Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-15
rup CULTIVATION OF TEA.
Prosueoting for site to Establish Tea
Farm.


saturday afternoon a reporter Of the
MORNING NEWS was shown several SAM
ples Of American tea grown in Chester
county, Pennsylvania, which compare
very favorably with the teas grown IN
China. The gentleman having the sam
pies was Mr.. Henry X. Freicks, who lives
near DOwningtown, Pa, and is on VISIT
south prospecting fol a suitable location
to engage in the cultivation OF tea. MI.
Frpicks is acting with General Lorlng,
Commissioner of Agriculture, ana VIII
make thorough survey OF the
states Of Georgia and Florida. Tor
the growth and cultivation OF TINS very
important article of consumption IN the
United States. Mr.. Freicks, who is GER
taipIy a very intelligent and well informed
gentleman upon tea from the plantation
to the cup" seem to think that the IN
PRODUCTION of tea farms especially IN the
South, will be the means OF not only open
ing a paving and profitable Industry, nut
will be the means OF putting an end to the
excessive authorizations which are be-
coming so prevalent among the mp 0rt-
! ers and dealers in this widely used beY-
erage.
DO YOU know" remarked Mr.. Freicks,
ssthat nearly one-half of the tea imported to
this country is, by peculiar process,
adulterated before it passes into the hands
OK the iObbers? The deception is so good
that in nine cases out of ten the tea in
spectors in New York are oftentimes de-
ceived in detecting the spurious from the
pure articleW
Then YOU think tea farms in the South
| would do away with much of the adulte-
ration now going onE'
Il most certainly do, and it will come
of itself before lOng-the tea culture VIII
be brought about in this country from the
fact that tea drinkers Will demand the
pure article unadulterated, and II they
can't get it from Climatic only resort
left will be its cultivation in this coun-
| try
s'Can it be grown in this State to perfec-
| tiong'
yes: several years ago Gen. William
| LeDuc, the Commissioner of Agriculture,
/ gave the matter very thorough test,
/ and it was ascertained, beyond doubt,
| that the plant would flourish very well
! both i'm Georgia, Florida. and IN certain
| portions of Alabama. In small place
| near Columbia, 5. c., about eight miles
| from the city, a farmer, by the name of
| Peter Jaquette, is now growing enough
| tea to supply not only his family, but sew
| eral of his neighbOrs near by. They pro-
| nounce it excellent, and, by new pro-
| cess of curing the leaves, the tea extract
/ ed from 1t IS tar beyond the ordinary tea
4 we buy from stores.'
Twill you make an extended trip
through the State for the purpose of look
ing into this matter of tea culture|'
at is my intention to 90 from here to
Townsville and from there to cambridge
and afterwards to Atlanta and then over
the entire state, where | think 1t is likely
can interest the people in the matter,
and find places where the cultivation OF
tea may be engaged in protitably.'
How many samples have you of the
| domestic article?'
Eight, and here they are, and | defy
YOU to tell the difference between these
and the foreign brands
The samples We're certainly excellent
and. as far as the reporter could judge,
| were us fine as any of the brands of com
mon tea in every day use, which are to be
| had i'm the numerous stores. Wishing
| Mr.. FreIcks a prosperous and advanta-
geous trip, the reporter bid him adieu.