Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-05-02

room to spread. The leaves grow
thickly on these bushes, and the plant
generally assumes the form of an in
yerted bowl, the lower branches grow
ing close to the ground. The cost Of
raising tea is not heavy. The cost of
cultivation and manufacture is general
| ly figured under 80 cents per pound
and on South Carolina plantations the
cost has been figured down to 27
cents per pound. Experts in tea cul
ture have figured on a profit of 25
cents on each pound of tea placed on
the market The principal element of
cost in tea culture is in the leaf-pick-
ling. This cost is figured at IA cents
pound. The factory work is figured
lat six cents. The pruning of plants
and the manuring costs six cents, but
/ the actual cost of cultivation is figured
down to one cent and half. But lit
| tie work is required around the roots
after the plant is given a fair start.
| Dampness is an essential condition of
the soil, and it requires no great eff.
| fort to maintain this condition. On
the Pinehurst plantation in South Car
DINA, owned by DR.. Shepherd, it is
estimated that each acre will yield an
annual profit of $40. Black tea gath.
cred on this place has sold in the mar
ket, retail, for 81 pound. The esti-
mated profit of $40 an acre is based
upon a yield of 400 pounds to the acre.
The yield in the aggregate on the Pine
hurst plantation has been about 1000
pounds. The plants have not yet
come up to their full bearing capacity.
Experts have figured that the plants
grow more luXuriantly where the tenn
perature does not fail below 25 de.
grees, although any temperature above
zero is not absolutely destructive The
plant cannot stand a temperature be-
low zero and remain healthy and pro
ductive. The severe winter of 1899
caused a considerable falling off in the
yield on the South Carolina plantation,
and the milder meteorolOgic conditions
which have prevailed since that time
during the winter season has greatly
increased the amount of tea produced.
These experiments have stimulated
men in Louisiana, and the trial now
being made by DR.. Stubs at the ex-
pertinent station may cause a new in
dustry to be launched in the state.
The main trouble will be in the manu-
faCture of the product after it is gath
cred from the plants. The leaves have
to be rolled or manipulated in some
other way SO that the oily cells may be
preserved when the leaves are
broken, so that the essence will re-
spond quickly to the influence of hot
water. The drying process is COM
paratiyely simple, but quick work is
necessary in order to protect the
leaves from the deleteriOus influences
of the atmosphere. 1t requires
peculiar kind of labor to go through
the various but simple processes of
tea manufacture, DR.. Stubs said he
was convinced that Inc negro was UNI
fitted for this work. He is all right
on heavy lifting and tasks of this
character" he said, but when it
comes to tediousness and niCeties of
tea manufacture | am afraid he would
not be available" But this obstacle
may be overcome, At any rate south
ern states are making the venture,
and the fact that reasonable success
has been attained, and the further
fact that an additional duty has been
placed on importations, will probably
stimulate the effort until the south
will be filled with tea farms. And
Louisiana will have her quota if the
experiment made by DR.. Stubs turns
out as well as he expects.