1888. 1889. 1890.

Import, Indian 86,371,000 94,954,000 101,052,000 Ceylon 14,705,000 26,390,000 34,246,000 China 117,185,000 98,695,000 90,097,000 Java 2,989,000 4,170,000 3,107,000 ------------ ---------- ----------- Total 221,250,000 224,209,000 228,502,000 Delivery, Indian 85,619,000 91,368,000 101,168,000 Ceylon 12,578,000 23,830,000 31,947,000 China 116,870,000 105,668,000 87,652,900 Java 3,133,100 3,862,000 3,280,000 ----------- ----------- ----------- 218,200,000 224,728,000 224,047,000 Of which— Home Consumpt. 183,000,000 185,250,000 187,940,000 Export 35,200,000 39,500,000 36,107,000 There are three active substances in tea, which we should do well to notice: Volatile Oil, Theine, and Tannin. The volatile oil can be distilled by ordinary process, and it contains the aroma and flavour of tea in perfection. Its action on the human body is not thoroughly known, with the exception that it is injurious in a greater or less degree. The Chinese are well aware of the fact, and will rarely use tea until it is a year old, thus allowing some of it to evaporate, and it is probably owing to this oil that tea-tasters (who taste as much by smell as by palate) are subject to attacks of headache and giddiness. Theine is the principle which gives to tea its power of lessening the waste of the tissues in the human body, and, when separated from the decoction, it forms an alkaloid having no smell, a slightly bitter taste, and is composed of colourless crystals. It is also an active agent in Maté or Paraguay tea, in coffee (when it is called caffeine, although identical in substance), in Guarana, which is used as coffee in Brazil, and in the Kola Nut of Africa. The third product, tannin, gives roughness of flavour to the tea, and is particularly developed by allowing the infusion to stand a long time. It is harmless; at least, its combination in tea has never been found to be hurtful; Its presence is at once shown by dropping some tea on the clean blade of a knife, when it will produce a black stain—the tannin derived from oxgalls, and a solution of iron, forming the ink with which we write. That Chinese tea has been, and is, largely adulterated, is an indisputable fact, and in those bygone days, when all our supply came from China, it had to be borne. Now, at all events, the Indian and Ceylon teas are pure, and can be taken without the slightest fear. The green teas used to be most adulterated, but the black teas could also tell their tale of fraud. J. A. [Illustration] [Illustration] TEA. II.