REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. XXXIII 



increasing the valuable collections already on the grounds and propa- 

 gating and disseminating to nearly" all parts of the country rare forms 

 which have proved valuable. A part of the force of the gardens has 

 been employed in gathering seeds of rare trees and other plants, and 

 from them growing seedlings for distribution. The cultivation of 

 plants under glass is rapidly assuming important proportions, many 

 millions of dollars being annually invested in this work. There has 

 long been felt the need of careful experiments to determine methods 

 of growing such crops and improving them. To this phase of work 

 special attention has been devoted, and already promising results have 

 been obtained. 



THE ARLINGTON FARM. 



This farm, which was placed at the disposal of the Department two 

 years ago, consists of about -iOO acres of rolling land, and, as a whole, 

 is very well suited for the purposes set forth in the act. The appro- 

 priation available has been devoted to getting the ground into shape, 

 and already marked improvements can be noted. A large part of the 

 preliminary rough work, such as clearing, draining, etc., has been 

 accomplished, and the general plan of getting the land into condition 

 for planting, preparatory to inaugurating experiments, has been per- 

 fected. The farm can be made a valuable adjunct of the Department, 

 and will be so managed as to give opportunity for conducting practical 

 experiments in many lines of work. The shaping of a general plan 

 with this object in view is necessarily slow, as each step must be care- 

 fulh' considered. Buildings will soon be needed, and recommenda- 

 tions have been made to this end. 



PRODUCTION OF TEA IN THE UNITED STATES. 



The production of several kinds of tea in the United States is now 

 an assured fact, and in addition to this it is encouraging to be able to 

 announce that experts who have examined the tea produced here this 

 year pronounce it equal in flavor and aroma to the best imported teas. 

 As pointed out in my previous report, the profit in this crop averages 

 from $30 to $40 per acre net. During the year Dr. Charles U. Shep- 

 ard, of Summerville, S. C, has been in charge of the Government 

 work, conducting it in connection with his large tea gardens at the 

 place mentioned. This year Dr. Shepard produced about 4,500 

 pounds of high-grade tea, for all of which a read}" market was found in 

 the North. During the year Dr. Shepard perfected a machine for the 

 manufacture of green tea, and has very generously placed this under 

 the control of the Department, so that those wishing to use it may 

 do so without paying royalty. 



Capital is alwa3^s timid of investments in new enterprises of this 

 kind, and there is still much to be done to demonstrate the possibil 



AGR 1901 III 



