As in making coffee, to secure the best results, freshly boiled water must be used. Never use a tin teapot; earthenware or china are preferable. Pour boiling water into the pot and let stand at least two minutes, to thoroughly heat it, throw this water out and put in the desired amount of dry tea. Pour the boiling water in, cover and use at the end of three to five minutes according to brand of tea used. Do not place over the fire, as there is danger of it boiling. If tea is boiled, the flavor is ruined and the tannic acid extracted to such an extent as to render it highly injurious. Let me emphasize, never use a tin teapot, use freshly boiled water, scald out the pot just before using, upon no account allow the tea to boil, as tea boiled is tea ruined, and do not allow it to steep more than five minutes, except where Japan or English breakfast tea is used, when from eight to ten minutes will be found a better time.

The amount of tea used to a given quantity of water depends entirely upon personal taste, the kind of tea used and the price paid for it. Tea at a dollar a pound is no more expensive, if care is taken in making, than tea at seventy cents a pound (this will be found especially true in using Ceylon teas), as the more expensive brands are much stronger than the cheaper, consequently less is needed in the making, and those at a dollar are so much finer in flavor that they are greatly to be preferred.

To obtain the best results in using Ceylon and India teas, care must be taken not to make them too strong, or to allow them to steep over three minutes.

Green teas are highly injurious, so should be avoided. Where black teas are distasteful, a taste for them may be acquired by introducing at first a small quantity, say two ounces of black to fourteen of green, gradually increasing the amount of black in proportion to the green, until all black may be used and enjoyed as much as the green had been formerly.

Tea taken with meals retards digestion seriously, especially where sugar is used in it. In the countries where tea is raised, it is used freely by the natives between meals, but rarely with meals. Would it not be well for us to copy after these Orientals in this matter?

Iced Tea

Allow four teaspoonfuls of tea to two cups of boiling water. Let it steep from three to five minutes and strain over chipped ice. Serve promptly.

Russian Tea

Russian tea may be served either hot or cold, but always clear. When served hot, put a thin slice of lemon, with seeds removed, into each cup, pour over the hot tea and sweeten to taste. If served cold, lemon juice may be added to iced tea and a slice of lemon placed in each glass. A preserved strawberry or a candied cherry may be added to each cup or glass.