March i, 1883.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



707 



indicates the importance of cultivators paying close 

 attention to tbe phenomena of hybridization and of study- 

 ing the subject with » view of further improvement. 



Phuriiuicy. — In the opinion of pharmacists ttie bark 

 most suitable for medicinal useis the Cinchona sui-cirvlim, 

 and as I have the privilege of addressing those directly 

 or indirectly conntoted wilh pharmacy, it would not, 

 perhaps, be out of place to mention the cause of this 

 preference and the names of the writers who speak the 

 strongest in its favour. 



Mr. Holmes, in a paper read some time ago, pointed 

 out that the red bark supply would in all probability be 

 always equal to the demand on account of its growing at 

 a much lower elevation, and consequent distribution 

 over a much wider area, the amount of that bark grown 

 was greater comparatively than of the other cinchonas. 

 Mr. Holmes also pointed out that it could be procured 

 of good quality, that it, contains all the alkaloids with 

 the exception of aricine, and that it wus less liable to be 

 mixed with hybrids, on account of its characteristic 

 appearance. 



Professor KHiokiger also suggests the use of Cinchona 

 siicciruhm, in 'Pliarmacographia;' and both Mr. Umney 

 and Mr. R. \V. Giles have repeatedly pointed out the 

 unsatisfactory results of using the yellow barks for 

 pharmaceutical preparation?. 



Dr. de Vrij.some months ago, published a form for 

 the preparation of red bark extract ; the advantages it 

 claims over most of the extracts now met with aie its 

 easy mode of preparation, and especially the production 

 of a clear solution when it is mixed with water. 

 — Pharmaceutical Journal. 



The Failure of the Hop Crop.s.— A Dublin cor- 

 respondent informs the Morning Advertiser that 

 " Messrs. Guinnes", the great Dublin brewers, have 

 found it necessary to increase the price of their porter 

 from yesterday. The new tariff, it is estimated, will 

 amount to an increase of about one penny per gallon. 

 Had this increase not been made Messrs. Guinness es- 

 timate that they would have sustained a loss of not less 

 than i,'l70,000 during the present year." Messrs. W. 

 H. and H. Le May, in their report of the present con- 

 dition and pi-oppects of the hop trade, say : — "Never 

 before has the hop market been in the same position on 

 the 1st .January as it was this year. The whole of the 

 stocks now unsold are nut more than sufficient for one 

 month's consumption, and the brewers may hold an 

 average of two or three months' stock, certainly not 

 more than the latter, as the quantity grown and im- 

 ported would not admit of it. What the brewei-s will 

 do for hops during the next nine months which must 

 be passed over before another crop can be placed on 

 the market, it is not possible to say." — London Field. 



Slavery and I.mmii:jration in Brazil are thus 

 dealt with by the liio Snca of Dec. 15th : — " The im- 

 pending abolition of slavery threatens paralysis to all 

 the leading industries of the country which are now 

 carried on by slave labor. The danger is real, and 

 is not overstiniated. Instead of utilizing the freedmen 

 as a future la loring element, the planters are seeking 

 t., replace them by colonists, and with this intent 

 eflbrts are now making to attract emigration this way. 

 It is natnral therefore that measures should be adopted 

 to place the advantages of Brazil before the emigrant, 

 and to induce him to choose this country as his 

 futUie home. In justice to the emigr.iut, however, he 

 should bo fully informed as to the country, instead 

 of being deceived. This propaganda, so far as we have 

 been able to jud^e, does notning but paint Brazil in 

 bright colors and dilate upon its magnihcent pos- 

 sibilities. The emigrant who comes here through these 

 inducements is certain to be disappointed. He will 



feel that he has been deceived and cheated — and justly 

 so. And the result will inevitably be that the country 

 will secure no real advantage from immigration, and 

 wilt suffer a serious loss of credit." 



Farminu ly Britain (How Like Coffeb Plant- 

 ING IN CeyLON !) — Sayo the London Field in its 

 review of 1882 : — " Such terrible depreciation of 

 capital has resulted from adverse seasons, that too 

 many men were holding on for the chance of a real 

 good year affording a turning point. .Such men had 

 not money to stock their farms, and thus missed the 

 only opening for profit. The land, l)otli foul and poor, 

 could only yield badly, and so the result of the year 

 will be a distinct loss, and of course in such cases 

 the end must come. This is one and the principal 

 cause of vacant farms." 



The New Leaf-Disea.se.— The more we hear 

 of this disease from different districts, tlie more 

 does its appearance Ht in with the seasonal and saline 

 theory — that is, that its origin is due to the prolonged 

 south-west monsoon with its heavy persistent rain and 

 probably salt-laden breezes from tlie sea. It is no 

 answer to say that the cucalypts on the Nilgiris have 

 not Ijcen similarly affected, because they are by no 

 means so exposed as many portions of the hill 

 country in tnis little island. No doubt it will be 

 found that the portions of districts or estates in 

 Haputale, Nuwara Elliya, Dimbula, Dikoya and Am- 

 begamuwii affected, are those most exposed to the 

 S. W. monsoon. We learn today of a patch of tea 

 in Vlaskeliya being a good deal spotted, as if a fire- 

 stick had been run through it, and this part also is ex- 

 posed to the full burst of the south-west. The serious 

 point now is; — ia the disease, having originated with an 

 unprecedented monsoon, is it to continue and spread 

 with us instead of gradually but surely disappearing 

 as it did in Australia in the case referred to in a 

 letter elsewhere ? 



Mr. .Siiand's Tea Drier. — We have seen two models : 

 the larger one two feet wide and three feet long is an 

 exact model of the machines which would be required 

 to manufacture tea on a large scale. The heated sur- 

 face plate is of galvanized iron, rivetted on to the 

 lower casing, which is made of thin boiler plate to 

 enable it to resist the ao ion of the fire which is 

 placed under it. The two plates are separated by a 

 space of about two inches which is filled with water 

 which is boiled by means of the fire placed under it 

 Tlie end pieces are two pieces of the boiler plate iron . 

 one end is rivetted on, but the other end is fastened 

 on by screws to allow of its being removed to clean 

 out the boiler. The whole is of course made steam- 

 tight by close rivetting. The smaller machine was 

 made altogether of galvanized iron soldered and 

 rivetted together : it is a handy little machine for small 

 experiments, and would be found useful for a variety 

 of purposes abo.ut a planter's bungalow, as indeed 

 would the lar/ie machine also be. Both models were 

 heated to about 170 degrees of Fahrenheit by kerosine 

 oil cool.iug stove lamps, but the larger of the machines 

 would be more economically heated by fire : the machine 

 could be placed on the top of a few bricks say eighteen 

 inches hitjh and a fireplace made with pieces of iron 

 placed iicross the first row of bricks for fire bars — tlie 

 smoke could run under the machine and e>seape 

 througli a piece of the piping for chimney. Mr. Shaud 

 recommends working models of a somewhat larger 

 size to . oouomize material and labor. Whilst a machine 

 •2 feet by 3 or 4 feet would cost E20 to R2,5 one 

 eight feet long would not cost more than about E.S5. 

 '1 he galvanized iron sheets being 8 feet long, little 

 additional ritetting is required, whilst the end pieces 

 cost the same for a long as for a short machine. 

 It is intended to make experiments in drying cocoa 

 with the^ machines. We do not see why they should 

 not be adopted to the purpose. 



