Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-03

now paid out for sugar will be saved and
kept at home.
The Secretary is also sure now that the
people of the latitude OF South Carolina can
produce all the tea needed by the American
people. just as he was sure. two years ago.
that the sugar needed for home consump-
ton could be produced from the sugar beet,
Independent of all other sources.
The Department of Agriculture. under
Commissioner LIE Due, introduced tea
plants on a farm near Summerville. 8. C.
The experiment was not pushed as It should
| have been, but very intelligent gentle
man of education and means, DR.. Charles
L. Shepard of Summerville. some years ago
undertook extensive experimentation with
! tea, and now has some fifty acres of fine
tea pants. He produced last year $500
pounds Of superior black tea and found a
ready sale for all of it. He does not ex-
pect to compete with the orient in the pro-
duction of the cheaper teas. on account of
labor conditions but Secretary Wilson said
he IS far-see:ng man. as well as scholar
and a philanthropist. and has begun the
solution OF the labor question down there.
A Successful Venture.
''He saw" continued Mr. Wilson. 1.-The
mass of idle young people all about him,
and proposed to the parents of the young
colored folk to give them the elements of
an education, providing school house and
teacher at his own expense, and when
picking time came he would pay them for
picking his tea.
The venture is entirely successful. He
will make better members of society out
Of these young people. They will grow up
with habits Of industry without which no.
body in this world amounts to much; and
al the same time they will be learning a
trade against the time when the people of
that latitude become satisfied that they can
produce tea for the United States.
The finest teas made in the orient will
not bear transportation to the United
states. so that we never see them. He is
aiming at the production of the higher
priced teas. He is satisfied that the lady
who is entertaining her friends at an after
noon tea would be very glad to offer them a
large cup costing her 10 cents. provided it
We're the finest tea to be found anywhere.
So he is aiming at the production of these
finer grades. He is conducting an expert
ment. the results Of which will be printed
by the Department of Agriculture and dis
seminated, so that when the day comes to
bring capital and labor together and push
this enterprise the results of his observa-
lions will be ready for the people of the
south.
The Tea Industry.
Very little experimentation has ever
been done by scientists with the plants of
the tropics. Our scientific men. of course.
have paid attention to them because
few of them are among Our own crops. This
is true of the tea plant. although the Jap
Analysing the leaves at different seasons;
but the work is not entirely conclusive and
satisfactory.
In 1898 we imported 71,957715 pounds of
tea, for which paid. at average price
of IA cents a pound s10.054. 2s3. Senator
Tillman had a duty of 10 cents pound
laid OF tea In the last tariff act.
This, from his standpoint. was doubt
for the encouragement of home industry,
and It brings in also considerable revenue.
which was needed at that time There is
no good reason, however, why that duty
should not be increased to equal the differ
enCe between the cost of production in the
Orient and the cost OF production In the
United States: and when the industry has
developed far enough. no doubt the ma
tional Legislature will give 1t his attention.
There are about fifty inches Of rainfall
In South Carolina, and this is abundant for
most crops. but DR.. Shepard is of the opin-
ion that the application of water in tenn
porary drouths would be beneficial to the
plants. He Is of the opinion that forcing
the growth continually throughout the
growing Sc .son would result In more del
fcate leaf. and he desires to experiment
alCrg this line"
The Secretary said Congress made
encourage this work. This Identifies the
Department of Agriculture with it, the
Secretary is held responsible for the wise
expenditure of these moneys.
Experimentation in the future will be
conducted between the department and DR.
Shepard along lines purely experimental;
and the hope is that this tea Industry may
be added to the others that are now ben
citing the people. giving labor to those who
are idle and opening UP ways by which the
TO themselves. the state and the nation
while helping at the same time to solve
some Of the troublesome problems of the
southland. -,