The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-14

fivo miles from Charleston, and being
only about seventy feet higher in ole.
walton it enjoys about the same clima-
tic conditions. The moan annual oil
mate Of Charleston Is nearly the same
as the upper stations of Ceylon and is
warmer than the portions OF japan
where the tea gardens are located.
The tea leaf raised in Japan is better
adopted for the manufacture Of green
| teas and CeylOn and India are remark
able for growing lurge crops Of strong
tea. Many Of these teas are not en-
joyed in this country, and the more
delicate, lighter leaves, such Us arc
grown in Pinehurst, are preferred to
those imported. Many Of the Japanese
toas are prepared for the market in
tho most artistic manner and the pro-
cess Of curing is conducted with the
greatest care. Some varitieS OF the
teas possess peculiar and delicate
ilavors und considerable skill is le-
quired in curing and packing the
leaves SO as hot TO destroy or lose the
iiavor. The Japanese are noted for
neatness and artistic skill in prcpur-
ing these teas for the markets, and
probably rs much depends upon this
skilled labor us upon the plants them
selves.
Az PinchurSt the delicate, highly
| favored aud expensive teas that are
| peculiarly adapted to the needs OF the
| American market have alone been
raised The Assam hybrids have bccn
planted chiefly, although experiments
arc being made with the seeds of
many other kinds. Originally all tea
plants Calnr from those growing in
| Assam, and the many changes that
have sihCu occurred in the nature of
the plants have been brought about by
II thousand years Of cultivation in
other parts OF the world. The two eX-
trculcs Of the plants are to be seen in
the true Assam and the Chinese
stuntcd tea growlha. The latter rare
ly grow more than three feet in height,
with leaves three inches long and one
, inch wide. They yield annually throc
or four crops. The vigorous Assam
5 plahtS, on tho contrary, attain a
height Of thirty and thirtyNvo feet in
the moist unGirS when not pruned,
, and have leaves seven and eight
inches long and three inches broad.
. They often yield twenty-five crops Of
young leaves in one season. 10 the
cultivated aud pruncd state these
plants are enormous compared with
the stuntch Chimes" Growths. I'm
China the plants huv" dctr,iorutrd
|
climate has had much ~ do in ro-
ducing their size and productivcncss.
NJ PinchurSt the Chinese varitics
have been greatly improved by cul-
tivation, aud they have produced bet
ter tea than in China. The true
Assam is hard TO cultivate outside of
y small part Of british India. BE
tween these two extremes Of the tea
plants thcrc are many varieties that
have been produced 10y naturalization
and these so-c,l!cd Assam hvprids
represent ovcly modification OF the
two parent stocks Many OF them arc
considered an Improvement over tine
true Assam variety. and some Of them
arc cultivated in all parts OF the tea.
growing world. They represent the
hruad and narrow leaf and gradual
| notifications between the two. It
,wo gardens are close together the
varieties are apt TO run together ant.
perform hy5ridi%ation Of themselves.
In order to obtain true plants it is
necessary to get seed that has been
separated from all other varieties OF
tea plants. BY raising plants IRON
cuttings tho difficulty is sottlcd in tn,
easiest way, and this is q favuritt
manner OF Starting new gardens.