The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-07-29
iFHE CUP THAT CHEERS.
Gen. LeDuc's Plans for Filling It with
Fragrant American Tea.
81, Paul and Minnesota Pioneer Press.

Zen. w. u. LeDuc, commissioned oI
Agriculture, arrived in St. Paul yester-
day from Washington, via his home at
Hastings, and was captured by repre-.
sentative of the Pioneer Press instructed
to obtain the latest intelligence on the
subject of bis famous hobbies, American
tea culture and universal sugar. The
Commissioner was full to overaowing of
his favorable subjects, and manifested a
cheerful willingness to impart the desired
information to the Pioneer Press.
Pioneer Press-Gen. LeDuc, good
deal has been said in the papers, not
always very encouraging, about your
efforts, since you became Commissioner
of Agriculture, to introduce new branches
among agricultural, industry in the
United States-among others, tea cul-
ture. Will you be kind enough to tell
the Pioneer Press, which has been little
nicredulous about naturalizing tea cul-
ture in this country, what success has
attended your efforts
Gen. LeDuc-I can answer that ques-
tion in very few words. l have demon
strated three propositions. First, that
Just as good tea can be raised and manu-
factured in America as cheaply as any
where in the world. Second, that we
can produce it rs well here as anywhere
in the world, and, third, that we have as
good soil and climate for the production
Of tea as any country in the world, with
enough area suitable for its cultivation,
not only to raise all we want ourselves,
but to enable US to enter the markets OF
the world in competition with the people
of China, Japan and India.
Pioneer Press-In what portion of the
country can tea be raised?
Gen. LeDuc-Tea can be prcftably
raised from the James River southwark
on and near the coast of the Atlantic
and the Gulf of Mexico to Eastern Texas.
Not all the soil included in this region is
suitable, but included within it are area
adapted to tea culture, enough to raise
tea for the consumption of the world.
Some of the soil is admirably adapted to
the purpose; some only moderately so.
But the most favorable localities, so far
as my present knowledge will enable me
to speak, are the Carolinas, Florida,
Georgia, and probably Alabama and
Louisiana, within from twenty to fifty
miles from the coast; although tea can
be grown successfully for family and
neighborhood uses in all parts of those
States, and probably further North.
| Pioneer Press-How do you know
this?
LeDuc-Well, 1 do not make this
statement on my own personal knowledge
or examination simply, but upon the tes-
timony of experts; and more especially
upon that of Mr.. John Jackson, of Aber.
deenshire, in Scotland, who has had ff-
teen years. experience in raising tea in
India. Upon his judgment and skill |
think implicit reliance can be placed,
especially as he has given evidence of
his faith in the capacity of this country
for the profitable production of tea by
investing his own means in plantation,
and in starting a tea garden in Georgia,
where he has now 100000 growing
plants, and intends during the coming
wear TO more than double the area
planted = (.
Pioneer Press-Who is this Mr.. Jack.
son of whom you think SO highly?
LeDuc-Mr. Jackson is, as l have al
readyisaid, a Scotchman, of Aberdeen
shire; who at the age of twenty-one went
to India to seek his fortune. There he
became associated in a subordinate
capacity with the great tea company
know as the Scottish Assam Company.
He was eight years in its employ, and
after three years of training he was pro-
| noted to the management of the COM
pany's extensive tea gardens and proper
ties in Assam. For two years he re.
ceived the highest average prices paid
for any Indian teas sent to market-a
pretty good proof that he understands
his business. Of late years he has been
associated with his brother in the inven-
ton and manufacturing of improved tea
machinery, which has supplanted the
ruder appliances of manual labor, before
in use in India, to such an extent that in
1878 they sold 100000 worth of this
machinery in that country. One of his
rolling machines does the work of 200
best coolies. They received the silver
medal at the Paris exposition for their
tea machinery. Owing to his wife's ILL
health he withdrew for time from
.active business to travel with her in
America. While at Saratoga he acci-
dentally saw an article in New York
paper epitomizing publication of the
Department of Agriculture on tea, which
aroused his curiosity and resulted tiually
in his going down to Washington to see
the Commissioner. 1 was delighted to
find in Mr.. Jackson just the man for
whom I had been long looking, and |
engaged him to assist the Department in
the development of this industry. His
long experience and special knowledge
of tea culture have been of immense
advantage. For the past two or three
weeks be has accompanied me in a jour
ney through South Carolina, to examine
the tea soils of that State, of which we
found an abundance, and to examine the
condition of the tea plants, which have
been distributed so largely by the De-
partment within tile past two years. We
found the tea plants which had been set
out growing, but not with the luxuriance
ut all points which was necessary to
profitable tea culture. In some locali-
ties we found the plants growing splen-
didly.
Pioneer Press-But what evidence
have you as to the quality of this tea?
LeDuc-I myself took samples of the
tea raised and manufactured by Mr..
Jackson to Lowe Brothers, the largest
tea importers in the United States; the
we'll known grocers, Thurber & Co., OF
New York, and others, who all bear high
testimony to its supreme quality. I also
sent q sample to Messrs. w. J. & b.
Thompson, of London, we'll known over
the world as tea brokers. Here is a copy
of their letter, which, as it is short, you
can use:
3S M1Nc1SG LANE, LONDON,
24th June, 1880.
". G. LeDuc, Commissioner Department
Of agriculture, Washington, ID. G.:
DEAR SIR-We duly received your
letter of the 5th instant, also the samples
of tea from the Georgia plantation, and