than any other article used at table and if customers once lose confidence in either the ability or honesty of the dealer they will be repelled rather than attracted, it being next to impossible to get them back again. So that it does not pay a dealer to make any mistake in the selection of his teas, such mistake proving fatal to drawing or holding trade. Poor teas will drive more customers away in a week than can be made in a year; it is therefore much better and more profitable in the long run to sell only good teas at a smaller margin of profit than to sell poor teas at a larger one. Many dealers make use of the argument, “I bought this tea so much cheaper and my customers do not appear to notice the difference; they do not complain.” This may be true, but it is delusive, as people seldom complain; they go elsewhere and get better value. Every community becomes accustomed to drinking a particular description of tea and is quick to discover any change in the character and flavor of any tea that may be substituted for it, thereby becoming dissatisfied notwithstanding that even a higher-priced tea, of different character, may be given them. For this reason the dealer will do well to keep as close to the grade and variety in use there and as nearly uniform as possible at all times maintaining a “standard.” To do this effectually it will be necessary for him to study and learn as near as he can the particular grade and flavor his trade prefers, which is best accomplished by first trying them with various kinds until he has found that which is best suited to a majority of his customers; having succeeded in this, let him stick to that particular kind. Again, as any one variety will not suit all tastes, he can next endeavor to find a tea adapted to the minority by the same method, reserving and keeping these two or more kinds as the case may be. It is much easier to describe what teas to avoid than those to select or what may be best adapted to a particular section, as good tea of all kinds will sell at any time. Again, some sections of the country possess great advantages over others in the testing and preparation of tea for use, as, wherever the water is soft and pure, much better results are obtained from the infusion by a given quantity of leaves, owing to the fact that such water dissolves more rapidly and extracts a larger amount of the _theine_ than hard or muddy water. The coarse as well as fine properties of the tea are also “brought out” more prominently by the action of the former, it being for this reason that “high-fired,” “toasty” and “tarry” teas so much in favor in some sections will not sell at all in others where the water is soft as a rule, and why China Congous are best appreciated in sections where the water is soft, as the natural delicacy of their unique “fruity” flavor is best extracted by that kind of water and to a greater extent than is the flavor of most other varieties.