The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-05-12
TEA CULTURE, !.
The Rapid Growth Of the Industry
in the South.
Pinehurst Gardens at summerville,

Pinehurst Gardens at summerville,
In this state, Furnishes a
Prize Taking Product.
The Pinehurst gardens at Sum-
merville in South Carolina have shown
such success in the cultivation of tea
as to attract the attention of the
country. The leader in this work is
Major r. D. Trimble, native of
New York State, who has been con-
Quoting experiments In tea growing
and has succeeded to degree so re-
markable as indicate wonderful de-
velopment OF tea growing in the
southern part Of the United States.
For generations is has been sup.
posed that tea could be grown only In
China and Japan, but of late years
India. has developed large tea.gr
ing industry, and within 80 years Cey-
lon is very much engaged in it, and
now 1t is transferred also to the
United State2. In fact such chills as
are in the winter air of South Carolina
but improve and help the plants, so
that in luxuriant growth American
tea gardens are In advance OF the
average Asiatic garden, and natives
Of Japan who have visited Pinehurst
have expressed their wonder at the
splendid growth and production of
the plats in that vicinity.
1t is the handling of the tea crop
that makes the different varieties and
makes them more or less valuable.
The suppos!tiOn that there are differ
ent kinds OF plants themselves from
which the varying qualities are gath.
cred Is a mistake. 1t Is in the early
and the later gathering and in the
maturing of them that the high quail.
ty, or inferior quality of tea is de.
veloped.
The imports of tea In this coup try
cost about fifteen million dollars a
year. The expansion of the tea grow.
business In the South Is so rapid as to
lead to the belief that the American
market may be supplied with domes
tic tea before many years have passed
time being required chiefly for the
growth of'the tea plant to bring 1t to
bearing conditions as we'll as to edu.
cate those who work in tea gardens to
do so to the best advantage.
The treatment OF the tea from the
picking through the sorting and up to
the firing, as it Is called, is familiar.
This process Is shown at Pinehurst
and Is of very great interest.
wide stretch OF country is Gov
cred by this beautiful growth, and az.
ter the American fashion the fields
are adorned with flower bushes and
foliage plants so that 1t is more like
an exquisite private park than like
an ordinary farm.
1t is recognized that Pinehurst tea
is.of the very finest grown. At the
Exposition at ST. Louis the Oolong
from Pinehurst took first prize in
competition with the finest brands of
tea from the old world.
The Department. of Agriculture of
tho United States Is taking the great.
est interest in the development of tea
growth and manufacture, and the aid
IL has given has been very impor-
tant factor in that work. This is
only one Of the scores Of instances in
which Secretary Wilson, the head OF
that department., has shown himself
to be conducting 1T on the broadcast
lines Of intelligence and enterprise
and far sightedness. The triumphs
achieved under the leadership of Sec.
retary Wilson In the last six or eight
years have made a new record OF sue
cess In the depar tment and placed Mr..
Wilson at the head Of secretaries of
agriculture.
Pinehurst tea farming is far past
the experimental stage. 1t Is more
than mere culture and is becoming
an established occupation. 1t Is also
not an exceptional thing possible only
In the vicinity Of Summerville. 1t
has taken root there because Of the
enterprise OF citizens resident CT South
Carolina, who first studied the condi-
tions OF soil and climate favorable to
tea growing and then decided that
the required conditions are admirably
met in lower South Carolina, and
especially In Dorchester county. Ex-
perincnts ii tea growing in other
parts OF the South are already said to
be producing good results, and COM
paratively new industry is added to
the list that makes the agriculture of
the United States the most remark
able In the world In Its range of pro-
ducts and vast aggregate in volume,
aud furnishes new source of wealth
to that section Of the country fast be
coming the garden Of civilization.