Nov. h J 886.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



jyj 



■ ♦ — — 



To the Editor of the " Ce\jlo7t Observer." 



ELECTEICITY FOE TEA MACHINEEY : A 

 QUESTION FOE ENGINEEES. 

 Theberton, Ambagamuwa, 18th Oct. 188G. 

 Dear Sir, — I noticed in your paper of the 18th 

 inst. an article on Branch railway feeders, and 

 that electricity might be used to work them. I 

 was just on the point of writing you on nearly 

 the same subject, viz., cannot electricity be used 

 to work our tea machinery ? Steam-engines are 

 expensive in everij icay, besides the difficulty to 

 get them on out-of-the-way estates. Water in 

 most places is only sufficient during the S.-W. 

 monsoon. Dams (where possible) are very expensive 

 to make " as a rule," and on our hillsides are 

 difficult to keep water-tight. Through nearly every 

 valley in the hills runs a river or a considerable 

 stream of water, all the year round. Would it not 

 be possible to work a water-wheel or turbine with 

 the water from the river and generate electricity, 

 in a dynamo there '? Then bring it to the factory 

 by wires to a second dynamo, which would work 

 the rollers etc. There is generally enough water 

 in most of our principal streams to work machinery, 

 and if we could place our factory alongside of 

 them, we should do very well, but as ' it is, this 

 cannot often be done. 



Do you not think it would be well worth finding 

 out, what would be the cost to work our tea machinery 

 by electricity ? Would it be a saving on steam ? The 

 first cost, I fancy, would be nearly the only one, as 

 there is no other that I know of ; unless the 

 armatures on the magnets oxydize in our damp 

 climate, this could be provided against by covering 

 the wires coiled round the magnets, the same way 

 as deep sea telegraph wires are done. If this 

 could be provided against, there would be only 

 general upkeep of wear and tear of machinery. 



To work steam-engines when the present supply 

 of firewood is exhausted, will be a very exj^ensive 

 affair. Is it not worth while for those who 

 have not yet decided on the motive power for their 

 machinery to find out, if it is practicable to use 

 electricity. Could you not give us some inform- 

 ation on this subject ? 



I know farm machinery is both worked in Eng- 

 land and on the Continent by dynamo machines. 

 The question is : are they expensive play-things 

 or practically useful ? Of course, the question of 

 first cost is tha principal point. The wire rusting, 

 etc., could be overcome, as, I believe, steel wires 

 are used in some machines. If you think the 

 subject worth ventilating and this letter of mine 

 worth it, please give it a corner in the Observer. 

 Your idea as regards railway feeders is a good one 

 and worth considering. — Yours, vei-y truly, 



T. J. GKIGG. 

 I There are gentlemen in the island competent 

 to give an opinion, and to make a practical ex- 

 periment in connection with IVIr. Grigg's question, 

 and we trust one or other will do so and re- 

 port the result. — Ed.] 



'~~' WATTLE CULTIVATION. ' 



•21st October ISSi; 

 Db.vk Sir, — I often read in your columns how 

 profitable the cultivat on of Wattles in Ceylon would 

 be. In the T. A. of last month, page 248, you say 

 (or rather the Indian AijricuUiiri.st says), "The 

 bark now sells in London at £87 per ton " ! Well, 

 at 3 years we may confidently rely upon 2|- to '6 

 tors per acre, of bark of the Acacia decurrcns the) 

 variety referrecl tp) and ao a'Witipnal tcui pet acre 



up to the 10th year ! Who will henceforth think 

 of the troublesome tea cultivation, with its so-called 

 moderate profits ? Who would take the trouble to 

 dig for gold, or search for diamonds ? 



But I fear £8 per ton is nearer the mark, and 

 that leaves so large a margin of profit, . it is in- 

 explicable to me, that its cultivation is not attempted 

 in Ceylon 



At Elephant Nook in Nuwara Eliya may be seen 

 trees of Acacia decurrens now 25 to 2(3 months 

 from seed, and just 2 years from nursery, standing 

 considsrably over 30 feet in height. These are not 

 whippy and shew no ill-effects from the terrible 

 winds to which they have been exposed for the past 

 lew months. There are strong branches from the 

 ground to within a few feet of the top. A boy stood 

 on a branch at 24 feet with the tape-line, his 

 weight insufficient to bend the tree more than 

 slightly. 



The seed was brought by Mr. W. M. Mayes from 

 Australia. 



From the articles in T. A. 1884-85 extract from 

 Adelaide Observer, pages 165-1(37, and report of 

 Mr. T. E. Browne (Conservator of Forests) to Legis- 

 lative Council, Adelaide, pages 916-1J18, I learn 

 that there are two varieties of Wattles standing pre- 

 eminent tor the production of Wattle or Mimosa bark 

 of commerce. A. 2»jciiaiitlia broad-leafed or golden 

 Wattle gives the most valuable bark, but the tree 

 itself is a much smaller one than A. decurrem or 

 Black-Wattle. 



Average Average Average yield Average 



height. girth, tanning mate- yield of 



rials. bark. 



A.injcnantha 25 ft. Sin. 30 to 40 o/o 70 1b. 



A. decurrem 40 ft. 24 ,, 29 to 34 o/o 500 „ 



These regularly planted 4" by 4" a crop is taken 

 every third year. Selected trees I presume. 



The wood and twigs all yield tanning materials, 

 but the wood of A. decurrens is valuable for 

 cooper's work (staves) and as firewood is very 

 far superior to blue gum. 



In your T. A." for 1882-83, page 823, Mr. 

 Jameson's Report, Botanical Gardens Neilgherry, is 

 the following paragraph : — 



" In three years an acre of A. decurrens, will 

 give 2,J tons of bark selling in London at £8 to 

 £11 per ton" (not £87). 



The seed will germinate after being boiled for 

 7 minutes ! 



It is quite unnecessary to boil it. Soaked in 

 warm water all night it germinates readily : 

 within a week. 



As may be inferred from its name, it spreads, 

 but where there are Weeding contractors the shoots 

 may be broken off' monthly, Thej grow readily, 

 when transplanted shoots from the roots of those 

 growing in Nuwara Eliya (before referred to) 

 planted in the patenas some six weeks ag-> are 

 growing well. I write this to elicit information. 

 Mr. Nock says he doubts that there is a single 

 plant of A. 2>i/cnantha in Nuwara Eliya ; yet we 

 so frequently read and hear talk of the Golden- 

 Wattles m Nuwara Eliya. It is certain that the 

 acacias termed " Black-Acacias" growing in Nuwara 

 Eliya are not all " Blackwood " or A. Jlclan- 

 oxi/lon. Bark and leaves ditt'er greatly. 



Of course everybody knows, Black-Wattles and 

 Black acacias (or Blackwood acacias) are totally 

 diff'erent things. You will excuse my warning 

 your readers not to depend on T. J. Yol. 1 (1881- 

 82) for information re wattles and acacias.* 

 There are some misleading statements. 

 For instance, see pages 251 and 318 and there 

 are more. — Yours faithfully, W. E. T. 



* I refer almost solely to the wrong Botanical names 

 givtn. 



