Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-01-13
tFrom the Philadelphia Lcdger,l
THE TEA PLANT.


In ten years we shall astonish the world
by producing tea in the United States, supe.
rior in quality TO and cheaper in cost than the
tea Of China. This is no idle prediction. AL.
ready we find it produced in large quantities
and of excellent flavor in Brazil; and Mr.
Junius Smith is now planting the shrub in one
Of our Southern States with a view to its ex.
tensive cultivation.
Mr.. Spencer Bonsail, Of Philadelphia, has
been for ssme years engaged in snperintend-
ing very extensive rnnge Of tea plantations
in Assam, having some thousands of hands
employed in the field and the factory. The
success was perfect and Assam is now tea
country, This gentleman has returned to
Philadelphia under the certain conviction that
tea can be grown here without doubt or diff
Guilty Of any sort. We have been favored
with perusal Of his notes which record eve-
ry particular of his valuable experience and
from them we are enabled to present to our
readers such satisfactory summary as will
convince them that we need no protection to
grow our own tea. Assam is the northeas-
temmost part of British India, lying diagonal
ly between 25 and % N. Lat 1t is watered
by the Brahmapootra.
The tea plant, which, in China, is a shrub,
grows native in Assam to the height of 80
and 40 feet. But for plantation use, it is ne
cessary to trim it, so that it shall not grow
over five or six feet, to place the leaves in
reach of the gatherer. With Yankees, it
might be allowed TO grow much higher
Green and black teas are made from the
same plant, the difference being owing to the
manner of curing; though some leaves are al
lowed in making black tea whic would be
rejected in green, because of their being
little too old.
The wood of the tea bush is light colored
and close grained, and it smells, when peeled
like the black currant. The flowers are
white and fragrant. It is very leafy. The
green leaf is bitter pungent and uusavory,
and its decoction would be any thing but pa
latable. The seed consists of two to five ha-
zelike nuts, enclosed in smooth, broad cap
sule. The kernel is white, oily and nauseous.
The tea plant is remarkably hardy, and it
fiourishes on the high slopes of mountains,
where frost and snow prevail three months
In the years! Its favorite soil in China and
also in Assam, is the poorest yellow sandy
loan, with carbonate of iron in analysis. 81.
lex, rs; clay, 10: carb iron, 10; water, &C.,
4--ioO. No lime. ia
PLANrING.-Cuttinss do well. But usually
several seed, are, when gathered, put at once
into shallow holes four feet apart, and allow
ed to grow up bush fashion, Or it is grown
in nurseries and transplanted. Iu four or five
weeks the germ appears above ground. It
grows about foot every. In the third year
they begin to gather the leaves; nipping of
the end bud so to restrict its height and breadth
Il is desirable to select hillside ground, where
the sun shines about half the day A good
Tree is expected 10 yield
At 8 years II OF. tea,or 1877 lbs. per acre
"a {" "a 3i2 g"
"5 az 81 500 a
AT syears, when it is full bearing, OF tea
Dr. 75o lbs. per acre. 5lJslie ~.
1000 trees are allowed to the acre. The
ree lives to 80 years Of age
The process of manufacture consists chiefly
IN ofs.repeated exposure of,he leaves in we'll
heated iron vessels, with quick and accurate
till the ungent oil Is extracted
rom them, and in dexterously rolling them
a ball-masses, to curl the leaf ~ we see it,
This hand process spoils vast deal Of Il, for
he ieass over tcasting, or the smoking Of a
tray leaf Injuries the favor Of the mass. Mr..
seasall consrivsds machine 70 dispense with
dsalef hbor employed in beating the leaves
,etween the coek5uos. nv xwh;rk ou~ kcs, l;d