Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-09


lin" of Eat homes. is on. and wherever
women flock" singly OF in groups. there
is the cheering cup Of tea. Young wo-
mon just out of school rcvel in cocoa. but
il is not many moons before they. too
acquire fondness for what is often
known as the "tcetotalors' intoXicant."
While the demand for tea in modera-
tiun IL doubtless the expression Of a
healthy and natural desire, it is undc-
nlnhle that with the enormous increase
in tea drinking in the last p years in
this country. nerve weakness and irrita-
bility have kept pace.
Tea auckens the heart action, strpu-
lates the nerve centres pleasantly. and
arouses the Intellectual faculties.
! This is due to the presence of caffcin.
the same active principle that distin-
guishcs the coffee berry and seeds OF
the cocoa tree source of cocoa and choco-
| late.
| Each Of these which have been used
for ages in three different continents. are
mild and agreeable stimulants. yet taken
In excess may be both ruinous to diges-
ton and temper.
| This is especially true with tea or
coffee that is allowed to steep. In the
case of tea. the tannin principle becomes
operative. and the decOction more and
more injurious with the increase of time.
WHAT TEA DO YOU USE?
Tea experts say that Americans arc
very poor Judges of tea: that even poor
people in the north of Ireland. the char
women of London. the povcrty-stricker
Russians are willing to pay two or three
times as much as Americans tn he sure
of getting good tea. Americans are
willing to pay high prices for good food
and they will pay for silks and diamonds
but they will not pay Tor tea
The great bulk of the teas imported
to America are classecd as low mid
dlings,' and much of 1t has heretofore
been doctored to meet the demands OF
trade.
Since the law Of 1897, prohibiting adul
Iterations and spurious limitations. Onl,
tea that is tea has been admitted into
the United States. but much of it is o.
inferior grades.
The English. Irish and their descend
lants. as rule. drink the COngou teas
or so.called English breakfast teas. whil'
the older Americans residents, especial!
those OF the large cities OF the East. Pre-
fer the Oolones The CongOu. Ceylon an,
India teas, the latter grown on rich lea
mould IN the highlands of tho interior
being considered one Of the finest of al
teas. are fcrmented in their own juice,
before being fired. which gives them
heavy malty flavor. The OolOng is pre-
pared like green tea without fcrmcnta
ton. and Is fired almost immediatel.
after picking. This gives Il lish; amber
colored infusion. or the so-called blacl
teas. which arc the leaves Of the MATURE
plant. there are said to be al least 20
varieties, with as many different flavor
ns could he found in a most luXurian
flower garden, and this Goes not includ
tine Oolcngs. The greens and Japan ma,
he divided into like number. Since tn
Introduction Of machinery in tea curinI
and packing in the great gardens OF CeS'
Ion and India, teas nf the China varictic
arc practically ousted from European an,
American trade. and with very good rea
SON. when one realizes that the habits O
the growers and surroundings of the tin
individual tea gardens In China are sue
that cleanliness in manufacture IL no
always attainabic. IN the absence o
rolling and firing machinery. these op
crations are all carried on by hands
arms, and feet. The Chinaman's tea gar
den ranges up from quarter OF an acre
while in japan and India and Ceylo
, the gardens vary from 80 acres to tn
thousands.
Tho FormOsa teas are now under tn
control of Japan. and that, together wit
the Japan teas. makes n total OF @'00n0
pounds, or more than half the amour
! consume In the United States
The best Ceylon tea is the broke
orange Pekoe,'' fine and small consistin
of young tips that look Xix" little splr
I tors Of wood. As n rule black tea
much more wholesome than the gree
the longer exposure to tho air apparent
ly disxipating sonle 81 ~ deletcriou
! principles.
TO MAKE GOOD TEA.
According 10 the president OF the M
tional Tea association only one woman
i. la hundred knows how 70 mako tea .
it should be made. TO be . pure toni
ana wholly hArn,less, tsa should 10 mad
with H4sh water that has Just cotns
10 voUd boil Tor the first time. Mestu'
y out the tea allowing half teaspoonf
for each cup Of boiling water reducir
the proportions when several cups al