The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-02-26
AMERICAN GROWN TEA.
Highly SatisfactoryResul Cain
ed From Recent Experiments.

Highly SatisfactoryResult Cain
ed From Recent Experiments.
WORK OF SECRETARY WILSON,
Through His Efforts Preparations
Are Being Made For Establishing
Several Tea Plantations In SOUTH
ern s~tates-Large Number Of Plants
Ready to BE Distributed.
America is destined to become one of
the great tea producing countries Of the
world, writes the Washington CORE
spondent of the New York Tribune.
The imports from China, Japan, Cey-
lon and other tea growing countries
will diminish from year to year in the
future until, in the opinion Of Secre-
tary Wilson, the United States will be-
come an exporter of this article, for
which the American people are now
paying annually from $12,OOO,O 900 to
SIS, OOO,O 900.
AS a result Of recent experiments by
the agricultural department prepara-
tons are making for the establishment
Of several plantations in the southern
states. Already one company, with a
capital of $4,000, has been organized
In New York; another, with a capital
of 100000, is being perfected. while
still others with large capital are in
contemplation for the purpose of secur-
ing suitable lands in southern states
with soil and climatic conditions adapt
ed to the growth Of tea.
This is the result Of the efforts of
James Wilson, who shortly after his in
stallation as secretary Of agriculture
became convinced that tea culture in
the southern states was not only prac-
ticable, but might be made profitable.
Gathering together all the data OBJ
tainable upon the subject, Secretary
Wilson directed the establishment Of
gardens, in South Carolina.
At first a doctor of divinity was plac-
ed in charge as a special agent of the
government. During the first year
there was little progress made in tea
culture. To use the language Of Secre-
tary Wilson. divinity and tea did not
seem to h~armonize." and as the de-
partment was particularly interested in
the development of the tea industry
divinity was superseded by a special
agent of the department. DR.. Charles
Shepard. AS a result of his labors
more than $500 worth Of American
tea was placed on the markets of
Washington. New York. Philadelphia
and other cities in 1899.
The American product was found to
be superior to any Of the black teas
imported. Some of the crop Of 1899
brought as high as 81 a pound. which is
three or four times greater than the
price of the teas imported from China
and Japan. Last year there was an
increase in the yield of the tea gar
dens of IL per cent over the yield of
1899, and the total product vas sold at
a price netting a handsome profit to the
government.
The experiments during the last
three years have established the fact
that a good grade of American tea can
be grown and put on the market in
bulk at a cost not exceeding Is cents a
pound. Under average conditions an
acre will yield 400 pounds of marketa-
BILE tea. and this at Is cents a pound
would make the expense of growing
the tea $50 an acre. The tea can be
sold in bulk at from 80 to so cents a
pound, and the profit on this basis
would be from 100 to 175 per cent.
In discussing this subject the other
day Secretary of Agriculture Wilson
said:
"The last congress appropriated 3d.
900 for experimenting in the tea indus
try. We now have a large number of
plants ready to be sent out and have
written to state agricultural colleges in
the gulf states stating that they can Sc
cure the plants on application to the
department. accompanied by a state
ment that they will assist the depart
ment in establishing tea gardens on
their lands. We propose to render
them every assistance possible by send.
ing our scientific agents there to give
them advice. BY this method we ex-
peCl " ueA'ouStAdle ~ IAc PcopAe "
every state in that region the absolute
pr%acticabllity Of the tea industry"
"Then you believe that tea culture
will be confined almost exclusively to
the gulf states?" ."
"No. l did not say that. Our first
experiment will be in that section best
suited by climatic conditions. rainfall
and soil to the industry. A little later
we will experiment in Tennessee,
North Carolina, Arkansas. Indian Ter.
ritory, Oklahoma territory, Missouri
and other border states. 1t may be
that it can be successfully produced in
that section. Our experiments have
led us to believe that 1t cannot be sue
cessfully grown in a climate where