Middletown transcript., 1875-01-30
ru1, AcErtqss Lib~ty County. Ga,
- : = - - JANUARY 4, 1875.

LEf Nfs9uEXHetP~g 1A/Ucty OOt~ttys suU, [
Z = ~s-A JANUARY 4. 1875.
Editors Telegraph qsd Messenger: Y =
As you requested me on your recent
visit to my place to write you minute
account Of the cultivation of the tea
plant, and also Of the process Of prepar-
ing the leaves. | herein give you my
own sxperisnce. together With a few
quotations from Mr.. Robert Fortunes
1.-TWO visits to the tea countries Of Chi
na.n' He says '.the soil in which the
tea plant does best is moderately rich,
that is. that it contains considerable
portion Of vegetable matter, mixed with
clay, sand and particles of rock" Ny
experience hos been that Il does best
here on land somewhat low, but not such
as water will lie upon, or is ever over
flowed. / SOW the seed in the fall, as
soon as they ripen and drop from the
bushes. in drills eighteen inches apart.
They come up readily in thespring.and
BY winter are from three to six inches
high. Under the shade Of some large
trsejs asuslls the spot seleetsd for sow-
ing the seed. for if the plants are ex-
:. posed 70 the hot sun while young, they
2
invariably die the first summer. When
six months old, they are ready for
transplanting; have generally good
supply Of roots, and can be set ont any
time from the first Of November to the
z last Of March In putting them out. /
have generally prepared holes to re-
ceiye them. to give good start, so that
fine. healthy bushes will be obtained
The holes are usually dug out a foot or
more deep and equally as wide, and
filled 10 with half rotted leaves, ., little
! cow-pea manure and surface soil; !; all Of
this to be packed down. to prevent wa
ter settling around the plants whenever
it rains. The tea is planted up to its
FIRST leaves, and little water given to
press the earth close to the roots. As
soon as the warm spring weather be-
j gins. each plant is.shaded from the
sun. "A crnteh. two feet out Of the
ground, is driven in on each side Of the
plant, strong stick placed across the
crutches, and pine branches leaning
upon this. make cheap and good
shade. The tea when young and not
large enough to shade Its own roots. is
very sensitive to the heat Of the sun
This shading being somewhat trouble
some. / have adopted another plan. It
is this. to set out the plants under the
shade Of some large bush or tree, until
they are about two feet high, then take
them up carefully, cut off nearly ell the
tops, and plant out in their permanent
places. As soon as Spring opens they
will put ont sufficient leaves to shade
their own roots. In April. 1867. !
think il was, Mr. Howard from Ralti-
more, who had been engaged on plan
tation for several years in the East Wis
tied my fathers plantation in this coun-
ty. He expressed himself as being sur
prised at the splendid growth Of the tea.
As be was there at the time of gather
ing the young leaves, he plueked from
one bush alone. prepared the tea him.
self, and took it on to Baltimore, where
be had It tested and weighed. He wrote
back that it had been pronounced
stronger and Of superior favor to the
imported. and that BY calculation. be
was satisfied that four hundred and fifty
pounds Of cured tea could be made here
at the South, to one acre Of ground.
Mr. Fortune, in writing Of the tea