The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-06
Tca Planting, Oncs aOrs.


ture, several months ago, isstied his re-
port on tea culture, and advised that tee
Couid be manufactured as eileapIy In this
country as In China; Japan or any Dor.
ton of the East Indies, Ills ideas we're
| pronounced Utopian, his efforts wers rid.
iculed, and he was considered crazy
humbug. Ae ~as not checked, however,
in his determination 70 make an effort 20.
wards success, and looking only to the
possibility Of sasing that twenty millions
OF dollars that our people pay annually
to the Mongolian for bis teas, and 60
utilize eome Of the waste lands and labor
Of the South, Gen. Le Due perseyered in
terrible earnest to accomplish his pro-
posed end.
True, he sent an inspector, sort OF
agricultural pleasure-seeker, down Soutl,
TO take notes, and learn something 10
publish on the question of ten culture,
and true, also, this peI..4.bulator pub.
lished report that was we'll calculated
to drive every one away from tho effort
Of growing tea; but, nevertheless, the
Commissioner continued to propagate his
plants. until he has up to date sent near
ly 10000 plante to two or three Southern
States, aud at the came time has grown
the plants in Washington at the Depart
ment; and discarding every thought that
we must adhere to the old silly, tradi-
tional method of manufacturing tea adop.
ted by the Chinese, he latteriy has tested
tho result of his experiments, and sue.
ceeded beyond his anticipations.
The great Now York dai,ies,n and
other papers, who SO ridiculcd the Com.
missioner's efforts, will now, we hone.
manfully acknowledge his euccess, as has
done the Washington Pest, from whose
columns we clip the following report.
Let our South Carolina tea growers
read, ponder and persevefe There will
be money in growing tea in South Caro-.
lima ten years from to-day:
THE success that attended the expert
ment in curing tea made ct the Depart
ment of Agriculture few days ago, goes
far to prc:e that the profitable cnltisa.
ton of the tea plant in this country may
become an accomplished fact at no yery
distant day. At tho invitation of GEN.
LeDGc, MegsFs. o. A. & III. G. Gill, of
the firm of Martin, Gillet & Co., of Baltia
more, came to this city to experiment
with the leaves of the young tea plants
raised in the gardens Of the Department
from seeds of old plants grown In South
Carolina, from seeds sent there by the
Department some twelve or fourteen
years ago. The Messrs. Gill, who are
grandsons of Mr.. Martin Gillet, the
founder of the firm they represent, and
who won't into business as an importer of
tea in 1911, have hsd vide experience
with the article in which they deal. One
of them passed number of ysars in
China and japan, and while there made
himself thoroughly acquainted with the
methods practiced by the people of those
countries in preparing tea for the market.
Their Investigations and experience
proved to them that there was but one
species of tea plant, from which oil va
rieties of teas are made. This is the
plant known in botany as tho Thea Uiri-
81, oE which tbs ordinary c:il.:va.ss@a.
shrub ia from three to ak feet high.
though the wild plant attainB far great.
er siZe, sometimes fifteen or twenty feet,
Becoming convinced that the coloring
matter employed by the Chinese and
Japanese in the preparation of their teas
was not only hurtful To the health, but
sas destructive 10 the favor and quality
oi the tea, they determined, in 1875, to
introduce unc0lored teas, such es the
Chinamen drink themselves, into the
United States. They were laughed at by
the trade throughout the country at first,
and in defence of their, course were led
to scientifically investigate the prepare
ton of ten, and to make experiments
with the green leaves raised in this conn-
try. They found, after devoting much
time and labor to the subject, that, by a
very simple process, they could prepare
as good an article of uncolored tea as an.,
brought from China and Japan. They
also became convinced that the Orientais
had for many years purposely gone
through with the elaborate processes em-
plnyea by them solely with the yiew of
misleading other nations, and making
them believe that 30 much labor and
manipulation were necessary.
I'm the experiment referred to, at the
Agricultural Department. the leaves
were gathered by a number of the lady
clerks from the young plants in the hot
house--mere@ seedlings planted in Feb
ruary last, and not moro than five or aix
inches high. This was q disadvantage to
begin with, as the Chinese never make
ten from plants under three years old.
Tie leaves gathered were the young tins,
two or three only being taken from the
TOP of each plant. They were then car
Eied to the laboratory and turned over 70
the Messrs. Gill to be cured. They began
operations by placing portion OF them
in o sieve and holding it over q pan OF
boiling water until the leaves were thor
oughly wiltsd. They were then put in
o thick cloth and subjected to heavy
pressure to eSpf5a5 the juice or cap,
which containD large portion of tannic
acid. When taken from the cloth they
formed solid mass, very glutinous, and
somewhat difficult to. separate. IN this
stage the leaves can he made to assume
any shape desired, and it is when they
are In this condition that the Chinese
make them up into the different brands,
like. gunpowder, imperials, &c. Aftei
leaves were next "fired.n This was done
by placing them in tin pan over gaa.
FIRE, taking care not to permit the bottom
10 get hot enough TO burn, and gently
stirring them with the hand until per.
fect!y cured. When tho PROCESS yas
complete, the tea WIS OF deep green
color, end reaembled very much o Chi.
nese Oolong or Japan tea, such as Il
used by che natives Of those countries
In appearance it compared very fisyora.
bly, with q sample, shown by the Messrs
Gill, which cost So per pound in Japan
The whole process did not take an 6oui
from the time the leaves were frgi
plucked, and SO soon as boiling yate,
couIu De procured ten mas maGe ana pre-.
sented to the ladies and gentlemen who
had Witnessed the experiment. 1t was
pronounced excellent, the experts present
saying that the favor was Between thai
ola high grade Of Japan aud the finest
Moyune China green teas.
Tho loss OF weight during the process