74" 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[April i, 1884. 



TEA IN AMEEIOA 



is thus not iced in the proceedings of the the Agri-Horti- 

 cultural Society of India: — 



As several papers in India have lately had paragraphs on 

 the future of Tea in America, the following extracted from 

 the American Annual Agricultural Report for 18S1-82 may 

 be of interest; — "A few remarks relative to the position 

 of Tea culture in America as at present understood may 

 assist us in arriving at an intelligent view of the matter, 

 for the past 20 years the department has distributed a 

 number of the jjlants iu varying quantities of from 10,000 

 to 50,000 plants yearly, the object iu view being to 

 introduce the plant to tlie notice of farmers and planters, 

 so that they could familiarize themselves with its charac- 

 teristics, and its adaptability to climates and localities 

 also that experiments might be made with the leaves, 

 in the preparation of an article for domestic use. In 

 m^y instances tliis was so satisfactory, as to encourage 

 further plantings, so that small plantations, of one-fourth 

 of an acre and upwards in extent, were here and there 

 to be found. 



Many of the samples of Tea prepared in a domestic 

 way, were pronounced to be very good, and the Depart- 

 ment for the past twelve years or more, has frequently 

 been the recipient of Teas which were creditably manu- 

 factured and otherwise considered commendable. In the 

 latter part of the year 1879, Mr. J. Jackson, the present 

 Superintendent of the Tea farm at Summerville, who had 

 been for many years engaged in the manufacture of Tea 

 in British India, being in the United States on a pleasure 

 tour, had his attention called to the efforts of the De- 

 partment in the introduction of this industry; and look- 

 ing over the matter he concluded to purchase one of the 

 largest of these incipient Tea plantations, situated in Georgia, 

 for the purpose of making experiments iu the manufacture 

 of Tea. His first effort at the manufacture was made in 

 the spring of last year (I8S0), and the result w-as deemed 

 encouraging, samples of his Teas were received by the 

 department where they were exhibited and tested; but 

 while the manufacture and appearance of the Teas were 

 commended, they were prouounced to be deficient in 

 strength. 



During last fall and winter, Mr. Jackson gave a special 

 n ttention to the plants in the way of pruning, manuring, 

 &c. In consequence, the plants made a most satisfactory 

 growth, giving five crops of leaves, which allowed Mr. Jackson 

 a fair opportunity to test the cost of manufacture, which 

 has convinced him that Teas may be placed on the market 

 at a cost not exceeding 25 cents per pouud. This crop 

 has also been tested by experts, and their opinion again 

 shows that the Teas are deficient in strength. About 20 

 pounds of this crop was sent to the department, from 

 whence it was distributed for testing, as samples of American 

 Tea. It is therefore evident that the great defect of 

 these Teas is lack of strength. 



It is an established fact that the strength of Teas de- 

 pends upon the climate where the plant is grown. The 

 warmest Tea climates produce the strongest Teas. Teas 

 produced in localities where frosts occur, are always pro- 

 nounced to be weaker than Teas which are produced in 

 localities where the thermometer never reaches to the 

 freezing point. This is well understood iu all Tea-growing 

 countries, and it certainly would not be wise to ignore 

 the fact in making experiments in this country. The 

 position may be considered as fairly represenced as follows: — 

 Having every reason to conclude that the locality near 

 Mcintosh, Ga; is too far north for the production of Teas, 

 which possess sufHcient of strength and pungency, to 

 command the best prices, or even profitable prices, it is 

 therefore considered proper to try the experiment at 

 Summerville, S. C, which is one and a half degrees fur- 

 ther north ! However unfortunate it may be, it is clearly 

 evident that the Tea. experiments must be made in a more 

 southern latitude. The state of Florida may bo looked 

 upon as presenting the most favorable conditions, and if 

 the experiments are to be proceeded with, operations should 

 bo transferred to that State without delay. As to the 

 future management of the Tea farm, following the con- 

 \nction that no experiment which can be made in the 

 cult\ire of Tea at this place, will warr,ant a continuation 

 of the undertaking, it may be suggesteil that expenses 

 be ciii .Iiiwii to the lowest figure admissilile; and that 



all labor cease, except so much as may be found necessary 

 look after the young plants. 



In a general way, it may be stated that since 1st July 

 1880, §15.000 have been appropriated by Congress for en- 

 couragement of Tea culture. So far as is visible to the 

 ordinary observer, the only practical, palpable result of 

 expenditure from this fund, is what is to be found, and 

 what has been done on this farm." 



Again, the United States Economist, says, that — "this 

 (Tea) is an industry which might very profitably be carried 

 on in the South *»*»». In the Tea "districts of 

 Japan, there ai'e but few agi-iculturists who devote them- 

 selves e.Nclusively to the culture. The indications, l)i.tli in 

 the older systems of culture in oriental laud^, and iu the 

 experiments of America, go to prove that the business 

 msiy bo pursued as a supplement to other agricultural 

 enterprises. Each farmer may raise enough for his domestic 

 consumption, tor ten or twelve trees will furnish enough 

 Tea to meet the wants of a family of eight persons, 

 * * * the labor to cultivate a few Tea plants would 

 only absorb the odds and ends of a farmer's time which 

 might otherwise go to waste." [On all of which we may 

 remark, that, looking to cost of labour as well as to 

 climate, it is not probable that any appreciable quantity 

 of tea will ever be grown in the United States. — Ed.] 



GOVERNMENT CINCHONA PLANTATIONS. 



A short time ago Dr. Henry Trimen, M.n., Director of 

 the Roy:il Botanic Gardens in Ceylon, visited the Govern- 

 ment Cinchona Plantations on the Nilgiris with the object 

 of reporting upon the botany of those plantations. Al- 

 though specially (]ualified for tlie task by bis thorough 

 knowledge of botany, his special study of cinchona in 

 Europe, and his experience in Ceylon, he was accompanied 

 by Mr. Lawson, the Government Botanist, Dr. Eidie, Ma^ 

 jor Cam))bell Walker, Mr. L. Campbell, and Mr. Gass. Mr. 

 Trimen has written an elaborate report, in which many 

 disputed points as to the origin of the varieties cultivated 

 in India are discussed, and to a certain extent settled. 

 Into the Doctor's notes on the various descriptions of 

 cinchona we need not enter, simply recommending those 

 especially interested in cinchona to secure a copy of the 

 report. There is much, however, in Dr. Trimen's report 

 which is of general interest. He pleads for uniformity in 

 nomenclature. It is riiuch to be desired that the same 

 plants should bear the same names in India and Ceylon 

 and elsewhere, instead of the present system of obsolete, 

 incorrect, or duijlicate names. As a rule, the spelling of 

 this genus of plants is cinckonu, although Mr. Marltham 

 has argued so strongly in favour of c/iinchona. "With re- 

 gai-d to the fntuie management of the fine properties ou 

 the Nilgiris, and which have proved so remunerative to 

 the local Government, Dr, Trimen t,ikes it for granted 

 that the recent appointment of Mr. Lawson to the office 

 of Superijitendent is evidence of a desire to maintain the 

 plantations in a high state of efiiciency. AYe have reason 

 to believe that he is quite right in this conjecture, and 

 that the interest taken in the subject by His Excellency 

 the Governor will secure that for some years yet to come 

 everything possible will be done to secure progi'ess in know- 

 ledge and improvement in practice. This, it is m'ged, 

 should be the main object in ^^ew, and not gain. The 

 ultimate end of the enterprise is the production of a cheap 

 and efficient febrifuge for this country and the East, and 

 Dr. Trimen is of opinion that the final realization of that 

 laudable scheme is moi-e likely to be effected by private 

 enterprise, in Europe or in India itself, than by any Gov- 

 ernment manufacture of alkaloids. *' Meanwhile th(? Gov- 

 ernment possesses a very valuable property, which, worked 

 without stinting tlie expenses necessary for the highest 

 experimental cultivation, cannot fail to return a profit for 

 many years to come." What is said with regard to past 

 management is very true. While the Government have 

 properly endeavoured to secure large revenue from their 

 estates, they seem almost to have forgotten the object of 

 such estates. The result has been that the estates have 

 been overworked, and insufficient attention hnS been given 

 to observations which might produce much valuable in- 

 formation useful to cinchona planters and (piinine manu- 

 facturers all the world over, and especially in Iiuliii. -'Se- 

 lections by cuttings or seed from the best of Imown ana 



