The web is a treasure trove of information, and tea is one of the subjects that you may learn a lot about by simply logging on.

If you are new to TeaSmart, and want to catch up on past issues, all are available online at www.teasmart.com. Looking for a specific topic and curious to know if it was covered? Then use the handy search box. All queries are just a key stroke away.

The online version of TeaSmart also contains a unique "talking tea with..." column. Each month we pose a standard set of questions to tea world luminaries. Curious to know what they think and what advice they may have for your business? Then by all means log on.

Adagio Teas' online store at www.adagioXL.com is another source of much free information on the world of tea. A Tea Guide is a handy profile of all the common tea varieties. Are your customers inquiring about a tea you have yet to discover? A quick glance at the Tea Guide will provide most answers. All entries are organized by both type and country of origin.

Interested in seeing the trend of tea sales over the past five years? Here's a hint: some teas are flat, while others are growing at 30% a year. Curious to know which are which? Then visit Adagio's Oracle of Tea page. And read the excerpts of the authoritative Tea is Hot Report.

Don't have time to keep up with all the recent writings on the topic of tea? That's OK. All the major stories are profiled in the Dossier section. Wonder what you are missing by not reading industry publications? Well you can stop. All the tea-related stories are now available in one place.

The Adagio site also makes it easy for you to stay abreast of what others in your field are doing. Is bubble tea the unstoppable wave of the future? How are the traditional establishments coping with this onslaught? View the profiles of many tea places around the country (and around the globe) to see what interesting ideas you may pick up for use in your own business.

Less interested in the business of tea than in its glorious history and cultural aspects? Then TeaMuse is a must-read for you. A collection of articles on the history, enjoyment and growing popularity of tea by such well-known authors as Diana Rosen, James Norwood Pratt and Jane Pettigrew. All are available online at www.teamuse.com.

Much info is also provided online by Stash Tea. Tidbits on the history of tea, tea quotes, estate photos and a comprehensive FAQ section are all contained within its World of Tea pages at www.stashtea.com

Curious to know who else offers tea in your neck of the wood? You may easily find them in an online directory of tearooms available at www.teamap.com.

Finally, there is the Tea Association of the United States, which maintains a web presence at www.teausa.com, where you may learn about the upcoming industry events, as well as the latest findings on the health benefits of tea.

And don't forget, the web is a two-way street. Want to share your insights with others? Or pose a question for our readers? Then visit www.teachat.com and click on the Forum link. There's no limit to what you can do. Or learn.