No. 216.] 289 



It is not enough to satisfy ourselves that the Tea Plant will flourish 

 in the United States. It is necessary to consider its product and 

 the expense of growimg and preparing the leaf for consumption. If 

 the cultivation will not remunerate the husbandman, it is of little 

 consequence whether the plant will grow in our climate or not. 



It has been already noticed that the Tea Plant is set in rows four 

 feet apart each way in regular plantations. An acre of land there- 

 fore, 400 by about 109 feet, will receive 2500 plants. The average 

 product of three year old plants according to Mr. Gordon's Report, 

 which is the lowest estimate I have seen, is Ij ounces of dry Tea 

 for each plant, yielding 208 pounds an acre. But the product of 

 more fully grown and larger sized plants will average about 5 or 6 

 ounces for each plant, and some have estimated the largest trees to 

 average from 16 to 24 ounces each.* But I think the range of 

 productions from the lowest estimate for young plants, 1^ ounces, 

 av,, to the highest for larger plants, 6 ounces, may be depended upon 

 as a correct general average product. No doubt some plantations 

 will be more productive than others, from better cultivation, better 

 soil, and better location, and we may fairly take the general average 

 of production at 3| ounces av., for each plant — equal to 547 pounds 

 per acre. The value, like cotton, tobacco, wine, and other products 

 of the vegetable kingdom, will depend upon the quality. The finest 

 bud Tea will be worth two dollars a pound; the coarsest and inferior 

 qualities, perhaps fifty cents. An assumed average may be taken 

 at a dollar a pound. 



The expense of gathering and curing the leaves. 



The labor of gathering the green leaves in China is performed by 

 women and children at task work. One cent is paid for three 

 pounds of green leaves. 



Expense of curing in China. 



The labor of curing tea in China is performed by professional 

 men, who travel about the country with the necessary implements 

 for fireing and kneading the leaves, as they are sent to the drying 

 establishment, constructed for the purpose. The regular charge is 



•Foreign Missionary, August, 1847, New York, by W. M. L. 

 [Am. Inst.] T 



