March i, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST 



521 



been imposed for the performance of this operation in 

 England. 



Average Price. — The 56,490 packages of directim- 

 port sold in public auction during the year realized 

 an average ot d^d; the average for the 31,473 pack- 

 ages sold during the first si,K months of the year 

 being O^d, and of the 25,017 packages sold during the 

 last si.\ mouths being 8|d. 



In 1885,45,272 packages of Java Tea of direct import 

 were printed for public auction ; the equivalent in cliests 

 being 39,418. In 1886 the quantity h-itl increased 

 to 56,490 packages, the equivalent in chests being 

 48,038. 



Imports and Delivering of Tea in London from 1st 

 January to 31st December 1885 and 188G, with Stocks 

 on 31st December in each year. 



Imports 

 1885 1886 



China, &c l.Se.SHS.OOO 140,667,000 



Indian 6.3,160,000 76,,585,000 



Ceylou .3,703,000 6,875 000 



Java 3,.344,000 3,946,000 



Total... 206,803,000 228,073,000 



Deliveries 



188.=) 1886 



China, &c 148,.338,000 142,547,000 



Indian 65,678,000 68,420,000 



Ceylon 3,218,000 6,245,000 



.Tava 3,537,000 .3,676,000 



Total... 220,771,000 220,888,000 

 Stock 



188.1 1886 



China, &e 69,759,000 67,665,000 



Indian 24,752,000 32,887,000 



Ceylon 1,028,000 1.661,000 



Java . 676,000 944,000 



Total... 96,215,000 103,157,000 

 ♦ 



THE SENSITIVE PLANT. 



The singular phenomenon exhibited by this well 

 known exotic has long been the admiration of the 

 curious, a puzzle to the botanist, and a standing 

 marvel in the vegetable kingdom. The plant has the 

 property of contracting certain parts of its structure 

 when touched, and is not only sensible to the applic- 

 ation of force, but appears to be influenced by the 

 surrounding elements. Sudden degrees of heat or 

 cold, steam from boiling water, sulpher-fumes, the 

 odour of volatile liquids, in fact anything that atfects 

 the nerves of animals, appears also to alfect the 

 sensitive plant. It is in the highest degree a nerv- 

 ous subject, and, like that species of the genus homo, 

 is in this country a thorough hothouse habitant. 

 The subject of our present consideration was originally 

 introduced from Brazil, and along with other variet- 

 ies possessing the same faculty in different degrees, 

 is common to other parts of South America. The 

 stem of the plant is cylindrical, and of a green or pur- 



Elish colour, with two spines at the base of each leaf, 

 esides a few others scattered about the branches. 

 The leaves aru pinnatified, divided into pairs, sup- 

 ported on long footstalks, and each pinnule is furn- 

 ished with lifteen or twenty pairs of oblong, narrow, 

 and shining leaflets. From the base of the leaf- 

 stalks proceed the peduncles or flower-stalks, each 

 of which supports a bunch of very small white or 

 fresh-coloured flowers. The seed-vessels are united in 

 packets of twelve or fifteen each, and are edged with 

 minute spines, each husk containing three little seeds. 

 Dr Hook, Dufay, Duhamel, and other naturalists, 

 have studied this plant with equal attention, and 

 from their observations we learn that it is difficult 

 to touch a leaf of a healthy mimosa — under which 

 name the sensitive plant is also known— even in the 

 most delicate manner without causing it to close. 

 The great nerve which passes along the centre of 

 the leaf serves as a hinge for the sides to close 

 upon, and this they do with great exactness, the two 

 aides exactly opposing each other. If the pressure 

 is made with considerable force, the opposite leaf 

 of the same pair will be affected at the same time 

 aud moved in the same manuer. Upon squeezing 



the leaf still harder, all the leaflets on the same 

 side close immediately, as if resenting the affront. 

 The effect may be even carried so far that the 

 leaf-stalk will bend to the branch from which it 

 issues, and the whole plant collect itself as it were 

 into a bundle. 



As soon as evening approaches, the sensitive plant 

 begins to lower its leaves, till at length they rest 

 upon the stem. With the morning light, they o-radu- 

 ally re-open. When the leaves have even "faded 

 and turned yellow, the plant still continues this 

 action, and retains its sensibility when agitated by 

 external influences. A tine rain will not disturb 

 the mimosa at all; but should the rain fall heavily, 

 and be accompanied by wind, the plant becomes 

 immediately affected. When irritated and made to 

 close by force, the time necessary for the leaves 

 to recover their usual position varies from ten to 

 twenty minutes, according to the season and the 

 hour of the day. 



Though heat and cold contribute greatly towards its 

 alternate motion, yet the plant is more sluggish in its 

 movements and less sensitive ia winter than in summer. 

 After a branch has been separated from the shrub the 

 leaves still retain their sensibility, and will shut oi, 

 being touched. If the end of the detatched branch is 

 kept in water, the leaves will continue to act for some 

 time. 



If the .sensitive plant be plunged inta cold water, the 

 leaves will close, but will afterwards re-open ; and if 

 touched in this state, will again shut themselves, as if 

 in the open air, but not so quickly. This experiment 

 does not seem to injure the plant. If the extremity 

 of a leaf exposed to the rays of the sun is burned with a 

 lens or a match, it closes instantly ; and at the same 

 moment, not only the leaflet which is opposite to it 

 follows its example, but all that are upon the same 

 stalk. If a drop of sulphuric acid is placed upon a leaf 

 so as to remain stationary, the plant is not immedi- 

 ttely affected ; but when it begins to spread, the irrit- 

 ation is communicated from one leaflet to another, till 

 the whole of them on the affected stalk are clo.sed. 

 Although a branch of this wonderful plant be cut 

 through three-fourths of its diameter, yet the leaves 

 belonging to it retain the same degree of sensibility, and 

 open and shut with their usual freedom. The vapour 

 of boiling water affects the leaves in the same manner 

 as if they were burned, and for several hours they ap- 

 pear benumbed— in fact, seldom recovering during the 

 remainder of the day. 



These are some of the principal phenomena connected 

 with this very singular plant. No doubt, other experi- 

 ments have been made ; but these will serve to show 

 how much akin is the delicate organisation of this 

 plant to that of the animal kingdom. 



Many CO u.iectures have been formed and many theo 

 ries raised to account satisfactorily for the working of 

 this exqui.site machine ; but the mainspring is still hid- 

 den, and has, as far as we know, eluded thest^arch of 

 the naturalist. It has been supposed by some that the 

 mimosa is endued with a power of perception which 

 actuates all its motions, and is the connecting link be- 

 tween the animal and vegetable kingdoms. But at 

 least an equally rational theory is, that its movements 

 are purely mechanical. To enter into a discussion as to 

 the relative merits of these and other theories would ex- 

 ceed the limits of this article. We can only contem- 

 plate the plant as one of those nat'iral wonders 

 which add to our admiration of mother Nature and her 

 products. — Chambers' Journal. 



THE GOVEENMENT CINCHONA IN JAVA. 



van ivomuncie, ine jJireccor, nas answered some ques- 

 tions which have been troubling them during the past 

 year. In the matter of extensions the work done has 

 principally con.sisted in replanting fields from which, as 

 we some months ago recorded, the l«ss valuable varieties 



