The age-herald., 1898-10-26
Alice Nelson Writes of
 The Tea Gardens in Japan

Miss Alice Nelson, who will be recalled as the prima donna of the Bostonlans, ana who was easily the favorite here last sea- son, has written of the Oriental methods used in preparing the national beverage In Japan She spent the summer in Japan ana China, and not content with her starring career this season in "rhe Fortune Teller, is writing letters for the papers. She says. in part:
 Having read everything l could ind about the growth and preparation of tea in the Orient, determined to make 1t my principal subject of investisation-tor surely the place to study anything is the land of its origin, where it attained its greatest popularity. Almost immediately after my arrival at Yokohama l found that Japan is the land of tea Here it is the national beverage.
 'The tea garden is the favorite resort of rich and poor alike. Tea festivals or exhi- bltions are held each year under the patron- age of the government. Expensive and elaborate prizes are given the growers who produce the finest crops, or to those who contribute in any material way to the tea trade and its improvement. To the tea garden we went to study the brewing of the solace of the soldier in the tropics, the miner in the Klondike and the old maid in the temperate zone,' and we were aston ished at the absurdy temperate way in which the true Oriental vendor prepares it.
 First, we each were given a tiny egg shell of the finest china, with two saucers, ,. one to place the cup in and one with which to cover the liquid during the sleeping or brewing process. Then a leaden canister was handed ounded for us to take as much of the tea leaf was required for cup. 1he tea leaves are placed in the cup, which is then filled with boiling water and imme- diately carefully covered with the extra saucer. Then 1t is allowed to stand until enough of the strength of the herb is ex- tracted to suit the taste of the drinker.
 If one were to add either milk sugar to cup of tea in Japanese garden he or she would be voted lunatic; and after partaking of tea it should be made you can easily understand why. To sweeten is to rob the amber liquid of its pungent fla vor and much of its refreshing properties, while the use of milk disguises it so com pletely that an Oriental would never recog- n.ze it hls national drink
 Tea and tea drinking largely enter into the literature, romance and tradition of Japan, and many of the legends of it's dis oovery and virtue are quite interesting.
 ''The tea drinker of Europe and America knows little about the delight of slipping cup of the choicest tea, the best crop or brands of the tea are never exported, but are kept for the royal family, and small packages of it are used among the wealthy. noDles presents of great value sure to be favorably received. Thus the choicest teas never leave Japan or China. It is a well-known fact that some of the varieties in use in the roya palaces in these two countries are produced at price often ex- ceedng $50 of our money a pound The blossoms and small inner leaves of the mountain-grown teas are plucked and mixed with the flowers of fragrant ana aromatic plants unknown outside of these countries.
 Many of them are as careful of thyr collection of teas the finest connoisseurs of wine are of their collections of the choicest grape juice, and the entertainer will feel as much pride and derive as much pleasure from the prize of a judcous friend, who has partaken of his various teas, as an American or European would appreciate after producing his finest wines and receiving the praises of a good judge
 1t is we'll known that the use of good tea is as exhilarating as wine, and laborers, soldiers and travellers in the Far East will undergo great hardships if literally SUD- piled with it."