The Portland daily press., 1869-07-01
Tea CnIture il cnllfsrnl..

The subject Of cultivating tea in the favors-
BILE portions Of our country has recently en-
gagged public attention to a considerable de-
gree. Many believe that this plant, so univer-
sally used all over the civilized world, may te
successfully grown in several of the Southern
States. We can see no reason why it may
not be cultivated and yield fair profit to the
cultiyator. We understand from the Sacra-
mento Union that the question will, ere long.
be practically tested in the Golden State
There is considerable anxiety on the part of
the farmers in that section of the country to
test new crops and diversity farm products.
That is laudable anxiety; for knowledge de-
rived from actual experiments is more reliable
than that obtained from any other source.
1t is said the Japanese viii soon'commence
the operation Of cultivating tea and also silk
amid the hills of Weber Creek in Ell Dorado
county. In this region the mineral wealth has
all been exhausted. It has been the centre Of
of the original placer mines now complete
ly exhausted. The lands about Gold Hin
amount to about ten million acres The soil
is fair, but hardly rich enough for grain except
in favored localities. The face Of the country
is rolling, occasionally broken by sharp, high
hills and timbered with oaks, naples, pines
and some other trees. Springs Of living water
are scattered all over this vast region, and rlv-
ers run in deep ravines. Fire wood is every
where ABUNDANT The summer temperature
from May to the middle of September ranges
from 9Odeg. to 10Odeg in the shade, In win
ter from 7Odeg to 40deg. The nights are al
ways cool and the climate healthy
Such is the region in which the Japanese
prapose to grow the tea plant Should they
pitch their tents there, and their enterprise
prove profitable, it would greatly benefit the
country and the world. People will drink tea
and the women wear silks, and these Asiatics
are Just the men to supply these luxuries.-
The Sacramento Union thinks 1t somewhat
strange that the Chinese have not made
movement in this direction. But these Celes-
| tials have rooted prejudice against the intro
| ductiou of their peculiar in&hstries into for-
eign nations. This feeling is bred in the bone
| and it will show itself in the flesh in spite OF
| all circumstances. But the time may, and
| probably will come when such prejudices and
| such exclusiveness win die out.
| 1t is said by those who have the best know :
| edge on the subject that the mountain lands
OF California are precisely like those where the
| best tea is now grown in China. They have
about the same temperature, soil and attitude.
Should the culture of tea succeed in these
mountain regions, it would be of great advan-
tage to the State. The mineral treasures hav-
ing been exhausted, the lands arc now gener-
ally forsaken, and furnish but very few
homes for families. Once they were alive
with industrious hard workers, and II the JAP
anese succeed in the growing Of tea and silk,
these hills and valleys will become densely pop
ul lated, and much wealth will be drawn from
the SOIL May success attend the enterprise.
These Asiatics are the most industrious people
in the world, and we can see no objection &c
| their emigration to this country. If we can
/ grow our own tea and manutacture our silh
fabrics. so much the more independent Of 9th
er nations we shall be, and the richer we shai
grow. 1t is the producing classes that aad
wealth % nation.