The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-01-21
rE4 CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA.
Experiments by the Japanese Colony,

correspondent of the San FranciscoM forming
Call, writing from the Japanese colony IN Fl
Dorado County, California where japanese
aericulturists are preparing to engage exten-
sively in tea culture, gives the following in
formation, CLEANED from conversation with
Herr Schnell, the manager and proprietor Of
the experimental farm:
From the experiments thus far made, Mr..
Schnell Is convinced that the problem OF tea
culture in California is solved, and there Is no
longer doubt but that we can raise as good teas
here as arc produced in China and Japan. The
few plants which saw were only an expert
mental crop planted in July, when the ground
was dry, hard and parched, raised under the
most disadvantageous circumstances, IN one
Of the dryest seasons ever known, Dut snow
all the slGns of healthy and vigorous condi-
tiop. Mr.. Schnell informs me that only one va
riety or kind of tea is known, and is the one
designated by DR.. Won Sebold as the Sime'oSis
Linn. All of the varieties described by bOtan-
ISIS under the names bohea. viridis, laden,
stricta, &C., are only variations OF the StnenStS
Linn, produced by different modes OF cultiva-
ton and geographical distribution. Dr: Won
Siebod places the SimenStS under the 1n0nd-
delDhia polyandr0 Linn, and to the natural
family of the cameleidruna decd'n.
The tea shrub In Japan Is On evergreen, from
fonr to six feet high with straight stem, and
numerous irregular branches. Growing wild,
the shrub will reach height of fifteen or
twenty feet. The stem Is OF bright gray
color, the branches chestnut, and the wood
hard and having peculiar odor. On the
Young branches are the short, soft, green,
small leaves, which are arranged in intervals,
and are of all elliptical shape with teeth on
the borders, resembling closely the leaves OF
the wild rose. The color is o bright green, OF
different shades. deepening as the season ad-
vanccs. Between the leaves sprout the olos-
SONS, which are at first OF rose color, put III
the course of their devel )pment assume lighter
shades. and finally, when full blown, are OF
the color of the ordinary tea rose. Tney nave
no odOr and are very tender, but are put 10
mo use The story that these flowers are pre-
served tor mixing teas that are only uIanh ny
the Emperor and the nobility, Is q iaDrlcatlen.
When these flowers fade away they leave
small fruit, which is divided into two or three
nartitions, generally three, which contain the
seeds. Owing to the great quantity OF oil con-
tained in these seeds, they are difficult OF pre-
scryation anu easily decay. The tea shrub is
very easy of cultivation, and will grow nearly
everywhere, with plenty OF air and sun, but
cannot live in shady places.
All Of the new plants at Mr.. Schnelfs plan,
tation are raised from seeds which are planted
in rows in ftlrrows from four to six inches
deep, in manner similar to that in which
beans are usually planted; but out of this NUM-
ber of seeds probably but one or two in each
will sprout. owing to the decay produced by
the excessive quantity of oil they contain.
The proper time for planting is in November
or December when it sprouts trough the
ground in about thirty days. By the ensuing
May the plant reaches height Of about D1 tonr tonr
leaves arc stripped of: and are placed under
immediate manipulation. They are first put
in large copper pan and roasted, then put. in
baskets and shaken and swung in the wind
until they are dried Of the moisture that has
been cxlilel by the heat. then roasted again.
then rolled in the palms of the hand to separ-
ate the leaves and prevent their crumoilns