Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-09
AMERICAN TEA GROWING.
Successful Experiments at Pnehurst,
S. c,-"The finest Tea in the
tFrom Columbia, S. CT

World"
LFrom Columbia. S. CT
Even after President Roosevelt and
the cabinet have been informed by
Secretary Wilson that in South Caro-
| lima the finest tea in the world Is
grown, there is little known about this
industry that promises fortunes as well
as good tea for Americans-the latter,
according to Oriental standards, they
now never get.
While experiments will probably be
continued for years with different teas,
under widely different conditions. the
most important facts about tea cul-
ture in America have already been
demonstrated. 1t has already been
proved that number of kinds of tea
from different countries-Formosa.
Japan, China and Siam-can be grown
with profit; yet other kinds have been
found Improbable in commercial
way The experiments will continue
along this line, and also with view
of getting the greatest productiveness
from the tea plant In the least possible
time. Another important point DEM
onstrated Is that the tea bush can sur
vive very cold weather. While 1t is
better that it should grow where the
mercury does not fall below Is de-
grees Fahrenheit. yet in the freeze OF
two winters ago the tea gardens were
subjected to temperature below zero
and suffered little damage.
In the East, where tea grows natur-
ally, the rainfall, particularly In the
summer, is from two to three times
as much as here. This deficiency has
been compensated for by having the
gardens irrigated. The careful labor
needed for picking the delicate leaf Is
provided by giving special school adj
vantages to all the little negroes In the
vicinity who will take them, and these
children are, during school hours, IN
structed in tea picking. Then, during
the season, they are given remuner-
alive work
SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS.
Experiment with tea was begun at
Plnehurst near Sumnervilie, in 1891, by
DIR. Charles U. Shepard. This was sew
eral years after the government had
failed to get results from an appropria-
ton made by congress for experiments
in tea culture. DR.. Shepard's work
proved successful, and recently he has
received the kindest interest and most
grateful pecuniary assistance from Sec
rotary Wilson and from congress. In
speaking of the only tea farm on this
continent, DIR. Shepard said
Among the most important results
of the work Of last summer has been
clearer distinction between what is
probably profitable. and not 1t was
fully recognized from the outset that
the Pinehrust investigations that their
Industrial value must rest on clear,
demonstrative pecuniary profit. New
ertheless, as an experiment station, II
was proper to institute numerous trials
with different seed under varying con-
ditions.
"The most common objection to the
plea for the establishment of an Amer
lean tea industry" continued DR.. Shep-
ard. "is the difference in the price OF
labor here and In the Orient. But,
with full appreciation of Its force, as
applied to poorer grades, there has al
ways appeared to exist good pront IN
the production of those higher grades
in whose cultivation and manufacture
cheap labor plays no minor part. Ana
the home production Of tea has this
advantage, that the final drying OF the
leaf need not be carried to the same ex-
treme heat, whereby a sacrifice or much
that Is agreeable and beneficial nee
essarily follows.
TEA PROTECTED FROM SUN
LIGHT.
"Among the experiments, the cultiva-
tion of tea in gardens protected from the
direct sunlight by mating has proved
successful, SO far as quallty goes.
Whether it will be possible to produce
tea commanding tenfold. or more, the
price Of that grown in the open, as IN
Japan, remains to the solved, as also
how great must be the expense OF the
additional labor and outlay. Years may
elapse before there shall be demand
in the United States for teas costing $l0
a pound and upward, as In the far ORR
ont, where such prices are not infre-
Quent."
DR.. Shepard said in this connection
that the finest green teas sold In the east
sometimes as high as $50 pound, when
the tea exported to America sold at the
ports for about Is cents a pound. For
eigners could not use this tea, whether
or not they were willing to pay the big
prices, because it would not bear trans
portation.
Continuing, he said: "Other things be-
ing equal, the cost of tea depends
somewhat on the amount of skilled la
Dor expended upon Il, but chiefly on the
'fineness' of the leaf plucking. To pick
at Pinehurst only the Pekce tips, which
are the as yet unfolded leaf at the end
OF the young shoot. might cost $40 a
pound of dry tea; to strip the leaf by
Wholesale as it done during the great
early summer crop In China, would cost
but a few cents pound. 1t Is the fine
ress of the plucking that chiefly deter
mines the value Of the product.
MODERN MACHINERY USED.
"The introduction Of modern tea MAX
ing machinery dnvented principally at
PinehursD has proved the qualities Of
Pinehurst black tea and rendered en-
tirely unnecessary the disgust SO often
expressed by orietnal travellers at the
unstlnted blending OF human sweat in
the laborious manipulation Of the tea
leaf in often superheated factories. The
Pinehurst product passes from one me-
ohanical treatment to another with the
least possible handling. and Is pure, no.
table for its uniformity, and especially
for the pre-eminence among other teas
in fragrance and delicacy, and yet by no
means lacking in strength.
A notable gain has been made In the
mechanical manufacture Of green tea
during the last season at Pinehurst. The
adaptation of machinery TO the curing
Of black tea has long been known and
practiced, especially in the British colo