The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-25
AMERICAN GROWN TEA.
Finest Quality Is Now Produced in
South Carolina.

Columbia Is. c. Letter.
Even after President Roosevelt and the
Cabinet have been informed by Secretary
Wilson that in South Carolina 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 stand
ards. they now never get. While expert
ments will probably be continued for years
with different teas under widely different
conditions, the most important facts about
tea culture in America have already been
demonstrated. 1t has already been proved
that a Number of kinds Of teas from differ
ent countries-Formosa. Japan. China and
Samoan be grown with profit; yet other
kinds have been Improbable in a CONNER
cial way. The experiments will continue
along this line and also with a view OF
getting the greatest productiveness from
the tea plant in the least possible time.
Another important point demonstrated IS
that the tea bush can survive very cold
weather. While II is better that it should
grow where the mercury does not fall be-
low % degrees Fahrenheit, yet in the freeze
of two winters ago the tea gardens were
subjected to a temperature below zero and
suffered little damage.
Experimenting with tea begun at Pine
hurst, near Summerville, in 1891, by DIT.
Charles L.. Shepard. This was several years
after the government had failed to get re-
SUITS lIOil dl dpDAViA AdLAOl Aldut Dy 1OD-
gress for experiments in tea culture. DIT.
Shepard's work proved successful, and re-
Gently he has received the kindest interest
and most grateful pecuniary assistance
from Secretary of Agriculture Wilson and
from Congress.
DIR. Shepard says that the finest green
teas sold in the East sometimes as high as
$50 a pound, when the tea exported to
America sold at the ports for about 10 cents
per pound. Foreigners could not use this
tea. whether or not they were willing to
pay the high price, because IL would not
bear transportation.
other things being equal. the cost OF a
tea depends somewhat on the amount of
skilled labor expended upon il, but chiefly
on the ''hneness' of the leaf-plucking. To
pick at Pinehurst only the Pekoe tips.
which are as yet unfolded leaf at the end
of the young shoot. might cost SO a pound
of dry tea; to strip the leaf by wholesale.
as is done during the great early summer
crop In China. would cost but a few cents
a pound. IL is the fneness of the plucking
that chiefly determines the value of the
product.
Special trials have been made on certain
areas with both black and green teas, and
the results. although these gardens in a
ductiveness. are already profitable. There
Is a steady demand for all the black tea
produced at the rate Of 81 a pound. This
tea is grown from an exceptionally fine
seed procured from China. 1t cannot stand
TRANSPORTATION for long distances. and re-
tails i'm the province in which il grows for
81. 60 a pound. These gardens will produce
| % cents a pound would pay about ten times
more than good cotton land. DR.. Shepard
mas sold some tea. so fine as TO be almost
dust. for So a pound.