Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-09-12

Revolution. An infusion of the leaves
boils bright amber color, and in
looks is as attractive as the real bev-
erage. but the taste. though astrin-
gent. is by no means lively.
Some effort has been recently madA
in commercial circles to revive the use
of this plant as substitute for tea.
The leaves are said to contain about
10 per cent of tannin. Hemlock leaves
and those of the arbor vitae have
played an important part in the max
ing of rustic tea The arbOr vitae is
tree that grows wild in great album
dance in northern woods, and the
old-time Maine lumbermen used fire.
quently to resort to it's leaves for tea
when other heritage failed them for
the purpose. 1t was thought 10 be
very invigorating.
The leaves of the wintergreen, a
small plant, whose bright red berries,
about the size of peas, are sold on the
streets under the name of teaberry,
have long been used for tea. From
this it takes the name by which it is
known in Pennsylvania. New Eng
landers for some unknown reason call
it cherkerberry. The foliage is very
aromatic, and people who like dash
of spiciness in their drink have some
times added its flavor to real tea.
1t is near of kin and similar in taste
IN ha har
delicate vine. abundant in the great
boys and messy woods of the north
and Allegheny regions and this is
also approved by mountain palates as
a substitute for tea. Thoreau in The
Maine Woods" tells of his Indian
guide bringing it into camp one night
and recommending it as the best of ali
substitutes for tea. 1T has slight
checkerberry flavor" he records, land
we both agree that it was better than
the black tea we had brought. We
thought II discovery and that it
might be dried and sold in the shops
Better known as tea plant is the
Labrador tea or the ledum latifolia of
the botanists, which grows in cold
boys and mountain woods from Penn
sylvania northward, The leaves.
which emit slight, not unplea Sant
fragrance when bruised, are tough
and leathery and covered with a rusty
brown wool. STEPPED. they give Il
wild, gamy flavor to hot water, and
the drink resulting suggests poor
grade of black tea.
Sweet fern. which is such an abun-
dant growth everywhere on sterile
hillside and by mountain roads, Is an
other famous tea plant, often known
as mountain tea" In the War Of
the Rebellion its use for tea was par
ticularly prevalent in the Southern
States, and many Southern lady who
was reared in luxury was reduced to
drinking this poor substitute for ner
favorite Oolong or fowery Pekoe.
The foliage and flowers Of all the
golden rods are imbued with an
astringent principle and are moderate
ly stmulant, so that their suita bility
for the manufacture Of a domestic tea
was recognized by the American col
onists as long ago as when George
III. was king over them. One species,
the fragrant-leaved golden rod. known
sometimes as Blue Mountain tea, pos
sesses. in addition. the flavor Of licor-
ice. Drunk piping hot in the wilder
ness it makes a pleasant feature in
the campers limited menu. This es-
! pecial kind Of golden rod begins to
bloom quite early in the summer and
Is easy Of recognition. even by the
| non botanical because Of the licorice
perfume which the leaves give out
when rubbed 1t is very common
species In the pine barrens of Jersey.
The astringent quality. in a greater or
less degree is possessed by nearly all
these plants. They also contain CON
siderab BILE fannie acid in their makeup.
These two qualities go far to make tea
the popular beverage it is.