310 [Assemble 



man, will seize the opportunity and appropriate the advantages 

 which have lain concealed from the creation of the world, but are 

 now unveiled and disclosed to his view. 



TEA STATISTICS. 



The annual consumption of Tea in the United States, is about 

 11,000,000 pounds. Upon the hypothesis that the average product 

 of an acre of land is 547 pounds, it will require the cultivation of 

 20,109 acres of land only, to supply the present consumption of the 

 United States. 



The consumption of Europe, exclusive of Russia, which empire 

 will probably continue to be supplied to the extent of 6,000,000 

 pounds' annually from China, by overland transportation, is about 

 50,000,000 pounds. The growth of this quantity will require 91,411 

 acres of land. 



The total quantity, therefore, necessary to be cultivated, as Tea 

 plantations, to supply the present consumption of Europe and the 

 United States, exclusive of Russia, is 111,520 acres, averaging 7,965 

 acres for each of the fourteen Tea growing States. 



In 1843-4, Great Britain exported from China 51,417,765 pounds; 

 but this exceeds the general yearly average of export. How much 

 of this aggregate importation was exported to the colonies and the 

 continent of Europe, I have not sufficient data to determine. 



It is not possible, from the total want of official documents, to give 

 the amount of Tea grown in the Chinese Empire. We can only 

 form a general idea of the production by the population, and the 

 habits of the people. If we estimate the consumption at three pounds 

 for each individual, which, considering that Tea is the universal 

 beverage of the Empire, I think cannot exceed the consumption, we 

 have the enormous product of 900,000,000 pounds, whilst the whole 

 exportation does not exceed 70,000,000 pounds. 



Undoubtedly, the consumption in this country will increase in pro- 

 portion to the extension and facility of production, as no beverage, 

 with which we are acquainted, will be found so cheap, wholesome, 

 refreshing and nutritious, as Tea at all times, and especially in the 

 high temperature of summer h?at. 



