Am.  Jour.  Pharm.1 
February,  1903.  J 
Tea. 
83 
and  on  that  account  capital  has  been  backward  in  extending  finan- 
cial aid  to  the  introduction  of  tea  culture. 
Tea  first  came  to  England  in  small  quantities  as  presents  to  per- 
sons in  high  station.  The  regular  importation  of  the  article  began 
about  1656-1673.  The  prices  ran  very  high,  ranging  from  $25  to 
$50  per  pound.  Heavy  import  duties,  and  internal  duties  levied 
upon  each  gallon  of  the  drink  itself  helped  to  make  still  more  expen- 
sive an  already  costly  material.  Great  Britain  and  the  United 
States  are  the  greatest  tea  consumers  outside  of  the  tea  countries  of 
Southeastern  Asia.  In  1901  we  consumed  1-14  pounds  of  tea  per 
capita,  and  10-6  pounds  of  coffee  per  capita.  Several  reasons  account 
for  the  great  difference  in  the  quantity  used — tea  costs  more,  goes 
much  further,  is  used  generally  at  but  one  of  the  daily  meals,  and 
as  it  is  less  liked  a  second  or  third  cup  is  less  frequently  called  for. 
It  is  more  generally  denied  children,  and  there  are  fewer  consumers, 
even  among  adults.  While  both  tea  and  coffee  have  to  compete  to 
a  certain  extent  with  wines  and  other  alcoholic  liquors  it  is  upon 
the  former  that  the  competition  makes  the  greater  inroads.  Coffee 
practically  rules  the  early  part  of  the  day,  but  the  afternoon  and 
early  evening,  the  times  at  which  tea  is  chiefly  used,  find  wines  upon 
many  tables.  It  is  also  true  that  at  formal  dinners,  especially 
among  men,  a  cup  of  coffee  usually  finishes  the  meal. 
IV.  CULTIVATION. 
The  plant  is  universally  propagated  from  seeds.  These  are  often 
planted  in  nurseries  and  the  young  plants  set  out  from  time  to  time 
at  the  places  where  they  are  needed,  or  three  or  four  seeds  are 
planted  at  the  spot  where  a  plant  is  wanted.  The  arrangement  is 
in  rows  like  the  rows  in  a  cornfield,  with  alleys  running  at  right 
angles,  or  like  a  series  of  hedges  with  alleys  running  lengthwise 
only.  The  rows  are  kept  from  3  to  4  feet  apart.  At  a  little  dis- 
tance the  plantation  looks  like  a  field  of  currant  or  gooseberry 
bushes.  The  main  stems  are  pruned  near  the  top  in  order  to  keep 
the  plants  from  making  tall  growth  and  to  cause  branching.  Gen- 
eral pruning  and  the  pinching  off  of  the  succulent  ends  of  the  small 
twigs,  in  order  to  obtain  the  two  young  leaves  near  the  end,  encour- 
ages a  plentiful  growth  of  new  twigs  which,  later  in  the  season,  give 
another  "  flush,"  i.  e.,  each  little  branch  puts  out  five  or  six  leaves 
suitable  for  picking.    Each  picking,  therefore,  prepares  the  way  for 
