Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-11-30
CULTURE OF TEA IN AMERICA.
Successful Experiments Have Been Made by a
Southern Gentleman

course | could pursue would be to fol- |
low their methods. | informed my
self very thoroughly on this scole,
and, obtaining plants and seeds from
India, Ceylon and China, set to work
to cultivate tea after the English
system. After three years found
that had made a mistake. The eli
mate and the conditions in India and
Ceylon are so different from what they |
are i'll this country that the same sys-
tenn of culture was not applicable here.
found that different methods would
have to be adopted and that the plants
were benefited by certain manner of
pruning and cutting.
Nothing daunted, l continued the
learning the best methods
to obtain results by experience and
/ think l can say that l
have met with n fair amount OF sue
cess. The acreage and the amount of
tea produced have gradually increased
each year until now have sixty acres
in tea and the product last year was
5000 pounds. The crop should be
considerably larger this year. The exc
pertinent has reached the stage where
it has attracted considerable attention
in this country and abroad, and l am
in constant receipt of commnnica-
tions requesting information on the
subject. The United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture has lent its aid
and an appropriation has been made
to further the work. While the
amount of tea produced has not been
sufficient to affect the market in any
way, the work has attracted the atten-
ton of the large tea importers and
others interested in the business, some
of whom have shown a very decided
interest in the matter. I have even
had an offer from wealthy capitalists
to furnish and to establish a large
plantation for the purpose of growing
tea on commercial scale, provided
would agree to take charge. My am.
bition does not lie in this direction
however. My idea in undertaking this
work was to establish an industry
which would give profitable occupa'
ton to thousands of people through
out the South, especially in the ma
larial districts, where it is difficult fol
white persons to labor during the ho'
months. There are hundreds of thou
sands of acres of land along our south
Atlantic and Gulf coasts which ar.
suitable for the production Of tea snd
in which thousands OF white persons
could find agreeable employment"
DR.. Shepard has succeeded in pro
ducing a high-grade green tea from
plants grown from seed obtained from
the famous Dragon Pool plantation
near Hangehow, China, which tn.
Chinese esteem so highly that none o
, this tea is ever exported, as high a
$50 to $3.50 a pound being obtained
for the choice varieties. There is lit
!; tie demand in this country for thes'
high-grade green teas as yet, and a
the cost of preparation is considerable
DR.. Shepard has directed his attention
chiefly to producing good grade o
black tea.
! 81 have succeeded in establishing
fair demand for this tea" he said, "a
+ prices which would be remunerativ
were the business conducted on
+ commercial basis. This black tea
stronger than the imported article ant
) has somewhat different flavor. Som
? people do not like it at first, but ate
becoming accustomed to it some viii
+ use no other. This should prove ad
D vantageous to the industry, as in tn
end demand will gradually be bull
D up for this particular class of tea
whereas, if it were similar in all re
}, spects to the imported teas the dealer
|, could easily substitute other varietie
e and there would be no special deman,
for the homegrown article"
"The tea shrub is not only a YER
s hardy plant" said DR.. Shepard, "bu
it is very long-lived. There are plar
3 tations in China where the sam
!, bushes have been picked from for owe
8 200 years. Once established a te
plantation may be regarded as pei
manent investment. 1t stands tn
climate we'll, being little susceptible I
cold, and no insect or other enemie
of the plant have developed as yet, a
is the case with nearly every othe
marketable crop. One of the best fea
lures is that the harvesting seaso,
lasts six months, beginning in Apr
and ending in October; so that even
prolonged spell of bad weather doe
not interfere with the crop. The wor
; is light, and for the most part can b
done by women and children. TIL
drying and curing is a somewha
difficult process, but small plants 70
doing this work could be established
just as cotton gins are found in almo.
every town in the south. Hedge row
and fence corners furnish desirabl
locations for the tea bushes, and wit
the industry once established, as
now believe it will be, the farmer
wives and daughters have proftabl
, source of income"
. DR.. Shepard is not an enthusiast, a
though he is interested heart and sol
| L =.