July i, 1882.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



43 



gained at such trouble and expense. Failing something 

 of tliis kiud, we fear that tlie efforts of the Sj'ndicate — 

 so successful as they have been — will fail of permanctd 

 effect. We want their prnotice pursued and perseven d 

 in : and if this be done, the position of Indian tea 

 should be assured in the outside markets of the world. 

 — Indian Tea Gazttte. 



THE ASTRONOMER OF NEW SOUTH WALES 

 ON RAINFALL. 



One of the most pleasant incidents of our visit 

 to the Australian colonies was that of travelling from 

 Sydney to Melbourne with Mr. Russell, the New South 

 Wales Astronomer. Mr. Russell etauds high as a keen 

 but cautious observer, and we were not eurprized to 

 lind that he was no believer in the theory that rain- 

 fall could be increased by covering plains with trees. 

 Ou the other hand ho was sanguiue as to the grand 

 results to be obtained from bringing to the surface 

 the stores of water which are hidden under thousands 

 of sijuare miles of arid country in Australia. The 

 following paragraph in the Hydiieij Mail shews what 

 the conditions are by which, in Mr. Russell's opinion, 

 the deposition of rain from the atmosphere can be 

 iiiflnenced : — 



Sir. Russell's presidential address at the annual meet- 

 iug of the Royal Society contains a reply to the **rain 

 doctors " that will be accepted by the intelligence of the 

 public as conclusive, however much it may be cavilled 

 about by those who, in accepting, it, would find cherished 

 prejudices cut away or some portion of a pi-ofitable occup- 

 idion gone. Mr. Russell's effort is to enable us " to get 

 some notion of the forces at work in producing rain, and 

 what it means if we try to interfere with them." The only 

 one of these forces, which is in any way accurately 

 understood, is the heating power of the sim's rays. To 

 affect or control the rainfall we must change the temp- 

 erature of the atmosphere, which will he' mast simply 

 effected by a process of elevation. Familiar illustrations 

 of the truth of this theory are afforded by comparison 

 of the average rainfall at Windsor and Eurrojong. The 

 summit of the hill gets 53 inches of rain for every 3.3 that 

 falls in the township 1,800 feet below. Thus the same 

 atmosphere being lifted 1,800 feet deposits 60 per cent, 

 more rain. Hence it may be argued that in any cloudy 

 but not rainy time the uplifting of the atmosphera some 

 2,000 feet would cause condensation and produce riiin. 

 The force requisite for such a work is the only point to 

 be considered, and this is very clearly set down. Mr. 

 Russell asks us to suppose that we desire to effect a change 

 in the rainfall of Syduey to increase it by 60 per cent, 

 and having calculated all the opposing forces to be over- 

 come, he ostimiitis that it might be accomplished by 

 the burning of 8,000,000 tons of coal per ilay. This 

 estimate is arrived at after some study, and is probably 

 correct ; it may be at least accepted as reliable data by 

 those who desire to control the operations of Nature in 

 the distribution of rain. The part electricity plays in the 

 susnensiou of clouds, Mr. Ku;>sell tells us, speaking c,v 

 cathedra^ science has not been able to ascertain. Franklin's 

 experiment is often quoted, but the facts of that experi- 

 ment are strangely overlooked, for it goes to prove, as 

 does that of Urossc, at a later time, that lightning can be 

 freely drawn from a cloud without producing rain. In fact, 

 the question remains open to philosophers: Has electricity 

 much to do with rain •* Many instances are quoted of 

 great explosions and vast conflagrations, some of which 

 have been followed by rain, hut the majority of which 

 have not; and it is practically proved that it is quite 

 impossible to get enough evidence together to establish 

 the feeblest theory. The matter is dealt mth in a clear 

 and scientific manner, and is satisfactorily placed with those 

 things that had better — by the present generation, at least 

 — be left at rest. 



Hills and mountains are the great capturers of 

 moisture in the atmosphere, and by a curious law, 

 rainfall generally increases with elevation up to acert- 

 ftin point, generally to 1,000 or at the very utmost 

 6,000 feet. The quantity then rapidly decreases, and 



a mountain may pi-escnt the phenomenon of a deluge 

 uf rain on its middle portion, while at its base and 

 ou its summit equally the sun shines through a clear at- 

 mosphere. 



NEW PRODUCTS. 



From an article so headed in the very able paper 

 recently started, The Indiyo. Planters' Gazette, we take 

 the following extracts : — 



Messrs. C'antwell & Co. of Calcutta, have related in 

 the columns of the Englishman, that they " procured 

 some of the aloe plant leaves, many of which were 

 over six feet in lengih, and subjected them to theu- 

 patent process for extrnction of the fibre. A sample 

 of tlie tibre taken from them was sent to London, and 

 by the last mail advice was received valuing it at £28 

 per ton, and offering to take any cjuantity of it at 

 that price. The advice also stated that the higliest 

 l^rice that any aloe fibre has hitherto realized in the 

 London market was £16 per ton, so that, the Indian 

 sample is nearly double the value of that at present ob- 

 tainable in the market." 



The subject of timber trees and the supply of woods 

 is a very important one, and specimens ehould be 

 peleoted with diseriuiinatiou. Beside the specimens of 

 leaves, flowers and fruits, there should be a horizontal 

 section with the bark attached of the whol-' tree, about 

 SIX inches thick; a plank about .3 feet long taken throUi.'h 

 the centre, aud also a similar one shewing the sapwood. 

 These will allow of judging of its applicability in oir- 

 peutering, &c. ; also two or three bars about 21 -quave 

 and two to three feet long, and cut from sound wooil. 

 These billets will eniible the strength to be ascertained, 

 th-^ breaking weights of woods being generally tried 

 with special instrument'^, with pieces square! accur- 

 ately to 2 inches and a length of 16 inches. A piece, 

 when turned in a lathe, but not varnished or polished, 

 shows its ;ipplicabiliiy or otherwise for ornamental 

 w<.rk in which lustre, grain, or figure, and colour are 

 tlio chief disiderata. Notes too should be made of as 

 to whether the trees are liable to insect attacks, the 

 distriliuti in, numbers, height to first branches, ciicuni- 

 fei-ence, whether crooked or traight, rate of growth 

 when at full age, amount of seasoning required and the 

 av.Tilable carriage. 



Woods likely to be usiful in ship-lmilding, for railway 

 sleepers, in house construction, for cabinet work and 

 engraving, showing them by a horizontal section with 

 bark attached, about six inches thick or less ; a slab 

 from the centre, and also from the sap, aud two or 

 three billets 2i inches rquare, 2-3 feet long from sound 

 wood, so as to show figure, grain, lustre, colour, &c. 

 They should not be varnished or polished. Inform- 

 ation as to wliether quick or slow growers, size, natural 

 age, liability to insect attacks. The roots and bolea 

 are often usefitl for ornamental work. 



TEA SYNDICATE. 



To the Editor of the Enrjlishman. 



Sir, — I have read the article in your issue of 4th 

 instant, with refecfnce to t le operations of the Cal- 

 cutta tea Syndicati' m Australia and America, aud beg 

 to send you the enclosed circulars which have been 

 issued lately by the committee, and which will, no 

 doubt, be of intcre.-t. 



You will notice tl.at the Melbourne Agents of the 

 Syndicate strongly recommi nd the committee to con- 

 tinue their shipments to that quarter, and this is 

 the view the committee themselves have taken, for, 

 although priv;ite shipments are increasii g, still com- 

 plaints are received of the great length of prompt 

 customary in the colonies, and of the heavy charges ' 



* The heaviness of the chai'ges have greatly hindered 

 shipments from Ceylon, — Ed, 



