Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-25

them. the original tea plants that, &C
cording 10 the Chinese. were sent down
from heaven for the delcctaiion of the
Emperor OF China. the son Of the sun.
Few members Of tho white race have
ever tasted the tea 81 these plants. The
Chinese believe such squanicrinG of the
gift Of the gods would be proclamation, t.
be followed hy dire punishment There
is not enough tea raised on these plants
for the emperor himself ami his imme
date family. Even he has to exc out his
supply of tea from the commoncr crop.
while Americans and other foreigners
cannot buy the tea at any price
The story Of how the seeds and seed
lnEs of these sacred tea plants We're So
cured 10y one Of our cousuls in China
reads like = romance of the dark ages.
The seeds were secured. however. and
are now being grown in an experimental
tea garden Of the Department of Aeri-
culture at Summerville, $ Z. 1t Will he
some time before the tea is ready 10
pick. and even then experts of the de-
partment say it is mere than probable
the American public will not like it.
=
Samuel l.. Graccy consul OF tie United
States at Foochow, China. was the man
who succeeded in securing the sacred
tea plants and seeds They We're sent
to Secretary Wilson with description of
the difficulties and dangers encountered
In securing them. The department want
ed 10 do the best possible for the sacred
plants. but was afraid TO experiment with
them at any OF the stations near Wash
ington, they were sent for trial to
Summerville. 5. c., where there is now
an extensive tea garden of these plants.
Many years ago D.. Charles L. Shepard.
one of the experts Of the department,
conceived the idea that the soil and eli
mate OF South Carolina are adapted to
tea raising. He now has tea gardens
covering more than 100 acres of ground
and quite an extensive industry has been
built up. The handling and curing of
tea after the leaves are picked from the
bushes are by American methods. and de-
cidedly more sanitary than those obtain
ing in China. There Is large and grow
ing trade in this Amerlcan-groWn tea,
and Summerville is the point the Depart
ment of Agriculture always selects to
carry any tea experiments.
Consul Gracey had heard Of the wonder
full tea plants that We're sent down from
heaven for the comfort of the emperor.
and, knowing his people at home We're
anxious 10 obtain some of the plants. lie
determined 10 secure them. NO white
man had ever seen them. and il appeared
probable none ever would. the journey
was long and dangerous and the plants
jealouslv guarded from profane eyes.
However. a consul has to be a great
many things. and Gracey developed into
4 good enough Buddhist 10 he taken par
TALLY. at least, into the confidence of the
priests.
II was a long trip to the country of the
River OF the Nine Windines. This river
proved 10 be a stream much like some OF
those in our southwestern butte and mesa
country. where. flowing with little falls
through a region of friabe rock, 1t had
in the course of aeons carved out for
itself a sinuous canyon with nine turn
ings
All the country and the people were
strange. There was one butte leo feet
high, 10 he reached only by a rope ladder
On the top OF this butte there was a tea