Mr. T.J. Hasselby read a paper on “Tea & its Allies”.

Tea had been used in China for over 1000 years but its introduction into this country dated back only to the reign of Charles 2nd about the year 1650. Its price at this time was from £5 to £10 per lb. A tax of 1/-6 per gallon was soon put upon it but in 1689 a duty of 5/- per lb. was levied in its place.

Particulars were then given as to the growth & production of Tea, the writer stating that Black & Green Tea was produced by the same tree by a variation in the time of gather & the mode of treatment.

Respecting the composition of tea the two most valuable constituents were Theine, the active principle of a Volatile Oil which imparts aroma & flavour. Theine is a crystalline substance of an alkaline nature & rich in nitrogen. Its action was twofold, checking waste of tissue & increasing vital force. The differences in the money value of tea were due rather to the flavouring volatile oil than to the amount of Theine in it.

M. Hasselby then explained the meaning of the terms given to the different varieties of tea & also gave ab account of the flavouring agents used in making up tea for the market. He then fully described the sources & particularities of Coffee, Cocoa, Kola, Coca, Guarana & other substances closely allied to tea in their properties & used either as beverages or medicines in this and other countries, one striking peculiarity in all of these being the presence of an active principle nearly if not quite identical with Theine in its chemical composition & physiological action.

The paper was abundantly illustrated with specimens of the various plants alluded to, these having been very kindly lent by the authorities at the Kew Museum & by the Pharmaceutical Society.