No. 149.] 169 



ence, arrived also, from the northern parts of China, in beautiful 

 condition. These plants are all of the green tea species, of the 

 first quality grown in the tea plantations of China, and were 

 planted out on this place the first week in June. They have 

 grown well for the sliort time they have been in the American 

 soil, and look fresh, green and healthy. I began planting tea 

 nuts about the same time. Some of black tea species, planted 

 5th of June, germinated first week in September, and are now 

 tine, vigorous plants. 



In order to test the climate, soil, and system of cultivation, I 

 have adopted the plan of planting tea nuts every month, in 

 varieties of soil and different temperatures of heat, as you will 

 notice that I have no other guide but my own experience and 

 judgment in adapting the cultivation of the tea plant to this cli- 

 mate, soil, time of planting, &c., &;c. 



All written authorities, in reference to the cultivation of tlie 

 tea plant, relate to foreign countries, and do not afford any sure 

 criterion for our government in regard to our own country. On 

 the contrary, whenever I have followed advice and recommenda- 

 tion of foreigners, I have always been in error. It is for this 

 reason that I am laboring to form an American system of plant- 

 ing and cultivating the tea shrub adapted to this country, not to 

 Asia. If it please God to spare my life, it is my design to pur- 

 sue the same system in regard to the curing of the tea leaf. 

 The peculiar advantages which, it appears to me, our country 

 holds out for the growth and cultivation of the tea plant are so 

 great, that I think nothing should be omitted which tends to the 

 formation of a more perfect system of managing the tea plant in 

 this country, than any we can import from abroad, where the 

 climate, soil, temperature, liabits of labor, and the like, must 

 necessarily be in some measure, if not altogether, of a dissimilar 

 character. 



^ My good success in a pretty large importation this year of tea 

 plants and nuts, is gratifying, seeing it carries with it a hand- 

 some extension of my tea plantation, and enables me to supply 

 with a more liberal hand, the demands of others, than I have 

 heretofore been able to do. 



