ; 
bolter kinds in soft-liu pipor-oovered boxes; still better 
ones in silver-l')!! inside of ono poun 1 cases made of 
split suu-dricd bamboo, and tho best in porcoluin jars 
and vas;:\s. 
lie pucka in eighths and quarters of a pound, so that 
if a fow loavoB aro improperly treated or not cured, they 
will not cjntaminate much surroundiDg tea. The 
Rufsian3 compress the tea into bricks, or cover it with 
silver-foil and many paper wrappings; or else put it in 
glazed jars. 
The principle ia the aame — the sub-division of the 
tea, and the prevention o£ riska attending larger 
packages or in bigger balk, such as heating, sweating 
and mouldiug. 
Th'u principle we have yet to learn and apply. But 
ah, the exquisite pleasure to bo found in a cup of truly 
fino tea. The colour is a delicate gold ; each loaf uo- 
folds into a perfect olive oval ; its fragauce fills the 
bai-,queting-hall, delicate and yet penetrating, dainty 
but distinguit'bable above all other perfumes ; and the 
flivour! Tbo famous Clover Olub Punch pales into 
dim distaucu in comparison to this " cup that cheers." 
Words cannot dascribe the delight in a brew of fresh 
Formosa tea. It fills the system and makes every nerve 
thrill with joy. It lingers on the pilate for hours. 
And " the next day," think of it, O votaries of Bacchus, 
tho brain is clear, the body all alert and the eoul ready 
for the baille of life. 
I never taste the fragrant leaf without recalling Edna 
Stindard's lines, 
" With kindreds fouls in many a spot 
I've had good tea ; from urn and jar, 
From caddy, Oha-boi, English pot, 
And fiery Russian samovar. 
But none so fragrant or so sweet 
A< that which from thy hands today, 
With some enchanter's art replete, 
Drove every thought of care away." 
PREVENTION OF BLIGHT IN TEA, 
(From Capital, Sept. 30th,) 
We are indebted to the Acting Secretary to the 
Indian Tea AESooiation for a copy of the following 
oorrespondenoo on a cure for red spider and possibly 
other blights ; — 
From J. Buckingham, Esq., to J. H. H. Rolpb, Esq., 
Secretary, Assam Branch, Indian Tea Absociation, 
(dated Amgoorio, '2Ut July, 1891}. 
I have been favoured by Mr, Bruce, of MesarB; 
Kilburn & Company, with somo correspondeuce be- 
tween Mr. Simson of Messrs. Hoare, Miller & Uompany 
and Mr. Weston of the Singe'l Tea Company regard- 
ing a cure for red spider and probably for other blights. 
I send you the letters forpu' lication, and it would be 
interesting if experiments were made aud tho results 
communicated to you. 
From A. J. Simson, Esq., to W. Weston, Esq., 
dated Calcutta, 6th October 1890. 
I should be much obliged if you would, when you 
have leisure, let me have a report on the tomato de- 
coction prevention ajjaiujt blight. You will know 
better than 1 do what points Bhould be specially 
mentioned, but I may say I fahould like them to 
include : — 
1. What blights may be prevented by it ? 
2. To what extent each is affectjjd and for what 
period ? 
3. When is the decoction applied, how, and in what 
quantity ? 
4. How ia the flushing of the bush afi'ected ? 
5. Is the health of the bush impaired ? 
0 Is the leaf affected in color, taste, or otherwise ? 
7. What labor is required to apply the decoction ? 
8. Is the tomato leaf easily obtainable ? 
9. How is the deooctiLii made ? 
10. AVhat are the advautagea, if any, that can clearly 
be attrifautt d to tbe use of the decoction ? 
11. What are tho disadvantages of the same ? 
1 hope thia list will not appal you, and that you will 
frankly give your opinion as to the value of the treat- 
ment. While on the subject I should much like to 
know whether you think the outturn of your garden 
has been aft\ctcd ia any way by your experiments, if 
Eo, to what extent, and whether you look for any 
futther result, I am sorry to give you so mach 
