The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-08-08
fHE TeA PkANT.
An In luIry Into the Expedienev 81 Rais-
ing Teas in This Country.

An In JURY Into the Expediencv Of Rais-
ing Teas in This Country.
Teais 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 4
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 id Nj
yenlber 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
Eve or six feet. The flowers grow
snRly, 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
however, making very inferior tee.
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 thar
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
nu...tl L. Iii .L......I -. a. .I...
sn ~ DC wei. Pi1P3tteu III wy P,an.s
~ aeep Piom,ns anu nallow,hg u'e ~
"nu oi is;.S 80 20 40, arc ploPaai,e on ene
same s'ia' N'iu u Raves 'io oiaoA ooiol 70,
su1ns noni onoin'oai onans1S oaose ~.
y lonsel exposure W neal anu a'l ~
,'oulse green ~ 'iie halulal coior Vi .ne
, ,Ia.ea' ",'lo Ia T., az soas aae
~ fo'olo" W "iuo '"o P'o'onoo
Vi rolelgn leaves.
lea Plcklng requires nlucn Pa',e.,lce
anu 10 1aisiuiho 30 III 'no WIZ aau ~ 10
usual usuaiiy uone ~ WOMEN anu ciiioreh.
WIN oasAees strapped W one sue, .he
p'1hois 20 iioih ousii W push' piucnng
oniy ',o .iiee vi sonie' E SiA nrse
plcheu scpara.ely' OF RATHER .orh on oy
e VI mgr mans, iea,ing ABOUT 1ne-.nir1
y, aa . 700. Oh, Io; ~ " p."yeos 'n1 siha
ouu ehae Miil' II 9mo's'urpea, aeseiop
,n.o new shoo1s .;g ne o,I n;, anu iargeI
leaves are Voo sun anu oli.eie W swist
,n.o Piopei snaPo' anu "ie ho' III ior
'ea M eu-,,
me pickers empty tneir iliieu nasKets
.n.o .wo iaiger ones anu whe e, .he iat-
sel wiz toiI no ilio,e' en'haliah
ias.ehs .,s., basket 20 eacn ena Oh ms pam pam,
200 - SUN , ahu .lots on, WIN .he SUCK
On MS snouloer, 10 thc mousse ior orying
vi curing 'ne yea leaves
81. nree, la Yea Is osually prepared soon
ai :. Pick,hg o.nerwlse 'he leaves
wi.nel' anu anu lnlore I'M She mayor anu Green
1oios u 'ne yea me leaves are simply
arleu IN q wicAer pashet Over SLOW
ilre. piaech YEA T requires more ,line IN
Plepala'.on' me leases are PiIeo 70
e.ner, anu a no. 70 neat anu parl'al-
- 10. no aL,;a ni1 e J"oa.,ns p,ooess pio-
1 1:a' a caelllical cnange 'nat gives a
ulne:en, naVol W '''e yea. Aho ShiIese
manipulate the leaves, anu nave
various 'euious nesnoos Vi pre-
pairing them. Aleer s.eam'ng
.he.n' inc ieaVGs are spread upon,
lla.s 20 COOL 'nen lney are neaIee ,
over iulhace, oe'hS c"reiuiiy st'rreu
meanwhile oy the hands. After knead-
my anu roillng anu keeping tne leaves
IN eonIlhuous in1Ilon ior ABOUT an hSur'
they are again Piaceu upon nia.s- oeV'
eral ZINES tnis nea.,ng ana cooiing pro-
cess Is repeateo' anu eacn heating causes