Our truly national beverage is made from the leaf of the tea-plant (Thea sinensis), a shrub which bears a great resemblance to the Camellia Japonica. The tea-plant is a native of China, and grows wild in some parts of that country and of Japan. The leaves of the tea-plant are gathered (chiefly by women) in the spring. The tea-harvest generally ends in May or June; they are, however, gathered at three successive seasons. - the young and tender leaves giving the highest flavoured tea; the second and third gatherings are bitterer and have more woody leaves.

The refuse and decayed leaves are pressed into moulds, made hard with ox blood, and sold as Brick Tea in Northern China, and beyond the Great Wall.

Tea is either green or black. As it is now well known that the green teas are painted with Prussian-blue or indigo, black tea is the general choice of the nation; though some still prefer green.

The leaves for black tea are spread out and left in the air for some time after they are gathered; they are then tossed about till they become soft and flaccid; next washed for a few minutes and rolled. Afterwards they are exposed to the air for a few hours in a moist state, and then dried slowly over charcoal fires. The leaf blackens by exposure to the air.

Constituent parts of 1 lb.

For green tea the leaves are spread thinly on bamboo-trays for one or two hours, and then dried off rapidly and rolled.

The principal varieties of black tea are - Bohea, Congou, Campoi, Souchong, Caper, and Pekoe. The green teas are Twankay, Hyson-skin, Hyson, Imperial, and Gunpowder.

Pekoe, or " White-down," is made from the downy sprouts or leaf-buds of plants of three years' growth.

Caper is in hard grains; it is made of the dust of the other teas, cemented with gum.

The practice of scenting teas is common, and various sweet flowers and odoriferous plants are used for the purpose.

Tea was brought to England in the seventeenth century only, and was immensely expensive. The East India Company made a present to the Queen of Charles II. of two pounds of tea as a very costly gift.

Dried Sage leaves formed the tea of England till then and for very long afterwards. They were, in fact, used up to the middle of the last century.

The effects of tea are well known, it "cheers without inebriating;" excites the brain to activity and watchfulness; soothes the system, and stays the waste of the body.

This last effect is produced by the substance in it called Theine:

Theine is composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen; three-tenths of its substance being nitrogen. Theine has, as we have said, the remarkable power of sensibly diminishing the waste of the body. Now, as we eat to supply this waste, it follows that if the waste be less we shall want less food. Tea, therefore, saves solid food while it cheers and soothes the spirits. For old people - in whom the daily waste of the tissues is greater than in the young - tea is very valuable; while the poor, who have scanty food, reasonably cling to their "cup of tea," as their great stay and solace.

It is wise in the poor to buy good tea (as they almost invariably do), because the support is greater in the purer beverage than when adulterated with sloe-leaves, etc.

Baron Liebig has shown that THEINE is of all substances the most easily converted into bile, and that by means of tea this necessary fluid can be produced in those who are ill-fed or take little exercise.

The fashion of the five o'clock cup of tea is therefore evidently a wise one.

Tea-leaves contain a great deal of gluten, and if eaten would be as nutritious as beans or peas. This fact is worth knowing in case of famine.

A pinch of soda in the water poured over tea, dissolves a portion of this gluten and renders the tea more nutritious.

Adulteration Of Tea

Congou and Souchong are the teas which reach England unadulterated by the Chinese. English adulterations are sloe-leaves and blackthorn-leaves dried, broken in pieces, and mixed up with a paste made of gum and catechu, or Japan earth; ash and plum-leaves, silkworm dung, dung of pigs and dogs, or exhausted tea-leaves bought from hotels, re-dried, mixed with gum and faced with rose-pink, or blacklead, or copper, for green tea.

Taking these frauds into consideration, we think it is wise to buy of a first rate dealer, whose honour may be relied on.

Souchong is the finest of the strong black teas; Pekoe the most delicate.

Tea to preserve its flavour must be kept in lead.

To make tea, take care that the water boils: tea cannot be made with any but boiling water. A teaspoonful for each person and one over "for the pot," is the quantity required; let it stand five minutes. Keep the tea-pot (if possible) covered with a woollen "cosy".

Flesh-producers remain with the tea-leaves, but may be taken up, as we have said above, by putting a little soda in the water.