36 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Januaky, 1867. 
(Business Notices $3.50 per Agate Line of Space.) 
THE 
GKEAT AMERICAN 
TEA COMPANY 
ALWAYS 
A WHOLESALE ESTABLISHMENT. 
We have many enquiries (10 to 20 letters a day) asking 
what discount we make to the Trade from our prices as 
published in the Price List. These are our lowest 
wholesale prices. We consider ourselves only a Wholesale 
Corporation, and we have but one price. 
> The way in which we came to break packages at all, was 
that during the high prices of Teas we furnished parties 
with packages as small as five pounds. Our fame spread 
far and wide ; and parties with small means thought it very 
hard to be compelled to pay, elsewhere, about a dollar per 
pound more than we were selling the same goods for, simply 
because they could not afford to buy five pounds of us at 
one time. Therefore, iu order to lighten these burdens, we 
consented to supply their wants in quantities as small as 
one pound at the wholesale prices. 
Parties of small means wishing for goods to sell, can have 
their orders put up In small packages to suit their trade, but 
we cannot make any reduction in price, as our profits for 
the last six years have not averaged more than two cents 
per pound. 
To give our readers an idea of the profits which have 
been made in the Tea trade, we will start with the Ameri- 
can houses, leaving out of the account entirely the profits 
of the Chinese factors. 
1st.— The American House in China or Japan makes large 
profits on their sales or shipments— and some of the richest 
retired merchants in this country have made their immense 
fortunes through their houses in China. 
2d.— The Canker makes large profits upon the foreign 
exchange used in the purchase of Teas. 
3d.— The Importer makes a profit of 30 to 50 percent, in 
many cases. 
4th.— On its arrival here it is sold by the cargo, and the 
Purchaser sells it to the Speculator in invoices of 1,000 to 
2,000 packages, at an average profit of about 10 per cent. 
5th.— The Speculator sells it to the Wholesale Tea Dealer 
In lines at a profit of 10 to 15 per cent, 
Cth.— The Wholesale Tea Dealer sells it to the. Wholesale 
Grocer in lots to suit his trade, at a profit of about 10 per 
cent. 
7th.— The Wholesale Grocer sells it to the Retail Dealer 
at a profit of 15 to 25 per cent. 
8th.— The Retailor sells it to the consumer for all theprofit 
he can get. 
When you have added to these eight profits as many 
brokerages, cartages, storages, cooperages, and waste, and 
add the original cost of the tea, it will be perceived what 
the consumer has- to pay. And now we propose to show 
why we can sell so very much lower than small dealers. 
We propose lo do away with all these various profits and 
brokerages, cartages, storages, cooperages,' and waste, with 
the exception of a small commission paid for purchasing to 
our correspondents in CJiina mid Japan, one cartage, and 
a, small profit to ourselves— which, on our large sales, will 
amply pay us. 
Parties getting their Teas from us may confidently rely 
upon getting them pure and fresh, as they come direct from 
the Custom House Stores to our warehouses. 
The Company have selected the following kinds from 
their Stock, which they recommend to meet the wants of 
Clubs. They are sold at Cargo Prices, the same as the 
Company sell them in New York, as the List of prices will 
show 
All goods sold are warranted to give satisfaction. 
PRICE LIST:' 
YOUNG HYSON (Green), SOc, 90c, $1, $1.10, best 
$1.25 per pound. 
GREEN TEAS, 80c,, 90c, %\, $1.10, best $1.25 per 
pound. 
MIXED, 70c, SOc, 90c, best $1 per pound. 
JAPAN, $1, $1.10, best $1.25 per pound. 
OOLONG (Clack), 70c, SOc, 90c, best $1 per pound. 
'IMPERIAL. (Green),, best $1.25 per pound. 
ENGLISH BREAKFAST (Black), SOc., 90c, $1, 
$1.10, best $1.20 per pound. , 
GUNPOWDER (Gunpowder), $1.25, best $1.50 per lb. 
The most convenient club forms are shown in former edi- 
tions of this paper. 
P. S.— All towns, villages, or manufactories, where a large 
number of men are engaged, by clttubtng together, can re- 
duce the cost of their Teas and Coffees about one-third by 
sending directly to the 
GItEVT AMERICAN TEA COMPANY, 
31 and 33 Vesey-street, corner of Church. 
*-- Post-Office Box, 5,643 New-York City. 
B3?~ We call special notice to the fact that our Vesey 
Street Store is at No. 31 and 33 Vesey Street, corner of 
Church Street— large double store. 
Parties looking for our store will please bear in mind that 
ours is a large double Store, JPfos. 31 and 83 Vesey Street, 
corner of Church-street. This is an important fact to be re- 
membered, as there are many other Tea Stores in Vesey St. 
I0M AID ISRAELLA 
VINES FOR SPRING PLANTING. 
Besides my general stock of Vines for Garden and Vine- 
yard, which are of unequaled quality, I have some that have 
been reserved for spring planting, that greatly surpass 
in quality any that I have heretofore offered in quantity. 
A full description of these will be given in Spring Price 
List, which will be ready before the 1st of January. 
There are a few important facts hi relation to my present 
stock of IONA and ISKAELLA vines which are of great 
interest to all purchasers who desire to secure the best and 
cheapest plants. 
The past season, from its sudden changes, was the most 
unfavorable for the production of plants of good quality, and 
propagators have experienced very great disappointment 
generally. 
The principal portion of my stock was started very early 
for the purpose of making, plants of unusual quality,, and 
were, at the time of the June cold, advanced to healthy en- 
durance, so that they received but little check, and before 
the cold of August, had made a strong mature growth, that 
carried them safely through the season. Hence, although 
the season was the most unfavorable ever experienced, I am 
able to offer better and cheaper vines of these kinds than were 
ever before grown in open air. 
I have besides a large stock of vines that were grown in 
houses all the season. These also challenge competition. 
My vines of this class have given universal satisfaction, 
and have never been approached in quality by those of any 
propagator. Those of this season excel my former produc- 
tions, and are the natural result of proper management. 
The Houses are of unusual construction, and are made to 
admit the full force of the sun, and so thoroughly ventilated 
as to equal the effects of full exposure, except in times of 
trial by cold, or tearing winds— "that are greatly detrimental 
to any vines, but highly damaging to young ones. They 
were also grown at large distances apart, the open spaces 
amounting to one foot or more and exceeding by more 
than four-fold the ordinary distances of the best plants. 
The roots are proportioned to the distances, as were also 
the leaves. Sueli plants can he very clicap without 
being very low-priced, and they can not be produced with- 
out great cost. 
I offer a fine lot of wood, from strong and perfectly healthy 
Iona and Israella vines, for propagation. For descriptions 
and price send for spring price list. 
I may here pay, mat all of my \*ines are offered at a very 
small living profit, and I do not hesitate to warrant that at 
the prices asked, they will be found to be much 'cheaper 
than any that have been or can be sold at Auction this sea- 
son. The proposition to be solved and being solved daily, 
where the value of good grapes is well understood, is like 
the following. How much cheaper is a vine at 25 cents, that 
at the end of the third season has given no return, than one 
for $2.00 that has given $5 for its fruit, and $3.00 for its cut- 
tings. 
Send two-cent stamp for present state of Grape Culture, 
and Price Lists for 1867. 
O. W. G-KANT, Xoiaa, 
(near Peekskill,) Westchester Co., N, Y. 
P. S— I again invite'all interested to call and inspect the 
vines at Iona. The visit has its dangers. Let one marked 
instance suffice for example and warning. One— of great 
firmness of character too, came resolved to not buy. He 
bought 12,000 Extra Iona Vines for his own planting. (If he 
wishes he can have my guaranty that it will prove the 
cheapest large lot ever purchased in the country.) Many 
have been overcome in the same way to the amount of 
thousands. I also offer Iona wine for inspection. 
The Present State of drape Culture. 
The past has been acknowledged, by general consent, to 
have been the most unfavorable season lor Grape Culture, 
(both for the propagation of plants and production of fruit,) 
that has occurred since these became an important branch 
of cultivation, and more interest from those that are alive 
to the importance of the subject, has centered in the IONA, 
than in all of the other kinds, for that is the only one 
before the public that has promised, by its assemblage of ex- 
cellences, to make our country eminent in grape producing 
for all purposes. 
If this were to come short In any important point of the 
high expectations raised by its past history, it would be an 
astounding disappointment. From a very extended survey, 
we shall see that it has fully sustained Its higH 
promises lii every particular, although vineshave 
failed in some instances from improper treatment. 
It is true, there have been instances of failure of the vines 
from .being frozen out, as of all other kinds, from a vicious 
plan of planting, but in no instance within my knowledge, 
where the simple directions of the Manual have been fol- 
lowed. Of that I shall treat farther soon. 
Three years ago it had begun to be clearly apparent to 
those who were most intimately acquainted with grapes, 
and who were also most thoroughly conversant with vine 
culture throughout this country and in Europe, that the 
IONA was the grape to complete the revolution both for 
Fruit and for Wine, that had been already well undertaken 
by the Delaware. 
The richness, purity, and refinement of flavor of the Dela- 
ware, apparently left little to be hoped for, better in these 
respects. As a fruit, it was exquisite, and its wine was of a 
rich, refined character, heretofore unapproached by the 
productions of this country. The Catawba, before the intro- 
duction of the Deleware, had justly stood high above all 
other Native kinds, both for Fruit and for Wine, but with 
strong points of excellence, it had very great and radical 
defects for both purposes, in the quality of its fruit as well 
as in the habit and character of the vine. 
Its Southern origin, and consequent lateness ill ripening 
and sensitiveness to atmospheric changes, inducing mildew 
and rot, restricted its cultivation to a very narrow limit, and 
then in only a few favored localities could its fruit be hoped 
for with any degree of constancy that rendered its cultiva- 
tion valuable commercially, or worthy of much attention 
in the Fruit-garden. 
In addition to these discouragements, were the serious de- 
fects in the fruit itself, when in best condition— it always hav- 
ing a large, tough, unripe acid portion, that must be swal- 
lowed together With the seeds— and quickly to avoid its 
unpleasantness. 
The better portion, too, had always some ^stringency from 
excess of Tannic-acid.and the skin was somewhat acrid with 
a considerable degree of disagreeable and unwholesome 
foxy odor, even under the most favorable influences of season 
and climate. As a fruit, it could measurably satisfy the crav- 
ings of persons who had known nothing better, but was not 
good enough to afford much, if any. enjoyment to those who 
had known the real excellence of Grapes, as existing in the 
best foreign kinds. 
As a Table-grape, the Isabella was always associated wilh 
the Catawba, but by its earlier ripening, it was adapted to 
a much more extended region. 
The native defects in this were the same as those in the 
Catawba, but with much less of excellence, the Isabella be- 
ing comparatively feeble-flavored— that is, having in a given 
quantity of juice, less sugar, and what is more important, 
less of the acids that are indispensable constituents of good 
grapes. The acids of unripeness in the toush. unripe center, 
are not here intended, for these are the bane of our ordhinry 
natives, and especially for wine-making. 
The Isabella has thus too little richness for making real 
wine— while the Catawba in its best condition, as cultivated 
in some favored localities, produces wine of good quality, 
that has, like the grape, strong points of excellence, with 
its very positive native defects— in unpleasant aroma, and 
want of refinement. Mr. John E, Mottier, has exhibited 
the best Catawba wine probably that the grape is capable of 
producing, in the vintages of '59 and '63, and our compari- 
sons are made with that. 
These two kinds had led a large portion of our people to 
a knowledge of much better grapes than the wild ones of 
the woods, and Catawba wine, had given a good idea of an 
exhilarating and refreshing beverage, with little tendency 
to intoxicate. But the adulterated imitations (falsely repre- 
sented as pure Catawba, because of the alcoholic strength 
being added in the form of sugar,) had been manifold 
more in quantity than the pure wine. 
The strong desire to have grapes and wine acting con- 
stantly had induced some progress; yet, the advance had 
been slow, because no grape had appeared of the requisite 
quality and character to bear comparison with the best of 
vine-growing countries. 
But after the propagation of the Delaware had been under- 
taken in earnest, as rapidly as plants for the purpose could be 
supplied, the knowledge of good grapes was spread abroad 
over the country. At the time we have named (three years 
ago), the Delaware, which had been extensively dissemi- 
nated, had borne much of its fine fruit, and made great pro- 
gress in " educating the American taste," and those who had 
been foremost in learning from the Delaware haw good 
"grapes can he, were ready to take the IONA from the same 
recommcndation.although the originatorhesitatcd then to re- 
present it as surpassing the Delaware in excellence of qual- 
ity. The claim for it was, that it " deserved to Hand hy the 
side of the Delaware for quality, while iu size of bunch and 
berry, it'greatly exceeded it." Without detracting sit all from 
the merits of the Delaware (it has not been over-praised), it is 
now by extensive trial, clearly established by the most 
abundant proof, that the IONA surpasses the Delaware in 
quality, for Wine and Fruit, as well as hi its bright transpa- 
rent beauty, and in the large size of its bunches and berries, 
and in addition that it is an excellent raisin grape, and our 
only one that has sufficient richness of substance for that 
purpose. 
The Delaware was one of the greatest accessions to our 
enjoyment in fruits, and must ever maintain a very high 
position. 
But a table grape as pure and refined as that, and more 
" spirited and exhilarating," and much larger in siz* for full 
free use, was yet wanted, that would ripen thoroughly to the 
center, which was not the case with the Delaware. {Con- 
tinued on preceding page (33) which see.'] 
/ 
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