A NEW INDUSTRY TEA CULTURE IN THE NORTH.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 263, 12 May 1888, Page 6

A NEW INDUSTRY TEA CULTURE IN THE NORTH.

Till tact of Mr I'obbie ha\in<^ successfully »iowi) ihe tea plant at Wuitere, tieai Whan* <;arei, is important ; but he has also yatheied and (hied the leu\t> and brow rd palatable- tea from them, such a-* we do not ulwii">h got from t he bought article. Thcro aie sexeral othui* in the (li—ti ic*L who luno the plant glowing, simon y-t whom may be mentioned Mr Carruth at Kamo, whore a beantitul, luahliv lea plant may be seen, fiom which .some leaver weie taken b} voui coiicspondent, diied and mbbud, and afteruaids being infused in the u^ual way, ga\e a \eiy hih tea of decidedly the. Indian ta-^to. Tri i-. al^o beinjx <4io\mi on t Ji e new c\penmcntal rriound in connection with the Iforestiy nepartmunt <vt Theio is an attem[)t bcinji made to eulti \atc the tea pljnt to extent, and from which place the &ettlei^ will be able to obtain plants. Theio is no ic.'isoi' why &et-tlei-5 who live on hi^h, dry rrround may not (;io\\ it most successfully m tlii^ district In the ca^e of the-e and th.tt at Kamo. the height abo\c sea le\el is fioni 400 to .")00 feet, the land bein^ rich, \olcanic .soil. Tho>o who are at all acquainled with the tuck* of the tea trade, not e\cn uoinj; so tar back a^ the " Heathen t'hinee,' but amon^t our own vendors, will hail with pleasure the probability of being able to obtain yood, puic lea. The Northern . settlers may soon be able to grow their own tea and tobacco. Ttie onl\ ditiiculty is that o\ the skill and labour icquned, both of which will come in oood time. The wisdom of the late Colonial Ministiy .shown by the nutation of these expeiimental uround,- will, it is hoptd, now become moie eudent, sliow u\g what can be produced, and the be&t wa\ to about it , in our soil and climate. Sir liobeif .stout need not be ashamed of wliat hi 1 has done in that diicction. any ignorant jcti.s to tlic contrary notwithstanding.