The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-09-04
Carolina Tea Culture.

FLORENCE, Aug. 30.--South Carolina
is rgarded by the people of other States as
being the only State in The Union that
can produce Ben Tillmau ami dispen-
sary. BE this as it may, it bears the real
distinction of being tho only State in the
Union with soil fit for the culture of tea,
and the only one that has an acreage de-
voted to successful tee culture.
Yesterday told Of the peculiar fitness
of South Carolina soil for tobacco culture,
proven by The great acreage now devoted
to it. Its fitness in the Ridge section for
fruit culture mightalso be mentioned, but
that is as widely known as its fitness Tor
cotton.
The acreage devoted to tea culture is as
yet small, but the industry has proven
most successful and profitable. Don't
attribute this statement to too frequent
patronage of "tea," official or unofficial,
but 60 to Atlanta this fall and be con-
vinced.
South Carolina's only tea farm-the
only one in America-is located in the
suburbs of fSummerville, at "Pinehurst,"
and is owned by DR.. c. U. Shepard. 1t
consists of twenty acres, and this is the
harvesting period. A good crop will be
produced this year. There is a tea factory
on the place for the curing of the product
and putting it into shape for the market.
commissioner for the Atlanta exposition,
tells me, is equipped with first-class ma
chinery, imported for the purpose Of put
ting the leaves in proper condition for the
market.
The government, it will be remember
ed, established a tea farm near this place
some fifteen years ago for the purpose of
experimenting with tea culture. 1t was
not properly managed and was conse-
quently abandoned. DR.. Shepard took
it up about seven years ago and has met
with remarkable success. Exactly what
the production will be this year, it is i'm
possible to ascertain.
This much, however, is known-tbat
DR.. Shepard is to have splended exhibit
of tea plants and Of the method of the
manufacture of the product at the Atlanta
exposition, and it will be one of the
greatest attractions, not only of the South
Carolina exhibit, but of the exposition
itself.
He has Just forwarded q car load Of
sample p ants to Atlanta, which will be at
once planted, and given such attention
By experienced attendants that by the
time the exposition is on they will be at
not travelled abroad and visited the tea
growing countries, their first sight of
growing tea plant.
In this tea garden there will be seven
teen tea plants of the Assam hybrids of
different types, and one each of the Chi
nese, Japanese, Darjeling and Kangra
plants. Commissioner Roche, naturally
much elated at the prospects of having
such an exhibit, will be in Atlanta to
meet the car containing the plants upon
its arrival, and will superintend their
planting.
understand that DR.. Shepard finds a
ready market for his tea, and it has proven
profitable business.
1t is said that the Pee Dee tobacco
planters intend to haYe one of the hand
soonest exhibitions of the pickings of
their crop that will be at the exposition.
It was shown yesterday that the eight
counties comprising the Pee Dee section
would produce this season upwards of
fifteen million pounds of tobacco. am
told that the net profit per acre ought
to average up nearly $50 an acre 10 the
majority of the planters. The safe mini
mum is S25 per acre.
At the "breaks," held in the last few
days here at Darlington, at Timmonsville
ana atSumter, upwards OF ZoU, uuU POUNDS
of this years crop has been sold, and at
prices giving better average than any
of the Virginia or North Carolina "breaks"
yet heard from. If this keeps up the av-
erage net profit will easily be $50 to the
acre.
Truly, South Carolina soil is a remak-
able soil, producing, besides cotton, corn
rice and grain, particularly fine celery,
asparagus, melons of every description,
fruit in endless variety, grapes, tobacco,
claimed to be finer than any in the States,
and tea-not to mention the crops of "all
kinds" of Observation-Disclosures
Colun,bDiG State.