New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-10-08
CULTURE OF THE TEA PLANT
IT'S PROSPECTS IN AMERICA.

]
William Saunders. Of Washington for many years con-
nected with The Agricultural Department read elab
crate paper on the cultivation of the tea plant. The
substance Of that portion the address which bears
upon the question of the possible Introduction OF this
industry into TIE United States is given below.
Although the plant Thea viridi) has been cnlti-
waited in China remote antiquity it has never been
found IN that country IN a wild state In 1885 1t
was discovered TINT the plant indigenous IN Upper
Assam. aud English capitalists at once conceived
the idea OF cultvatmg IL In that region
H. 1910 joint stock company began operations on an
extensive SCALE and after immense outays, reckless
management and temporary disaster the enterprise at
last became nm established success. The teas from
Assam were nj first rejected by London brokers. ana
this led the importation OF tons of seed ana thon-
sands Of plants China 20 restOck the plantations
This proved a serious mistake, for although many
bOtansts maintain that the Assam plant u the trnc
Tyne and the cultivated SPEC mems only variations
caused by climate ana special conditions, there are
genuine points o. difference which practical planters
recognize. The Assam plant Is n more rapid
grower and has larger and more succulent
leaf. while the Chinese plant il harder and
VIII thrive at greater elevations, Later expert
ence proved in spite Of original prejudice that the In
dian plant yielded leaf of SUPERIOR quality and was
amcnab.e to cultivation, that now The article
exported from the mixed plantations In that country is
valued highly according the percentage OF the
native stock which IL contains. III 1877 Great Britain
received 1000 900 pounds OF tom India, and this
rated from Il to - cents per pound above the
prlce of TIE Chinese article.
Tnc these English planters in India Is Of
special interest because has overthrow super
sous in regard 10 the curing and preparation for mar
kci Of the leaves. These operations BY means
mysterious and complicated M the world has been
led 10 believe. Many minute processes have been ADAM
douei than useless. Iust,ad Of following the
traditional Chinese plan. wAici requires we've distinct
operations carried on through thr,e da's ne
Enih the tea IN two days aud make use of only
i've operations namely o. whitening the leaf (-l roll
ing; % i'rm'ntug; Cd summing ard 20 firing IL s
- Undcrstord thai much Of iS ab9r Is only needed
90 prepare III" tea Tor long VOYAGE aud that the process
Baiy injuries c quality Of the article TINS accounts
Tor Tie w'hnown iaci mat the best teas are never eN
ported from Cuina. with the exception ~ small quaint
Ties which carried 60 Russia overland. Its safe To
a. 80 .,,,, .,,,,,,,c,.. t,ttnI, 5,r he ,.~nncr
preparation of the leai Ne'xtr.ct tine essential viz
us 90 other plants without 80 muci cnmAious m9nipu-
iiion and iabo; saving Appliances Invariably follow
closely upon knowledge of Their necessity.
IXPrEIIENTs n INF UNIFIED STATES
II am established fact that the tea p-nt viii
in the United states. Specimens were nourishns "a
Charleston nursery early 1s12, ana in 1915 Junius
Smith ~ Grcenve, =. c. mnGe an attempt at cutivat-
ing the plant which was, however, abandoned before any
conclusive evidence furnished or or against lii-
n.lusify's hccompea profitable venture In 1855 orr
Government. through tIr tnrlr s-luNcr O. Patents, In
10 30 600 AM tlasc were distributed through thc
Southern states. In ls62 The Department % Asricu!-
70 an wLc applied for them, but under the prov
aleut lief tar much mani NATION was reo lcd 10
the nnfufarfuf 1g tine article that could not
poie vth tie chcap abor OF the Asauc-, 10 special
tffori was made a. disseminate the plants Reports
ihc success intin BEGAN 10 arrest attention, ani
hcDeDarment WIS stimulated 90 secure ore seed Pnt
begin tie Propagation of the piui- m earnest Ia le09
Il found that an abundance OF scca could Poe '-
tanned from tac giants already glowing 10 tic sriiA.
Since l~6S from lOooufo 1000 pni- were distributed
/ every itfr until 1876 when encouraging assuiaircs
from painters lea g. st more extensive operations, 80
thai 100000 PLANS have been sent oui dAIe ii. i"-t
Two ais ano The Department ha- some 10000 no"
hand. An A- has nccn done with lie mention oi
rendering the cult. vaton of popular domestic
product, ana vita The hope that ruir interest would
be intimate directed 20 It's cultivation as an article al
One more fact mas been established on uudouhtcd
Iyon win ihr ml rrect know edge Of planter,
proper Tine Tor picking and tie proper means OF cur
dea pronounce very good. II has been tested ID
Washington and otncr cities viii the same result Ono
lady IN Columbia : c. reports That she has onan,d rye
pos' I'Ii V which .t r INV & 81 30 per ponnf
flavor 10 The imported article
CoNDTIoNs OF TIE CULTURE.
Tue romsiuing question TO Doe solved s; Can tea Dee
grown III tins country a. profitable market cropl The
cultivation tine plant simple that of the goose
berry The plants only need to be set IA rows thor
oughy titled aud properly pruncd 10 induce low.
compact gro With and abundance Of shoots. No
leaves should be picked unii the fourth year from
planting, to insure robust. healthy and wcllesah-
lshod growth So that they will endure the strain Of
successive srippngs for under the best conditions the
leaves are picked several each year. What
these condi0n-i la the first place, rich. loaiy soil
f. indisuensnlle aud the strength Of the land
should be sustained by fertilizers The climate
must ba warm, for although the Plant VIII
endure n chi, II tfiiy,s best where III
summers are long ara where the iempcrature n
never lower than g o. - below freezing. The aast
ocssary condition Is auuncant moisture. In India the
rainia Is from 80 to 100 inches per anuum and IL rs
doupful whether hr aVcs would form WIN sil,'ent
rapdify 10 make ID crop successful ~ part OF the
country where the lna rainfall Is les dian 90 inches
and TINS SHOULD diused pretty equally over The
Spring and summer months. " course whore lIrISa-
ton II possible the rainfall Is Of less importance.
There j. only one Of learning whether these and
other essential conditions, n such there bc exist to-
success. Perhaps the Government might accomplish
something II would cease To rely upon indirect
methods OF encourage experiment which can ony be-
dcsuitOry ana unsails dclOy ana neg y some persistent
trais OF hts "A scale Of sufficient magnitude TO
settle the question coucsYcy. Al appropriation of
So, 900 would be sufficient 10 purchase and stock
location, and II would cover all needful eN-
penses Tor series OF experiments through
a term of years. II would then be fonnd what
and what would he the cost OF pic king and curing Until
some satisfactory data these points established,
private enterprise will hardly graphic with euch
MANY acute faith that The United
Will produce Its tea and better tea than
consumed here IL probable that the leaves best
treatedfor home consumption by simple drying and
pressing INTO cakes. as is done with other economic
herbs ana the best tea will he fired" roasted
hV he the coffee berry treated In
that case American enjoy article out OF
which all virtue has not been baked under Asiac
suns and In Asiatic ovens, and which has not been
and flowers, in restore Its quality a
marketable standard
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THE AMERICAN BOARD IN SESSION.
Tuppr TVoTSAND DELEGATES TO TIIR CoNVrNTIoS