Litchfield enquirer., 1851-04-03
TEA GROWING.
Letter from Jaa,Us SasitA, Es7., to t@e
 Commissioner cf fatents.4


 not, seem to render superhuous the addi~ ton of another word. Nothing but your request to make communication on the subject of tea cultivation, through the Patent 0tfirc, world ii,,l ,tcerse steseisl!a1 ' the danger of weaiying the public ear and of exposing myself to obloqpy.
 During the past year the plant un- der my care has passed lhrougll severe tri als, from the injury received in trans planting, from the heat generated in the packlug> cases, from the want of shelter darlng the severe frosts of February, from the excessive heat in June, and from tie drought of 5s days coainu- ance in July and August. The plants were diYes.ed of their leaves and gener- ally ot their branches and twigs in Feb ruary, during my absence in New York. Knowing that the plants were tender.and no: fortified by age aud mature growth against severe weather, 1 had directed them to be c,vered ill case a material chauge of temperature should occur. But these orders were neglected, and they consequently suffered from that cause. The plant is sufficiently b .rdy to res:--any weather occurring in this part of the country, when seasoned for one year.
 The plant has grown thrifty since April, and the quantity of foliage, buds and blossoms, show that the root has taken strong hold. and is now fully equal to produce it's fruit next autumn. which al ways follows the year after the blossoms. 1 have variety of both black and green tea plants. The buds and blossoms of the latter did not appear until fort night after the black tea>plant. But the blossoms were lager when they did appear in September, October, November and December. From present appear ances, 1 think the blossoms of some of the late plants will continue to unfold until spring. It is not an unusual thing for the blossoms and the fruit to appea at the same lime upon the sams plant. In this par licuiar 1t differs from an, plant l have seen. As my chef object, aJ present, is to cultiyateand incl case the lea-nut, lt will be q year or two perhaps before attempt to convert the leaf into tea. The root supports the leaf anu fruit, and the leaf the root, so that nci tier can be spared without detriment.
 This climate appears congenial to the growth of the pant, and the sol IS ao diversified n this mountainous district that there is no difficulty in selecting that best adapted 10 setd~s'oMing plants, O. that designed for the leaf only. Upon the plantation purchased this su dmer, l have light. yellow, dark brown. red clay subsoil, of friAbe character, with Il sur face soil sufficiently sandy to answer the demands of the plant. i do not see any reason 10 doubt, from years experience, that tlietea- plantinits varieties willhour- ish in what 1 heretofore denominated the a>g'owing dist;ist of the United States. as well as in any pat of China.
 The slowness of its growth. requires patience. But when once established, the tea-nuts will supply the means of ex> tending cultivation, and the duration of the plant for twenty years dmini,hes the expense of labor. fo illustrate the hardihood of the plant, may observe, that notwithstanding tie zero severity of February frost destroyed the leaves and branches of most of the plants. aud those now blooming in great beauty and st, eng;h are from roots .the growth of this summer, l have one green eapIant the stem and branches of which with stood the frost of February without the slightest protection and Is now splendid plant. covered with branches and ever, green leaves, atTord.ng unJeniable c,i> dencc not only of its capability of resist. ing frost, but of its adaptation to just such degree of temperature.
 have often remarked that the tea. plant requi' es forits perfection the indus cree of two separate and distinct cl- mates, the heat Of summer and the cold of winter. The the, mometcr in this yi> cinity during the heat of summer gener- ally ranges from 74 at 6 o'clock A. NJ. to 82 at 3 o'clock P. M, only one day during the summer so high as s6.
 This is q most agreeable temperature, nights always cool, which the tea plant enio, $, and the days hot and famed with the mountain breeze.
 The drought found the mos. difficult point to contend wi,h, owing to the want of adequate means for irrigation. I lost 20 or 30 plants through this, and learned ,h,t m tna ulantution shotld he estah. Iished without irrigation. After two or three years there will he little necessity for it, because the depth of the roots will generally then protect the plant.
 My plantation at Golden Grove is well supplied with water, or I should not have purchased it at any price. t
 It is tlie first and most important point to secure a sonihe,n or western aspect gentle dccliyily the second, salubrious air and suitable soil the third.
 Our country is filed with natural tea