Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-07-06
"a
American Tea For Whole Country
3,

Ac-'l--k0~ElL-AJ>kILlSloS~S AAkJN-SGA>Ao>J-~AS
Perhaps it is enough to deduCe from
the evidences of American tea culture
up to date that this country soon will
produce practically all of the $4,000
600 worth of tea consumed here an
nualiy.
To consider the home tea product
in the light of an export, which,
though small in comparison, one day
will take its place with the great
American staples, seems at this stage
superauous. The fact, however, that
the journals of Ceylon and Other
foreign markets already print items
about our growing tea industry points
significantly to its Importance. Fur
Their, one of the many who believe In
both the producing and exporting pos
sibilities for American tea has sug'
gested that the skeptic turn TO the
history of cotton in the south.
The handful of seed that was sown
in a Virginia garden and carried
thence. after many unsuccessful
generations, to the Carolina ana
Georgia plantations, was even there
scorned in the light of wealth that al
ready was being got out of tobacco,
indigo, rice, and the silk mulberry.
To this it might be added that those
who have the gift of prescience which
comes of putting togeter the past ana
the present see ultimate success for
the tea industry in the pertinacity
with which partially successful ex,
RI
and again
start Made Century Ago.
One day, a century ago, Michaux,
the French botanist, set out tiny tea
shoot, which flourishes yet as tree
fifteen feet high at Middleton barony
on the banks of the Ashley river.
Ever since then the United States
agricultural records have narrated at
tempts at tea growing. As long ago
as 1S4S the fact that it could be grown
successfully in this country was
demonstrated at Greenville, s. c., but
the planting was soon abandoned.
Nothing further was accomplished
until 1881, when the government took
it up as an experiment in a portion or
the old Newington plantation at
Summerville. This project came to
an untimely end through the retire.
ment from Office of Commissioner
William G. lie Due, who was re-
sponsible for it, and the death of Mr..
John Jackson, the manager. There
followed the report of Commissioner
George B. Loring which stated that
the climate was unfavorable
Then appeared DR.. Charles Shepard,
who not only believed that the half
completed experiment pointed to the
success of the industry but who had
also a strong enough motive in his
hope of establishing employment for
many thousands of the southern
population, to devote both his money
and his brains to its Development
Costs Little to Produce.
It was a little over thirteen years
ago that he established his first gar
den at Parlihurst, a mile away from
the abandoned government garden Of
Summerville. 1t is the record of what
he has accomplished there with gov
eminent help that has demonstrated
the commercial value of the enter
prise, although several other gardens
have sprung up in the southern states
litely. incidentally these may be
taken as a recognition of the unmis-
taxable conditions Of success which
have the last few years developed
with great rapidity at the Pinehurst
industry. Briefly these are:
The steady increase of production,
not only in quantity but in the amount
of yield per acre.
The fact that the cost of production
has reached a point where 1t is less
that % per cent of the retail price
which can be maintained.
The increasing demand for the tea,
which now has a ready sale from
Massachusetts to Florida, and also In
the central and western states, and
which grows faster than the gardens
expand.
Yield Is $40 an Acre.
In addition to thes favorable general
conditions is the specific fact that
much of the ground planted of late
has yielded an average profit of $40
per acre, while considerably less than
this is not considered bad farming in
that region. 1t is also significant that
the conditions producing the profit
are the result of treatment of the soil
chemically, and also of plan of ap.
plying certain seed to certain con-
ditions. both of which can be repeated
scientifically.
Basing a calculation of profits upon
a production Of only 400 pounds per
acre which yields $40 net as the
lowest estimate, the possibilities may
be seen in the fact that the latest
crops have doubled those of the year
preceding on account of certain
definite experiments undertaken to
ward that end. The most conserva,
time prediction of the result of still
further treatment in the same line
points to the increase of production to