Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-06-18
WELL WORTH KNOWING.

SOME FACTS ABorr Tra.-we Americans
can hardly be called a toa-drlnsing people;
but as 81 late years afternoon teas have
become very popular, and the Oriental Leaf
has become a soeinl factor, few facts in
regard to 1t may be Of use. The tea tree Is a
little evergreen shrub, which ilourishes In its
perfection in Eastern Asia. 1t 10 uuneces-
sary to say that the ioayes arc picked at cer-
tain seasons and dried, being known TO COM
merce under the general names Of "black"
and green" teas. As drink, tea has been
used In JaIan and China from the earliest
times. Tea was introduced into Persia and
Russia about the middle OF tho seventeenth
century. Toward the end Of tho eighteenth
century It began to be cultivated in Java.
Coylon and India Within the last century an
attempt has lecn made TO grow tea in
Europe, but without success, Tho Dutch
were the first to introduce tea into Europe.
and for time they had complete control of
the trade. 1t was first cold In Amsaerdam
and brought its weight In gold, but 1t should
be said that It was at first regarded not as a
beverage for daily use, but as very valuable
medicine.
From Holland. Lord Arlington introduced
It into England. about the close Of the seyen-
teenth century when II sold for about ak
teen dollars por pound. Early in the
eighteenth century England began importing
tea direct from China. and It's use spread so
rapidly that in very short umo it became
the chief domestic beverage OF the people,
Although drank in few aristocmtic houses
In France. the use OF tea had not become
| popular In that country until after the fall Of
the first Napoleon; now It Is the popular
afternoon beverage In the most arlstocratic
1 houses IN Paris. Tho virtues OF tea hayo
been sung in almost every living language.
The Chinese and japanese doctors believe
that tea is a panacea for nearly all diseases Of
the mind and body. European and Amerl-
can doctors, who regard tho matter from a
more scientific standpoint, arc now generally
agreed that the use Of tea in moderate guam
titles has soothing efroct upon the nerves,
and that its effect on brain workers is most
beneficial.
Five o'clock teas, which are INDUCED in
only by the idle or wealthy classes In
America, were introduced into Germany and
England for the purpose Of resting and
reviying the brain after work; but no matter
the original purpose, these five O'Clock teai
have become an important social feature, fol
ten drinking and gossip seem to 20 hand Il
hand the world over. In Russia and Ger
many liquors arc often mixod with the te'
and both handed around together. In Hol
land. as in China, tea Is drunk from tiny cup
not much larger than n thmblo, and withou
sugar or milk knowing this we can under
stand why Dutch doctor should hay'
advised ono OF his patients to drink one hun
dred cups Of tea a day, The best teas grow
In China and japan are reserved for tn
royal family and the mandarinsi but the hos
tea sent out OF China goes to Russia. Tn
reason for the exquisite quality OF Russlal
tea ls said to be because it travels by lam
instead OF by sea. Tho best tea used in 81
Petersburg sells for AS much as twont
dollars pound-and tho worst tea comes b
the United States.