Tea
the dried leaf of an evergreen shrub of the natural order Ternstræmi aceæ, for which the Linnæan botanical name of Thea Chinensis is generally current, though the genus Thea is by recent systematists merged in Camellia, and the plant is now called C. Thea of Link.
It includes C. Bohea, the China plant, and C. Theifera, the indigenous Assam plant. Whether the tea shrub is indigenous in China and Japan is a doubtful question. It appears to have been imported thither from Assam and Cachar, 3 2 1-Flower TEA PLANT 2-Fruit 6 1 3-Seed and possibly also from Siam and Cochin.
The fact has been historically established that the culture of tea existed in China in the 4th century, and in Japan in the 9th century, and from these countries it was exclusively obtained for any other part of the globe till the time of the prespart of the globe till the time of the present generation. The import appears to have reached Europe during the early part of the 17th century, but we do not land till 1657, and for a long time the high price kept its use limited to the wealthy class. At the present day it is estimated that half the human race uses tea habitually or occasionally.
The discovery of the indigenous plant in the forest country of Upper Assam was made in 1834, and since 1840 its cul- tivation there has taken very firm root, as also in Cachar, Sikkim, the northwestern Himalaya, and other parts of India. The spread of tea field cultivation in northwestern India is mainly due to the late Dr. W. Jameson, who established government plantations in Dhera Dhoon, Kumaon, Gurwal, and Kangra.
Since then private individuals and companies have taken part in extending its cultivation in these districts. Tea was introduced into Java as an agricultural plant about 1835; into Carolina about 1845; into Brazil in 1860.
A damp, warm climate, with rains to the extent of 70 or even 100 inches, well spread over the year, and copious in spring, is above all adapted for tea culture. Rich forest land in its virgin state is preferable to any other. The plants must be kept in vigorous growth by the suppression of weeds, periodical turning quate manuring. The number of tea plants per acre varies from 1,860 to 2,- 700 according as they are placed five feet or four feet apart. The yield per acre after the fourth or fifth year is approximately 240 pounds in India and 320 pounds in Assam. Pick Picking and manufacture extend from April to October, during which period 20 pickings are calculated on. The Indian plan for black tea may be briefly described.
The operation of plucking is simply the tea may be briefly described. thumb of the young shoots with three or four leaves. The produce, after being weighed, is laid in a cool place, and the or four leaves. The produce, after being mats in the sun, whereby the leaf becomes sufficiently flaccid for rolling with out much breakage. The rolling is slow and laborious handwork, performed on a common deal table. The fermentation is effected by thoroughly shaking up the leaf, throwing it loosely into a heap, and covering closely with mats or carpetsthe length of time required depending on the quality and state of the weather.
Then succeeds firing in metal pans at a the length of time required depending on few minutes of this treatment it is brushed out, thrown on a table, and TEACHERS COLLEGE again quickly rolled while hot. The same process of firing and rolling is repeated, and finally the leaf is exposed to the sun, or placed over charcoal fires to dry. For making green tea the series of operations are somewhat different to the sweating above, the firing being for a longer period and at a higher temperature, and only is permitted. instead of fermentation a little sw tea. In ordinary commerce four kinds of black and six of green tea are recoguce the most delicate flavored leaves produc tea. In ordinary commerce four kinds of black and six of green tea are recognized, but the difference between them consists chiefly in size. In the first, and Bohea coarser; Congou forms the bulk of the British and in the green the various Hysons and and dearer kinds, and and in the green the various Hysons and Gunpowder are most famous. The Ceychong, Congou, etc. The so-called "Eng- lish Breakfast" is Souchong. In normal chong, Congou, etc. The so-called "Engtimes the world crop of tea is about 800,- 000,000 pounds. In 1918 the United times the world crop of tea is about 800,- States imported 151,314,132 pounds, a third coming from Japan. In 1880 the U. S. Agricultural Dept. established a tea plantation at Summerville, S. C., and is pressed in the form of a brick, and is prepared when used with butter and salt.
It is preferred to all other teas by the natives of central Asia and Tibet.
An infusion of tea as a beverage has trifling actual nutritive value, but it increases respiratory action and stimulates greater activity of the brain; its effect on the nervous system being due to the essential oil and the theine, while the 14 per cent. of tannin it contains is an astringent. Substitutes for tea have been found in a number of plants, some of which contain the same stimulating property, such as maté, guarana, cola nut, and coffee leaves. Others have been selected by our early colonists, etc., for infusion, and the cognomen tea has in consequence been given to the plants. Thus we have Ausgiven to the plants. Thus we have Aus- tralian tea for several species of Leptospermum and Melaleuca, Labrador tea is Ledum latifolium, Mountain tea is Gaultheria procumbens, New Jersey tea is Ceanothus Americanus, New Zealand tea is Leptospermum scoparium, Oswego tea is Monarda didyma, Botany Bay tea is Smilax glycyphylla, and West Indian tea is Capraria biflora.