SPECIAL REPORT ON TEA-RAISING IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 633 



surely prove more remunerative to manufacture an article similar to 

 those in use here, rather than to imitate (even if it were possible) the more 

 pungent Indian teas, which at present are only slightly imported. It 

 is said that the tea from Formosa commands the highest price in this 

 country, but some fine grades from Ceylon and India find a high price 

 in rather limited quantities, the former being generally preferred. 



It should not be understood that the attempt to produce strong as 

 well as delicate teas has been abandoned at these gardens. The best 

 writers on tea concede that delicacy of flavor and strong raspiness do 

 not go together. The ideal beverage should possess both strength and 

 flavor, as may be attained by picking only the youngest and tenderest 

 leaves and a generous application of manure. 



The idea that a colder climate than the Bengalese plains (it being 

 immaterial whether the result of a greater elevation or a higher lati- 

 tude), and one that may be regarded at least as healthy, is not suited 

 to the production of the largest crops of superior teas, seems to have 

 been refuted by the experience of the mountain gardens of Ceylon; 

 but special stress is laid, in this case, on the richness of the soil as 

 compensating for the deficiency in temperature. That ordinarily severe 

 cold, as evidenced by ice and snow, seriously curtails the annual yield 

 there can be no doubt, be it from the shortness of the growing season 

 or the too intense hibernation of the plants; nor is it probable that the 

 most generous cultivation can atone for an extreme winter. It is to 

 be regretted that further meteorological data are not at hand. Never- 

 theless it may be urged that the citations given above afford a reason- 

 able basis for the hope which is the corner-stone of our undertaking 

 that the climate of this section does not necessarily proscribe success 

 in establishing a successful tea industry here. It is anticipated that 

 natural deficiency in some directions must be counterbalanced by ex- 

 traordinary artificial stimulation in others. But it ought not to be 

 regarded as stranger, should ultimate success crown our efforts, that 

 unusual care and attention can compel the remunerative cultivation of 

 tea outside of its natural zone any more than in the case of tobacco 

 and many other crops. 



QUALITY OF THE TEA PRODUCED. 



This past summer some of the Pinehurst plants were sufficiently 

 advanced to warrant picking the leaf. The great majority of them had 

 been raised from seed in 1889, and set out that autumn. A limited 

 number were a few months older. They belong to the "Assam hybrid" 

 variety, i. e., the cross between the Assamese and Chinese sorts, and 

 came from stock that had been thoroughly acclimated by probably 

 thirty years 7 growth in this country. The plants had been systemat- 

 ically "topped" with garden shears and afterwards carefully pruned 

 with a knife during the winter of 1891-'92, and throughout their growth 

 had been carefully cultivated and generously manured. (Plates i-in.) 

 They covered small areas on various soils, viz, underdrained pond and 

 high swamp, the slope of a clay hill, and a flat, sandy pine land. So 

 free had been the artificial enrichment of all of these plats that no 

 material differences in the quality or quantity of yield were observed. 

 It was designed to test by these first experiments whether commercial 

 tea could be raised at all. Below are given the results from picking 

 and curing such leaf as appeared to be suitable for manufacture, and 

 might be spared without impairing the subsequent luxuriant develop- 

 ment of the plants. 



A proper regard for the space that can be allowed this article necea- 



