become reddened by the addition of an acid. TEA ASSAY. In the following tea assay proper the estimation of theine is not included. The processes suggested for this determination are rather unsatisfactory; and there appears, moreover, to exist no direct relation between the quality of tea and the proportion of theine contained. The tests here mentioned, in connection with those already given, will, it is believed, usually suffice to indicate to the analyst the presence of spent leaves, inorganic coloring matters, and other mineral adulterations. TANNIN.--A good process for the estimation of tannin in tea has been published by Allen (_Chem. News_, vol. xxix. p. 169 et seq.) A standard solution of lead acetate is prepared by dissolving 5 grammes of the salt in distilled water and diluting the liquid to 1,000 c.c. As an indicator, 5 milligrammes of potassic ferricyanide are dissolved in 5 c.c. of water, and an equal volume of strong ammonia-water added. The exact strength of the lead solution is to be determined by means of a solution of pure tannin of known strength. Two grammes of the tea to be tested are powdered, boiled with water, and, after filtering and thorough washing, the decoction is made up to a volume of 250 c.c.; 10 c.c. of the lead solution are now diluted with 90 c.c. of boiling water, and the tea infusion is gradually added from a burette until a few drops of the liquid, when filtered and added to a little of the indicator placed upon a porcelain slab, causes a pink coloration to appear; 125, divided by the number of c.c. of tea infusion found to be necessary to produce the pink color, will give directly the percentage of tannin in the sample examined. As previously stated, green tea contains 20% of tannin, and black tea 10%. In spent tea, however, only about 2% of tannin is present; and, although any tea deficient in this constituent could be fortified by the addition of catechu, its determination often affords indications of value. THE ASH--_a. Total Ash._--5 grammes of the sample are placed in a platinum vessel and heated over a Bunsen burner until complete incineration has been accomplished. The vessel is allowed to cool in a desiccator, and is then weighed as quickly as possible. In genuine tea the total ash should not be much below 5% or much above 6%, and it should not be magnetic; in "faced" teas the proportion of total ash is often 10% or 15%; in "lie-tea" it may reach 30%, and in spent leaves it may fall as low as 3%, the ash in this case being abnormally rich in lime salts and poor in potash salts. Tea-dust sometimes contains 10% of total ash without necessarily being considered bad in quality. In the proposed United States tea-adulteration law (1884) a maximum of 8% of total ash is allowed for tea-leaf.