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"In the autumn of 1860, Thomas Pumphrey's health having been in a failing condition for some months, he was requested to take a long holiday for the purpose of recruiting it, if possible. On his return, after a three months' absence, learning that the conduct of the children had been everything that he could desire, he devised for them a treat, which was so effectively managed that we believe it is looked upon by those who had the pleasure of participating in it as one of the most delightful occasions of their school-days. He invited the whole family—boys, girls, and teachers—to an evening tea-party. The only room in the establishment in which he could receive so large a concourse of guests was the meeting-house. In response to his kind proposal, willing helpers flew to his aid. The room where all were wont to meet for worship, and rarely for any other purpose, was by nimble and willing fingers transformed, in a few days, into a festive hall, whose walls and pillars were draped with evergreen festoons and half concealed by bosky bowers, amidst whose foliage stuffed birds perched and wild animals crouched. Amidst the verdant decorations might also be seen emblazoned the names of great patrons of the school and of the five superintendents who for more than eighty years had guided its internal economy. They who witnessed the scene tell us of two wonderful piles of ornamentation which were erected at the entrances to the minister's gallery—the one symbolic of the activities of the physical, the other of the intellectual, moral, and religious life, as its good superintendent would have them to be.... The village having been requisitioned for cups and saucers for this great multitude, the whole school sat down to a genuine, social, English tea table for the first time in its history."

There can be no doubt that milk is better than tea for the young, but tea now forms part of the dietary at almost every school, and we question whether there is a house in England where tea is unknown. Dr. Edward Smith, writing in 1874, said,—

In another chapter we have given some interesting statistics showing the extent of the consumption of this wonderful beverage, which has exercised such an influence for good in this country.

Tea is the national drink of China and Japan; and so far back as 1834 Professor Johnston, in his "Chemistry of Common Life," estimated that it was consumed by no less than five hundred millions of men, or more than one-third of the whole human race! Excluding China, England appears to be the largest consumer of tea, as shown in the following table compiled by Mr. Mulhall, and printed in his "Dictionary of Statistics:"—

CHAPTER II.
THE CULTIVATION OF TEA.

The tea-plant formerly occupied a place of honour in every gentleman's green-house; but as it requires much care, and possesses little beauty, it is now rarely seen. Linnæus, the Swedish naturalist, was greatly pleased at a specimen presented to him in 1763, but was unable to keep it alive. Dr. Edward Smith describes the plant as being closely allied to the camellias; but states that the leaf is more pointed, is lance-shaped, and not so thick and hard as that of the camellia. Dr. King Chambers suggests the spending of an afternoon at a classified collection of living economic plants; such, for instance, as that at the Botanical Gardens, Regent's Park. It is much pleasanter, he points out, to think of tea as connected with the pretty little camellia it comes from, than with blue paper packets, and the despised "grounds" which for ever after acquire an interest in our minds. The tea-plant, although cultivated in various parts of the East, is probably indigenous to China; but is now grown extensively in India. In consequence of the poorness of the quality of the tea imported by the East India Company, and the necessity of avoiding an entire dependence upon China, the Bengal Government appointed in 1834 a committee for the purpose of submitting a plan for the introduction and cultivation of the tea-plant;