Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-18
Tea Culture.

Washington Correspondent Chicago Tribune
Many people felt called upon to laugh
at eX-COmmissiOner of Agriculture LIE
Due and to make light of his hobby,
which was tea culture, but recent devel-
opments show that perhaps LIE Due may
have an opportunity to ''laugh best" bV
laughing last" for the experiments
which he inaugurated in the South in the
culture of tea have, in some degree at
least, proven a success. Information re-
Ceived here from the experimental farm
near Georgetown, S. c., shows that the
experiments there have been eminently
successful, and that the possibility of the
successful growing and curing of tea in
the South need scarcely be longer con-
sidered an experiment. The tea crop
on this farm has recently been
gathered aid "cured" after the ap-
proved Chinese and japanese fashion,
and the result is tea in every way
meeting the requirements of public taste
and habits, and in appearance, quality
and flavor ranking higher than the
average tea imported to this country
from China, Japan and India. From a
gentleman who visited Georgetown to
witness and assist in the harvesting and
curing of the tea crop at the Forster
farm, near that place, l gathered the
following details of that interesting
event: Of the many persons in the
South to whom the tea plants had been
distributed by Commissioner LIE Due,
none had cared for them more intelli-
gently than Mrs. Forster, the owner of
the farm in question. She had the
young plants carefully and intelligently
cultivated and cared for, and the time
for gathering found them in excel
lent condition, except that the
unusually cool weather had caused
some of the lower leaves of the
plants to become too tough. On the day
fixed for the harvesting and curing of
the experimental crop the weather was
bad for outdoor curing, as had been in
tended, and the result was that it became
necessary to "cure" the tea, after 1t had
bean gathered. by artificial heat instead
of the natural rays of the sun, yet even
this did not prevent a most gratifying
success. The work was performed I'M
der the direction of gentleman from
Baltimore who has taken much interest
in tea culture, and has given much time
and attention to the methods of cul-
tivating and curing tea in the countries
where it is grown. The tea after being
gathered was "wilted'' in an oven, and
then placed on a pine table and rolled
with the hand into rolls similar
to those seen in young Hyson" and
"Gunpowder, and the palmer but more
wholesome "uncolored Japan" The
process of rolling was found to be re-
markably easy, and one which could |
readily be performed by machinery
Then part of the tea thus prepared was
made up into large lOaves and left to
"sweat" according to the system which
English breakfast" tea is prepared The
remainder was then put through the
''fring" process, the most delicate and
difficult part of the work of curing after
the tea is grown. This process, which |
is similar in manner and effect to the
roasting of coffee, was successfully &C
complished, and the result was fine,
crisp, fresh, finely favored tea. better in
into the country. After the loaves or
balls of tea which had been set aside
to sweat IN order to make English |
breakfast" of it, had arrived at
the proper stage, they were broken
open, and the tea in them, which |
had attained very satisfactory color |
and condition, was also fired" with re- |
success, and the tea pronounced |
equal to the other varieties made.
The experiment is a wonderful success |
Whether the growing of tea in this coun-
try will, under the very low prices which |
competition in Japan, India and China |
has produced, become at present profit |
able industry, is as yet difficult to say
The possibility of its being successfully |
and easily produced and cured is, how
ever, demonstrated. 1t is even shown |
that the process is so simple chat every |
family in the South possessed of a small |
plot of ground eligibly situated may |
grow its own tea, and it is not improba-
BILE that, with a moderate protection |
such as is afforded most of the industries |
of the country, the culture of tea at the |
Sauth may become an important and
sue essful work.