The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-01-23
TEA FARMS. In THE SOUTH.
Company Formed to Garry Them on on a
z .aasge Scale. g#as
-srese g Scale. 8.
NeiUs nDdsEos..::ee.r. :e..

;ca is destined to become one OF the
great tea producing countries Of the
world. The imports from China, ia
nan. Ceylon and other tea.growing
countries BY the American States will
diminish from year to year in the
future until, in the opinion Of Score
tary Wilson, the United States will
become an exporter Of this beverage
for which the American people are
now paying annually twelve TO fifteen
million dollars.
AS a result OF recent experimental
by the agricultural depa. tment pre-
parations are now being made for the
establishment of o number Of tea
,plantations in the Southern States.
Already one company with, capital
Of $50, 900 has been organized in New
York, another with capital of $780,
600 is being perfected, while still
others with large cLpitals are in CON
temptation for tho purpose Of secur-
ing suitable locations in Southern
States with soil and climate conditions
a lapted to the growth Of tea.
This is the result Of the efforts Of
the Hon James Wilson, who. shortly
after his installation into the Office of
Secretary Of Agriculture, became con-
vinced that tea culture in the South
eru States was not only practicable,
but wc1ld become profitable. Gath
eriug together all the data obtainable
upon the subject, Secretary Wilson
directed the establishment Of an ex-
pertinent station at the Pinehurst gar
deus in South Carolina. At first q
doctor Of divinity was placed in charge
as a special agent Of the Government.
During the first year there was little
progress made in tea culture. In
fact, to use the language of Secretary
Wilson, divinity and tea did not seem
to harmonize," and as the department.
was particularly interested in the de-
velopment of tho tea industry, divini-
ty was superseded by special agent
Of the department, DR.. Charles u.
Shepard. AS a result Of his labors
more than $500 worth Of American
tea was placed upon the markets Of
Washington, New York, Philadelphia
and other cities in 1899. The Ameri-
can product was found to be far su-
perior to any Of the black teas i'm
ported. Some Of the crop Of 1899
brought as high as 81 per 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 gardens Of IL PER cent over
the yield of 1899 and the total product
was sold in bulk at price netting a
handsome profit to the government.
The experiments during the last
three years have established the fact
that good grade of American tea can
be grown and pas on. the market in
bulk at cost not exceeding fifteen
cents per pound. Under average oon-
ditions an acre will yield 400: pounds
of marketable tee, and .his, at. fifteen
cents per pound, would make the ex-
pense of growing the tea $50 per acre
The tea can be- scld. in bulk at from
thirty to fifty cents per pound and the
profit on this basis would be from 100
to IT'S per cent.
IRRIGATION AND SHADE.
In discussing this phase Of the ques-
ton with your correspondent Secretary
Wilson said:
From the experiments already
made it seems that the practicability
OF tea production in this country can
be no longer questioned, but there arc
slill many points to be SETTLED, espe-
cially as regards the Improvement Of
the product. During the past year
experiments have, been undertaken
Tor the purpose of determining the
effect of irrigation on tea and of shad-
ing the plants from the direct rays Of
the sun. Work has also been inaugu-
rated with view Of reducing the cost
O' production, especially the green
Tea. The experiments in irrigation
and shading have given promising re,
suits, the shaded plants giving nearly
o0uble the yield Of the unshaded and
amuch finer grade Of leaf. y
In the future special attention
viii be given to tho manufacture Of
pure green tea. This subject is now
o'a'mlng the attention of both inven-
'ors aud planters, as thsy begin to
realize the hopelessness of bringing
tue Am @rican tee drinkers to using
m the black tea instead of the green.
lne r.. n