Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-18
TEA
TEA
Fhe Drink Of Pleasure and 81 Health

rivaiing China as tea-growing country, 9O7, 600
acres Of tea lands being now under cultivation
In that country, mostly Ia the district Of Assam,
with yearly product Of about So, 900 900
pounds, representing an invested capital not far
short of s45, 900 600. The strong arguments In
favor OF India being the original home Of the
tea plant are summed up as follows: First-We
have it on the authority Of some of the most
eminent botanists that there IL but species
OF the plant which yields the teas Of commerce,
although there may be 100 varieties. Second
This plant may seem TO be Indigenous to both
India and China. but whereas there Is no evil
dence to show That it has ever been imported
into the former country. we have the records of
two different nations to prove that it was
originally brought to China from India. And
third find the tea plant in China mere
bush at best while In India it attans In the
wild state. the proportions of tree, Just as we
find the magnolia grandiflora of England a mere
dwarf compared with the splendid lord of the
forest that adOrns the woods of northern
America
THE TEAS OF INDIA
are regarded "a the finest now produced and
they have the decided advantage of entire free
dom from aduiteration, an art in which the
Chinese are masters The tea districts of India
are recommended as Offering good Inducements
to young men starting out in life.
After the leaf is picked the first thing to be
done is to manufacture It into tea as soon as
possible, in careful and efficient manner for
careless. improper treatment will DESTROY the
choicest leaf, rendering it worthless: much de-
ponds upon how the leaf is manipulated in the
factory TO its taste. flavor, strength. palat-
ableness in the cup. and value in the market.
There are four operations necessary with the
leaf after IL il p!fcked. before it is made into
tea: % whitening. (2) rolling. (3) termenting,
"a firing. THERE'S not space enough to describe
each process; but suffice it to say that sun.
light, heat. air. hands and heads are all brought
Into requsitiOn To dry and manipulate the leaf.
the great object being To wither the leaf and
preserve its Juice Not long ago all these pro-
cesses were conducted 10y hand labor, but the
Introduction of machinery enables the manager
OF garden to accomplish his purpose more
surely. and with better effect.
When the leaf has been turned into tea it is
sorted and sifted. then packed up into chests.
The tea is hot when it is Theoretically sealed int
alright chests and it is not opened again till
required for the retail market thus combining
all the strength and fragance, none being lost
by exposure after it Is ready
EFFECTS ON HEALTH.
All experience goes to prove that good tea
drank judiciousIy and In moderation, Is posi-
lively beneficial to the health. 1t would serve
no useful purpose to enter infinitely into the
physiological effects OF tea on the system; suf-
flee it to say that they depend chiefly on three
VI the dCtNe IiiHClnipS OF constituents OF the
Leaf: % the volatile oil: GU the theme and 81
the tanDn. The volatile oil is more abundant
In new tea; and this. according to Prof John
stone accounts fur the fact that in China tea is
rarely used until it Is a year old. owing to the
peculiarly Intoxicating effect which the leaves of
the plant when newly gathered, seem to pos
sess. The volatile oil is To some extent lost by
Keeping Only to some extent. however for in
due proportion If is very grateful to the palate
and the senses. and acts as Il stmulant to the
Vf,IlS SySt.l al dot J.,
The theme. it has been proved by experiment
dminishes the waste of tissue i'm the BODY Tea
thus makes a most valuable adjunct to the
dietary; for. If the waste of tissue be lessened
less food is required We see therefore that
the high tea" of the laboring poor has com
mon sense To speak in favor of it. But this
power of checking waste of tissue that lies i'm
tea makes it eminently suitable as q beverage
for people OF the nervo-sanguineous tempera-
ment. those individuals whose lives seem all
hustle and action. who probably eat fair pro-
portion of food but who never put on flesh"
as 1T Is called, tat We're a better name To this
class belong the busy bees of this world, the
brain workers, those men of energy and mind
that the state could ill afford to want. The con-
slant wear and tear of the nervous system. in
such people, necessitateS some means of vital
compensation; and tea is eminently suited for
such purpose
The tannn contained in tea Is simply mildly
astringent. and may. or we ought to say does,
have slightly cOnstipating effect on the
bowels; but it is only when the tea is allowed
to draw too long time that the tannin is ex-
Tacted.
AFTERNOON TEA
good deal might be said in favor Of the s
o'clock or afternoon tea Of modern times 1t is
. very enjoyable refreshment and very timely
one, with common sense to recommend it.
Always provided. If may make use of medical
phraseology. it be pretty compounded, care
fully prepared and neatly dispensed. There
ought to be an air of refinement in the room in
which It Is partaken. the guests few. If possible
and perfectly at their ease The tea eauipage
should be neat ana we'll chosen. and the tea
Itself the finest aud best pro.urable for love OF
money No need 10 say what the hostess her
self should be; she viii be natural, that is
enough.
OF the so-called tea of ord narv middle-class
life the less said the better Children aud some
young folks. old maids and old wives male and
female, including shaveling cUiates and youth
ful marraEfble medcOS re33.i, accept invita-
tiOn> ''out to tea in this fashion In. children
pass restless nights thereafter AID are limp and
CiaInDy next day and thee Her folks are neither
better nor " oTs". perhaps, than they were be-
fore. But tea OF Que, tiona.a quality piles of
thinly eCt bread and butter. the bread probably
so new that it doubles round the fingers the
butter not so new. lard cakes suspicious Jams
and jeilies. marinaiade agd petty scandal and
to have To draw yOuT chair up to table and sit
down TO all this and Try to feel happy and try to
iOUh I'ita-dHt HEilt YOU are secretly Wishing tea
equipa"e. company and all concerned what Rob
Roy wished the weayers-ugh, it is one of the
greatest trials any sensitive man could en-
dure.
HOW TO MAKE IDEAL TEA
Having been fortunate enough to secure a
pound or two Of pure. fragrant. unadulterated
tea, we must see that it is kept in an air-tight
canister. If 1t be not so kept the tea will lose
Its crispness and flavor by absorbing moisture
to some extent from the surrounding atmos-
phere. and by yielding up it's volatile oil
The teakettle should be kept scrupulouslv
clean. both inside and out. We cannot expect
to make good tea from water boiled In q kettle
that j. barked inside with lime or other deposit.
and outside with SCOT. A dirty kettle proves
the servant to be a slut. and darkly hints at
careltaSneSs In the mistress.
The water should be soft. There Is nothing
To beat ram water that has been kept under
ground i'll large tanks.
The water should be filtered
The ire over which teakettle boils ought to
be a. free from smoke as possible, otherwise it
Is not impossible that the water may partake of
the flavor Of peat, wood or burning Goals. and
the tea be spoiled
Before the water has come to the boil the tea
Pot should be we'll Warmed and the tea put in