The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-07-23
THE TEA PLANT.
An Inquiry Into the Expediencv of Rails
ing Teas in This Country.

An Inquiry Into the Expediencv of Rails
ing Teas in This Country
Teas easily grown from either seeds
or cuttings; and, as the soil and eli
mate of large portion of the United
States are adapted to the cultivation of
the plant, and as tea is favorite bev-
erage, it may not be amiss to inquire
why this country may not raise its own
teas.
The seeds of tea are found within a
hard capsule, which is divided into
from two to five cells. each containing
a white seed as large as pea. Tea is
generally cultivated upon sloping
ground, having good drainage, and
good sandy loan is favorable to the
growth of the shrubs.
In Japan tea is generally sown in No
vember or December, upon prepared
beds, covered with soil an inch in depth.
and carefully protected from snow and
frost The planting is sometimes de-
ferred until spring: but the growth is
not then so rapid. When one year old,
the plants are taken from the nursery
beds and placed in rows or circles,
three or four feet apart. and in their
general appearance they resemble
goosebery shrubs.
In its native state, the tea plant is
twenty or more feet in hight; but in
state of cultivation the plant is about
five or six feet. The flowers grow
singly, or two or three together, in the
axis of the leaves They are white and
fragrant, and much loved by honey
bees The shrubs, in two or three years
from planting. bear leaves that may be
''cured.' and the plants bear from ten
to twelve years. Three times in the
year are the leaves usually picked-in
April, May and July; the last picking,
however, making very inferior tea.
The roots of the tea plant need to be
shaded by pine branches or some SINH
lar branches, until the leaves of the
plant are large and numerous enough to
shade their own roots, and no weeds
should be allowed to grow in the tea
garden. The flowers are smaller than
camellia blossoms, and they open early
in the spring. while the seeds ripen in
the fall of the year A southern expos
ure, upon hillside, is considered the
best position for the plants, and the soil
should be well prepared for the plants
by deep blowing and narrowing. Green
and black teas are prepared from the
same kind of leaves, the black color re-
sulting from chemical changes caused
by longer exposure to heat and air. Of
course green IS the natural color of the
leaves, although many green teas are
doubtless colOred to hide the presence
of foreign leaves.
Tea picking requires much patience
and carefulneSS in the work, and it is
usually done by women and children.
With baskets strapped to one side, the
pickers 90 from bush to bush, plucking
only the three or sometimes six first
tender leaves of shoot. Each leaf is
picked separately, or rather torn off by
the finger nails. leaving about one-third
of each leaf behind to protect the small
bud that will, if undisturbed, develop
into new shoots. The older and larger
leaves are too stiff and brittle to twist
into proper shape, and are not fit for
tea.
The pickers empty their filled baskets
ter will hold no more. a Chinaman
faStens basket to each end of his bam-
boo stick and trots off, with the stick
on his shoulder, to the house for drying
or curing the tea leaves.
Green tea is usually prepared soon
after picking. Otherwise the leaves
wither, and iniure the flavor and green
color of the tea The leaves are simply
dried in wicker basket over a slow
fire. Black tea requires more time in
preparation. The leaves are piled to-
gcther, and allowed TO heat and partial
" ferment. This sweating process pro-
duces a chemical change that gives a
different flavor to the tea. The Chinese
manipulate the leaves. and have
various tedious methods of pre-
pairing them. After Steaming
them, the leaves are spread upon
mats to cool; then they are heated
over q furnace. being carefully stirred
meanwhile by the hands. After knead
inc and rolling and keeping the leaves
in continuous motion for about an hour,
they are again placed upon mats. Sew
eral times this heating and cooling pro-
cess is repeated. and each heating causes
the leaves to become OF a darker color.
After grading, the tea is reheated, and
when quite dry the dust is famed out
and the leaves placed upon low tables,
that women and children may pick out
the uncuried leaves and stems. One
person may prepare twenty-five or
thirty pounds of tea per day. 1t takes
about eight pounds of green leaves to
make one pound of cured tea.
Tea is now made more by machinery
than formerly; and much of the cult
walton is also done by machinery. But
the roasting of tea is simple. and it may
be done in an open pan, just as coffee
is sometimes roasted. Successful ex-
periments in raising tea have been made
in years past in North Carolina, Tennes
see, Florida and other States. If agri-
culturists could be induced to expert
ment with the tea plant. especially in
the warmer portions of the United
States, doubtless gratifying results
would follow. 1t will be an important
era when half q dozen tea plants are
found growing near each farmers door
and the leaves are cured and roasted in
the farmers kitchen.-Cor. n. Y. hide
pendent.