No. 2 16. J 285 



erence to the United States. The introduction of Atlantic Steam 

 Navigation, supercedes the necessity of curing Teas for exportation 

 to Europe by fireing. We can sun dry all our Teas and deliver a 

 cargo in fifteen days from the port of shipment, instead of one hun- 

 dred from the ports of China or India. In twenty days from the 

 time of pluckmg the leaf, we can deliver Tea to the consumer in 

 London or Paris, fresh as if grown in Kew gardens, or the garden 

 of plants. Such an advantage, if it stood alone, is certain to give 

 the American cultivator the pre-eminence in supplying this great sta- 

 ple of consumption, to the population of Europe. No competition 

 can stand against it. We have the right, the privilege, the power, 

 and none can pluck them from our hands. We must supply Tea for 

 our own consumption, and for thv nations of Europe, because we 

 can supply a better quality at a cheaper rate than any other nation. 

 In this respect we are not the middle Kingdom of China, but the 

 middle Kingdom of the civilized world. The blessing of God, our 

 own industry, and Steam Navigation, will force upon us the Tea 

 trade. 



Sun Drying. — But to proceed to the second method practiced in 

 China of curing Tea, that of Sun drying. This mode is confined to 

 Teas for home consumption, and exportation by land to Russia, and 

 is, I apprehend, the only mode adapted to the practice of this coun- 

 try, whether the Tea be designed for home consumption or expor- 

 tation. 



Every horticulturist of ordinary experience must be accustomed to 

 cure domestic herbs, as mint, sage, sweet majoram and the like, for 

 family use. He knows the exposure of herbs to a very hot sun at first, 

 is not the best way of curing them; but a shaded sun and dry air 

 ■will accomplish the object in a more gradual and perfect manner. 

 The herb is perfectly cured, the whole flavor retained, and the labor 

 trifling. Independently of the saving of labor, the great advantage 

 of sun drying results from the fact that the aroma of the Tea, its 

 rich fragrant properties, escaping from the essential oil of the leai 

 are more entirely preserved, and our American sun cured Tea must 

 of necessity, and as a natural consequence of that mode of curing, 

 be far superior to any that can be imported from China or India. 

 From 1810 to 1815, I was engaged in the Russian trade between 

 London, St. Petersburgh and Archangel. I used to request my cap- 

 tains to bring me a small catty of Green Tea when they returned 

 from Russia for my own use. I could not import any large quanti- 

 ty, as I was obliged to smuggle what I did get, because the East In- 



