The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-02-09
TEA CULTURE.

1
which is to show that the Chinese
tea plant could be cultivated profta-
bly, in this and other States. Sev
eral letters disclose tho fact that
quito Il number of tea plants are
now growing in the open air and
doing well in South Carolina. Col.
James Fl. Rion, of Winnsboro,
says
81 have no experience in the mak>
ing Of tea, but can certify to the
adaptability of the soil and climate
of my section to the growth of tho
plant itself. I live in Fairfield
county, which is q little north Of
the centre of the State. In tho fall
Of 1859 T. received from the Patent
Office, Washington (of which the
Agricultural Department is part
succossor), u very tiny tea-plant,
which Iplanted in my flower garden
rs a curiosity. It has grown well,
has always been free from any dis
case, has had full out door exposure
and attained it's present height
Is feet s inches) in the year 1865
Since then it has been occasionally
trimmed. The bush is like a ball
resting on the ground, it's breadth
being equal to it's height. 1t is
continually producing perfect seeds,
which readily gcrnlinato and pro
duco healthy seedlings. The seeds
are of the sizo of small filberts
This shows thut tho plant finds it.
self entirely at HON, where it is
growing. There cannot be the
least doubt but that the tea plant
will flourish in South Carolina"
The plant is of slow growth, but
leaves Can be picked in the third
year and in tho fifth year, the
yield is plentiful. The planting and
culture of the tea plant is attended
with but little trouble and expense
the difficulty to be met and over
come is i'll tho manipulation of the
leaves, required to transmute them
into the article OF commerce that wc
call tca. The Chinese method is q
slow and tedious process, calling for
great practice, skill and patience.
Yankee ingenuity would, however,
very soon invent Il machine that
would render the process cheap and
easy.
1t is shown by u cnrofpl calc,;!a-
ton, that after the htin year the
tea garden would yield net profit
of $3.50 per acre annually. The
business, in other words, would DO
much pleasanter and far moro
profitable than cotton planting.
Every lady in the land who has IL
tower-garden, should attempt the
growth of y tea plant. Hear what
Miss M. G.. NIcFall, of Anderson
county, says
81 take pleasure in informing you
that L have tea plant which l have
had fifteen years, and which WAS
sent to ne by Col. j. d. Ashmore,
while he was in Congress. 1t has
remained in tho garden whore
it was originally planted, and has
had no care or cultivation. Fifty
plants, L suppose, could have been
reset from the young seedlings
sprung up beneath it from fallen
seeds, but I was afraid to disturb
thcm. This yearI have cured some of
the leaves, and will send you a sample.
| have had no one to show me how
to prepare them. I have given away
five pounds of ten, and have been
using it in the family all the year. The
plant is an evergreen, and stands
the winters perfectly we'll. It is
eight feet in height, four feet in
diameter, and never has been pruned
or trimmed"
Commissioner LIE Due, Of the De-.
partmet of Agriculture, is very
anxious to see the experiment Of ten
culture fairly tried in South Carroll
naA He says:
"There are at present only about
1000 toa plants in the propagating
beds Of tho Department., and thcso
are engaged but seeds have been
and will be planted, which it is ex-
pected will produce several hundred
thousand plants for distribution
early next spring.
Applications may be made, and
correspondence is solicited with ag :
ricultural associations, which will
undertake to carry out the plans
and wishes of the Department, and
plants will be furnished such asso-
cations from timo to time, and as
speedily as may be possible. -
.Darlsngt0ne Neaos.