The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-12
Those Tea Tablets.

The Charleston Post. reviewing the
matter Of the tea tablets. as elaDorat-
ed in a recent editorial in this paper.
is inclined TO put the brand ~ fraud
on the agricultural department Ne
uaupen 10 know through a private let
ter that tea was grown in South Car
Dina prior 10 the war, by a Mr.. Spark
man. But this Is aside from the ques-
ton. The facts as TO the development
Of tea growing in South Carolina, as
set forth by The Post are: At sum
merville DIR. c. L. Shepard, a distin-
auished chemist of that city, has for
many years ben engaged in a most III
teresting and intelligent effort 10 grow
tea for the market. He has achieved
a very remarkable success. which at
tracted the attention OF the depart
ment Of agriculture a few We rs ago TO
such a degree that ii urged Linn TO as
sociate his work with the department.
anI succeeded in persuading him 10 do
20. That Is to say, the department
makes certain allowances to Dr. Shep-
ard for the expenses of his work ana
reports of his experiments are issueu
in the bulletins of the department The
tea gardens at Summerville are. as
they have been from the beginning,
the property Of DR.. Shepard. Inc ex-
pense of the establishment q been
borne by him entirely until the gar
dens were made self-supportng. The
. departments allowances would not go
far toward maintaining the establish
ment.
! As to the tablets. Some months ago
DR.. Shepard conceived the idea OF this
preparation. He made experiments,
e--.-I 49, +h:-- fnnrfi1n Gactfrad Rna-
cial machinery, according to his own
plans. and purchased with his own
money and he began TO make tea tab
let's. Mr.. K. d. Trimble, who Is as
ISOLATED with DR.. Shepard in the nan
agement of the gardens, made ar
rangements for putting the tablets on
! the market and they have been given
wide distribution. Recently DR.. Shep-
ard sent a lot of the tablets as a pres
emit to the head of the bureau Of plant
industry of the department OF agricul-
ture. That bureau had never before
heard Of the thing. But 1t found IL
good for advertising and 1t proceedeu
to make good its opportunity. AS TO
the use of the tea tablets in the army,
q representative of DR.. Shepard asked
he head of the bureau or plant INDUS
trv to recommend him TO the proper
authorities to consider the matter. He
was promised full assistance and has
never received lit.
DR.. Shepard, The Post continues. Is
doing 2 very remarkable work at sum
merville and he is quite engrossed IN
the success OF it and gives little CON
Germ to the exploitation Of his achieve
ments. The department of agriculture
in taking to itself the credit Tor Wnat
he has done. detracts nothing from the
value OF his work. and as IL needs me
advertisement and he does not, PROB
ably there should be no complaint al
its taking what the gods provide foc IT,
At the same time 1t would seem only
fair hat voluntary acknowledgement
of Dir. Shepard's services in the desei-
opmen: OF this new Industry should
ne made by the department in'its an
nouncements, especially when he facts
are that the gardens are his, the
ideas are his and the expense Is MIS-
Charlotte Chronicle.